UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative

10/29/2025

Sometimes the most meaningful conversations happen in the most unexpected places!💬

On her way to Fairfax County, WAVES Founder & Executive Director Lily Chen struck up a conversation with her Uber driver, a peer support specialist who works with veterans facing substance use challenges. As they talked about mental health and healing, he admitted he didn’t know much about AAPI communities. His impression, he said honestly, was that Asian Americans are “all well off, highly educated, and never struggle with mental health issues.”🏫

It was a moment of connection: two people from different backgrounds learning from one another through openness and respect. Lily shared that this “model minority” myth is one of the biggest barriers preventing many AAPI individuals from seeking help or being understood. The driver shared his own experiences helping veterans through a holistic approach to recovery, and the two found common ground in the shared mission of compassion, awareness, and breaking stigma💙💪🏽

We love this story because it perfectly captures what WAVES stands for: creating spaces where learning flows both ways, and where empathy leads to action.

If you're in or near Fairfax County, consider joining Lily tomorrow for a very special community conversation where we’ll share stories, data, and ideas on how to empower AAPI youth, bridge cultural gaps, and strengthen community resilience! You can find everything you need to know below⬇️

📍 Fairfax County Government Center, Conference Room 8 | 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035
📅 October 30, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST

10/28/2025

We’re excited to share that the Silent War documentary will be featured in a special screening hosted by the Asian/Pacific Studies Institute at Duke University (APSI) and the Asian American & Diaspora Studies Program at Duke University (AADS). The event will highlight the ongoing conversation around culturally informed mental health care and the power of breaking silence within Asian American communities.

Following the screening, a distinguished panel will discuss the local need for culturally responsive mental health services and share their experiences supporting Asian American and Asian diaspora communities in North Carolina.

Panelists include:

✅ Lily Chen, Executive Director, UCA WAVES
✅ Ling Jin, NC Director of Programs, UCA WAVES
✅ Eileen Chow, Associate Professor of the Practice in Chinese and Japanese Cultural Studies, Duke University
✅ Yan Li, Associate Dean of Graduate Student Affairs at Duke University

We are deeply grateful to APSI and AADS for the opportunity to continue sharing this powerful piece with the world. If you want to learn more about the event, click on the link below!

🗓️ Date: November 18th, 2025
⏰ Time: 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
📍 Location: Rubenstein Arts Center
🔗 Learn more: https://asianpacific.duke.edu/event/film-screening-silent-war-asian-american-reckonings-mental-health-changfu-chang-2025-11-18/

10/27/2025

How exciting, and so needed! We hope you'll check out this amazing event being held by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and hosted by Commonwealth Club World Affairs, which features our very own (and very talented) Program Manager, Reid Bowman💜

We were honored to include TAAF's groundbreaking study, Beyond the Surface, in our conference last month, and have their amazing Director of Data & Research, Sruthi Chandrasekaran in attendance to guide a moving discussion that blended data and lived experience.

We are continuously inspired by the work of TAAF and remain honored to have such dedicated partners advocating for AANHPI wellness. If you're looking to learn more or register now, click on the link below⬇️

https://events.taaf.org/youth2025/9718789

10/24/2025

Last month at the Roots & Resilience conference, we were inspired by the remarkable student researchers and youth presenters who shared their voices, creativity, and data-driven insights as part of our “Healing in Action” session📊 Both the areas of focus and the means of presentation were diverse in nature, from innovative studies on su***de prevention, cultural stigma, and digital well-being to art, film, and community projects centered on healing and resilience💪🏽

A big part of what we do at WAVES is research—it lights the way for what work needs to be done. Being able to not only encourage that passion in the next generation, but to create space for them to share their work is among our deepest honors💜

At the link below, you can check out the various projects that were presented at Roots & Resilience, organized into three categories: Creative Exhibitions, Research Projects, and Community Projects. Thank you to all our AMAZING presenters!⬇️

https://ucawaves.org/2025/10/24/reflecting-on-student-research-at-roots-resilience/

10/22/2025

October is . Similar to OCD (which also takes the stage in October), while many are familiar with the acronym, misconceptions surrounding the disorder are quite common. Here are five things to know about .

1️⃣ ADHD is a developmental disorder marked by persistent symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It’s not a character flaw–it’s biological.

