Kinike Bermudez (1951 – 2020) was a consumer advocate and historical figure within the mental health consumer/survivor movement. Key references include:
- National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR): Bermudez is recognized among prominent leaders of the consumer/survivor movement. The NCMHR created a dedicated video tribute honoring Kinike Bermudez (presented by Celia Brown) to remember and celebrate movement leaders, which is featured on the NCMHR YouTube channel (RecoveryandHope).
- Federal and National Acknowledgments: Bermudez is formally acknowledged as a consumer advocate representing the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association in national Surgeon General reports and publications concerning mental health, culture, race, and ethnicity.
- Movement Archives & Presentations: Historical overviews and presentations documenting early consumer/survivor movement activists frequently feature Bermudez alongside other notable advocates such as Howie the Harp, Judy Chamberlin, and George and Mary Ann Ebert.
(Photo Credit: National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery)
Tribute Transcript on the NCMHR YouTube channel (RecoveryandHope) by Celia Brown
What was the main passion that propelled Kinike? Her main passion was working with her own community, the Asian-American Pacific Islander community. She was a part of that culture and she was the founding member of the national Asian-American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, which she was really proud of.
She was one of the few Asian Americans that I have met who was a consumer advocate. This is back way back maybe 30 years ago when people of color were just getting involved in the mental health and peer community. She loved the Alternatives conference, she was part of the national alliance of multi-ethnic Behavioral Health Associations, and she was also a member of the National People of Color Consumer Survivor Ex-patient network. She was a representative of all of these organizations. Kinike’s most important contribution to the movement were bringing her culture and customs from Hawaii, which she’s very proud of, as well as her experiences as a mental health consumer advocate, as she called herself, long with a great sense of humor. She was able to make people laugh and also laugh at themselves. She was just so much fun! I miss her. The last thing that I knew about Kinike was that she was on Facebook, as a lot of us are, and she was a part of the Surviving Race: The Intersection of Injustice, Disability, and Human Rights. She was a part of our (NCMHR) Facebook page and she made contributions there as well.
Source: National Coalition on Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR)
Additional Information
RecoveryandHope . Kinike Bermudez Memorial by NCMHR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AMw_uroKSw