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Roots & Resilience: Join Us for the 2025 AAPI Youth Mental Health Conference
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Healing starts at the roots—are you joining us this September? Registration is now open for the 2025 AAPI Youth Mental Health Conference, happening Saturday, September 27 at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh, NC. This year’s theme, Roots & Resilience: The Power of Data & Stories to Advance AAPI Youth Mental Health, invites us to explore how culture, memory, research, and lived experience shape the wellbeing of AAPI youth—and how they can drive real change.
Expect a powerful day featuring:
- A keynote from Kelly Crosbie, NC’s Director of Mental Health
- A national data presentation by TAAF on the state of AAPI youth mental health
- Stories from refugee youth and insights from local community leaders
- Youth-led research and wellness activities woven throughout the day
Major highlight: The world premiere of Silent War, a new documentary confronting the AAPI mental health crisis, followed by a panel with the filmmakers and field experts. The evening will conclude with a Chinese-language family session led by Gang (Julie) Xie.
The weekend kicks off with a pre-conference roundtable on Friday, September 26, focused on community, policy, and systems-level strategies to support AAPI youth. CME, CE, and participation credits will be available via the Moses/Weitzman Health System.
We’re still accepting presenter abstracts from youth, educators, researchers, and community advocates until August 31st—notifications will go out by September 9th.
Want the full details? Tap the button below to visit our conference page. Let’s reimagine resilience, together.
| | Join the WAVES Team: We're Hiring for a Strategic Grants Coordinator! | | |
WAVES is seeking a Strategic Grants Coordinator to help manage and grow our grant portfolio. This hybrid remote role (based in the RTP, NC area) will oversee compliance, reporting, and tracking, while also supporting funder relations and strategic development. The ideal candidate has 3+ years of experience in grants management or nonprofit finance, strong organizational and communication skills, and a commitment to equity-driven work in AAPI communities. Estimated 25-30 hours/week to start, with flexible scheduling. This part-time position is remote, though periodic virtual and in-person meetings with the team and funders are required in the RTP, North Carolina area.
You can submit applications to info@ucawaves.org. Want to learn more about this position or share with family and friends? Click on the button below!
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First Festival Selection for Silent War
We kicked off the festival circuit with an amazing start. Silent War: Asian American Reckonings with Mental Health has been selected to be included in the Columbia Maryland Film Festival! This is particularly special as director, Dr. Changfu Chang, resides in the area, as well as one of the families featured in the documentary. This is just the first notification deadline to pass...we can't wait to see what else is on the horizon!
In June, we dropped the official trailer. Didn’t see it? Click on the button below!
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Education in Action at the Karen Community Farm
This month, our team got to visit the Karen Community Farm, where kids were attending their summer language school, proudly sponsored by WAVES! We also attended their moving fundraiser. It's an honor to support this incredible organization that nurtures both language learning and community connection for such bright young minds. Checkout their page to learn more!
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From Outreach to Inspiration: Naialie’s Graduation Moment
It was truly a bittersweet moment celebrating Naialie on her internship graduation with UCA WAVES, proudly sponsored by the Blue Cross NC Foundation!
Naialie brought dedication and heart to her work, leading survey outreach, conducting a strategic planning literature review, and supporting our June outreach event. Many of you had the chance to meet her in person and experience her passion firsthand. Huge thanks to Ling for her thoughtful mentorship and supervision throughout the journey.
Hope is the word that lingers from this experience. Hope for intergenerational collaboration and coalition-building across the AAPI diaspora. We can't wait to see all the amazing things in store for Naialie.
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Community Connections Fueling AAPI Health Research
One weekend in early July, WAVES team members Krystal and Ling joined the North Carolina Guangdong /Cantonese Association for a vibrant gathering filled with incredible food, meaningful conversations, and authentic community connection.
As part of the NC Identifying AAPI Health Priority Project, they collected 12 surveys—each one bringing us closer to our goal of 400 responses from across the state.
While the food was unforgettable, the shared smiles and stories were the true highlight. A heartfelt thank you to the Guangdong Association for the warm welcome and partnership, and to President Alice Yu for her continued support!
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Missions, Meetings, and Meaningful Moments Abroad
Even halfway across the world, the work of WAVES continues to grow.
While in Hong Kong, our Executive Director, Lily, reunited with Dr. Meina Liu, an esteemed communication professor from The George Washington University, for a powerful and long-overdue strategy session.
Together, they discussed strategic communication about conceptualizing various WAVES missions and programs
a vital step in how we share our mission, mobilize communities, and advocate for youth mental health across borders.
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Building Connection and Emotional Wellness in RTP
This month, we continued to hold our summer peer support series focused on Emotional Management and Effective Communication, led in Mandarin by Qi Fang—Mental Health First Aid trainer, peer support specialist, and former therapist in China.
The sessions created a space for meaningful reflection, guided sharing, and even a bit of laughter through group exercises and role-play. We’re so grateful to everyone who participated with such openness and warmth.
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WAVES Research Corner: The Impact of Peer Support Groups
Did you know that research is a core part of what we do at WAVES? Collecting and analyzing original data helps guide our mission and ensures that no voices are left out of the conversation.
Recently, we explored the impact of peer support groups on participating Chinese-American families. When asked what they gained from the experience, participants reported improved problem-solving skills, increased emotional awareness, and stronger interpersonal relationships.
Interested to hear the full breakdown? Click on the button to see the post.
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WAVES Corner: Lily Featured by Global Women Asia
Our very own Executive Director, Lily Chen, was recently featured by Global Women Asia in their Women in Health Innovation spotlight! We’re so grateful they took the time to highlight Lily and the work we do at WAVES. Their commitment to empowering Asian women and using their platform in such impactful ways is deeply inspiring.
Haven’t read the article yet? You should. Click the button below to check it out!
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Reflecting on July: Honoring Minority Mental Health Month & Disability Pride.
July was an invitation to reflect. Recognized as Minority Mental Health Month and Disability Pride Month, July calls attention to the deep inequities and layered identities that shape how individuals experience mental health across race, culture, and ability.
Mental health is not one-size-fits-all. Cultural stigma, systemic racism, language barriers, and intergenerational trauma all impact how communities of color access care—or don’t. For youth in particular, these challenges can feel invisible or overwhelming. At WAVES, we’re reminded why our mission exists in the first place: to center the mental health of AAPI youth, a community often overlooked in national conversations yet deeply affected by silence, cultural expectations, and displacement.
Reflection isn’t just looking back—it’s looking inward and ahead. As we shared resources and awareness throughout July, we also sat with the truth that meaningful change begins with understanding the unique barriers our communities face. Our work—supporting youth through storytelling, culturally grounded education, and community-driven healing—is part of a much larger movement toward justice in mental health care.
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