South Asian millennials find social support through a dedicated Facebook group

South Asian women across the country are finding social support in a thriving Facebook group dedicated to them.

The little brown diary has more than 40,000 members, mostly between the ages of 20 and 40, and 100 subgroups focused on niche topics. Some of these include mental health, entrepreneurship, career advice and more.

Members of the group can discuss their experiences as South Asians, the inner conflicts they face, and even bond over their favorite hobbies. The Facebook group has become a safe place for many of its members to find support during the most transformative times of their lives. These include:

• Supporting women in circumstances of domestic violence and sexual violence
• Sharing resources on mental health and suicide
• Members connect to support each other through grief and loss
• Helping members find the strength to divorce or defend their decision to be childfree
• Helping them with career changes
• Help find friends in a new city
• Finding a community of other neurodivergent people in their shoes

“I joined the online community because I was looking for that sense of belonging and connection with others who shared similar experiences and backgrounds,” says Sandhya Simhan, one of the group administrators.

“At the time, I was pregnant and wanted to find other desi moms who could offer support, advice and friendship during this important life transition,” she says.

Another group administrator, Henna Wadhwa, who works at Diversity and Inclusion in Washington, DC, is even using the group to inspire new areas of research, including an examination of ethno-racial identity in the workplace.

“I was surprised and excited about a group that brought together South Asian/brown women. I wanted to meet other women with similar research interests and who wanted to conduct academic research on South Asian American women,” says Wadhwa.

While social media isn’t always the best place to spend our time, studies show that the sense of community people get from joining online groups can be valuable for our mental health.

“The presence of LBD has allowed so many South Asian women to feel truly secure in their identities. The community we have built encourages everyone to be authentically and freely themselves. It is a powerful sight to see these South Asian women being vulnerable, breaking barriers and supporting each other on their journey,” says Wadhwa.

Hena and Neesha

According to an article in Psychology todayA study of college students looked at whether social media could serve as a source of social support during times of stress. It turned out that these students were more likely to turn to their social media network than to parents or mental health professionals for connection. The anonymity of virtual communities was also seen as attractive to people who were depressed.

“The social support received in the online group promotes a sense of well-being and was associated with positive relationships and personal growth,” the article said.

This is why finding a community of like-minded individuals online can have such a positive impact on your life.

“There are almost half a million women in our target group (millennial South Asians in North America) and about 10% of them are part of LBD. It has been a game-changer for our community. LBD is about embracing your true self and living your most authentic life. It is amazing to see how the members support, interact, learn and uplift each other,” say Wadhwa and Simhan.