EJ Ramos David

EJ Ramos David is an award-winning Filipino psychologist and writer known for his work on colonial mentality, ethnic identity, and the Filipino immigrant experience. Through his research, books, and public storytelling, he helps communities understand how history and culture shape mental health and self-worth.

Birthplace: Philippines
Birth Date: April 23, 1980
Field: Psychology, Mental Health Advocacy, Filipino Identity Studies

Published Brown Skin, White Minds — a foundational book on colonial mentality

Wrote the personal narrative memoir We Have Not Stopped Trembling Yet

Serves as a professor of psychology with research centered on Filipino and BIPOC mental health

Advocates globally for decolonizing mental health practices

Frequently speaks on identity, migration, and intergenerational healing

EJ Ramos David’s work empowers Filipino and Filipino-American communities to reclaim pride in their identity. His research and storytelling challenge harmful stereotypes, promote mental health awareness, and help families understand the impacts of colonial history on self-esteem and belonging.

Before becoming a well-known scholar, David moved to Alaska as a teenager and often says that learning to navigate a new culture shaped the questions that drive his research today.