🔗 Source: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-what-you-need-to-know

2️⃣ Approximately 6% of adults have ADHD, which equals roughly 15.5 million people. Around half received the diagnosis in adulthood.

🔗 Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7340a1.htm

3️⃣ An estimated 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD. According to a 2022 study, nearly 78% of children with ADHD had at least one other co-occurring condition.

🔗 Source: https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html

4️⃣ ADHD diagnoses are on the rise. It’s still unclear whether this is due to increased awareness of the condition, improved access to healthcare, changes in how ADHD is defined, or other factors.

🔗 Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/facts-statistics-infographic

5️⃣ People with ADHD possess unique strengths. A small 2023 study found four common themes amongst respondents: resilience & growth, creative thinking, pursuit of novelty, and the ability to channel energy towards productivity.

🔗 Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/benefits-of-adhd

But this is just the tip of the iceberg! If you want to learn more about ADHD, check out the link below⬇️🧠

https://www.adhdadvisor.org

10/21/2025

Over the decades—even just the past few years—we've made huge strides towards destigmazing mental health. At the heart of that change? Open conversations that connect us through shared experiences and mitigate shame.

But one thing many of us are still hesitant to talk about, is su***de. It's an extremely complex, sensitive topic, so it makes sense we're still learning how to navigate it. But just like so many other subjects reflexively shied away from, it needs the very attention we're afraid to give it.

Thanks to the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention, there's a guide available that provides information on how to safely talk about su***de, because as important it is to have these conversations, how we have them matters, too.

One of the most powerful things we have in this world is our own unique voice. If you feel called to use yours to talk about su***de, we hope this resource makes you feel further empowered to do so. Check out the guide at the link below⬇️

https://afsp.org/how-to-talk-safely-about-su***de/

***deprevention ***deAwareness

As an influencer or content creator, you have the power to send the message that we all have mental health, that no one is alone, and that help is available. Here are some research-based safe messaging guidelines to help you speak safely about this important topic, along with some technical consider...

10/21/2025

A beautiful scene from last week, where we proudly awarded three Peer Support Specialist Certificates! We were beyond proud to recognize the dedication and compassion of Krystal, Lei and Helen. We also had the joy of welcoming Yangyan Zheng to our Morrisville community—we’re so glad to have you with us!❤️

Our Fall Planning Team Meeting brought together all local Peer Support Specialist coordinators to discuss new ideas and strengthen our communication strategies for the season ahead.

What a fulfilling honor it is to build a stronger, more connected community together. Congrats again to the newly minted specialists!🎉

10/20/2025

Happy ! We wish you all love, light and happiness 🪔

10/20/2025

We have great news!🚨 Did you miss the Roots & Resilience conference in September, or just looking to relive the magic? There's a playlist with recordings of the various sessions on our YouTube Channel! Check it out at the link below⬇️

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLge0ADbYqd7koyMqP6MujFEdMCX5zzkwH&si=9OX3O4sUC5vv-h2H

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

10/20/2025

Earlier in October, some of our WAVES team was honored to join the Chinese American Friendship Association - CAFA NC Volunteer Appreciation Event❤️🍁

It was a wonderful gathering filled with homemade food, laughter, and meaningful conversations about civic engagement and community service, inspiring us all to stay involved and connected.

Thank you to CAFA for hosting such a warm and joyful celebration of community spirit and volunteerism!🏘️🌟

10/17/2025

Hard to believe it's been nearly three weeks since Roots & Resilience!🌱

One of the most eagerly awaited parts of the conference was the world premiere of Silent War: Asian American Reckonings with Mental Health, and the event did not disappoint. For those following the project, you know this journey has been a labor of love for Director Changfu Chang and his team for going on half a decade now. But it seems all that time, effort and energy paid off as there wasn’t a dry eye left in the room when the credits rolled. Why? Because stories like these echo throughout our community–but they don’t get told.

The screening was preceded by a powerful keynote from Victor Armstrong, MSW, and closed with a moving panel including Director Chang, Justin Chen, MD, MPH, Pooja Mehta, MPH and David Scott Binanay. Seeing the emotional impact this session had on attendees, we can’t wait to witness how Silent War connects with larger audiences across the country upon its public release🎥💚

If you had a chance to see the film at the conference, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Click on the link below to fill out a brief survey.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrhaYilJb1QoMLnYeN2DZmc6PlHMF0lD1gLyP15wHPSlwAfw/viewform?usp=header