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UCA WAVES

Youth Mental Health Collaborative

Wellness. Advocacy. Voices. Education. Support.

Mark Your Calendars for the UCA WAVES Mental Health Summit in Las Vegas!

Join us at UCA’s 2026 Chinese American Convention for a once-in-a-decade event that will bring together 1,000 community activists, elected officials, youth leaders, and business pioneers in the country’s biggest celebration city: Las Vegas!

There, we’ll be holding the UCA WAVES Mental Health Summit, “Roots & Resilience: The Power of Data, Stories, and Community Action.” Participants will be invited to share their passion projects, listen to speakers who inspire, witness learning that changes lives, and make memories to last a lifetime. Here’s what you need to know:

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Check out our programs!

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AANHPI Research

This project is designed to advance North Carolina-specific learnings about the health priorities of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and the kinds of strategies and systems changes that could be successful in promoting and improving the overall health and well-being of these communities.

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Strong Minds

Our Strong Minds program offers 10 one-on-one sessions in a safe, confidential space with a trained Community Mental Health Worker. Participants learn simple, practical tools to manage stress, improve your mood, and support your overall well-being.

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Silent War Film

Supported by WAVES, award-winning documentary filmmaker Professor Changfu Chang and his devoted team continued working on Silent War, a documentary showing real families’ experiences, shedding light on the mental health crisis in the Asian American community. 

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MHFA Training & Education Workshops

UCA WAVES conducts monthly Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training sessions to educate the community and boost their ability to prevent or handle crises. Additionally, we also host webinars and workshops designed to increase mental health literacy among our community and teach families the importance and practice of strong parent-child relationships.

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WAVES Village

WAVES Village is a bilingual WeChat peer-support platform, part of UCA WAVES parent ambassador program. WAVES Village has a team of 50 volunteers serving the Chinese communities nationwide. We emphasize on listening nonjudgmentally and empowering through empathy with cultural considerations.

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WAVES Makers

WAVES Makers are an indispensable part of UCA WAVES to elevate youth voices in UCA WAVES leadership and programming. WAVES Makers consist of high school students to young professionals with passion for community service and help elevate AANHPI youth voices. They provide peer support, education, outreach, communication, advocacy, and help connect and support the pipeline for the next generation of young AANHPI Americans.

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WAVES Hosts Groundbreaking Conference for AAPI Youth Mental Health

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On September 27, 2025 WAVES brought together roughly 300 youth, families, clinicians, educators, and leaders at NC State’s McKimmon Center for a statewide AAPI Youth Mental Health Conference, centering data, stories, and cultural healing.

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WAVES at White House AANHPI Mental Health Convening

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In July of 2024, Lily Chen, Unite Chinese Americans (UCA) WAVES Executive Director, and Elaine Peng, Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC) Executive Director, attended the White House AANHPI Mental Health Convening.

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National Chinese American Mental Health Summit at the 4th UCA Convention

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Last June, we successfully hosted our 4th annual Chinese American Convention in Washington DC. Over 700 attendees joined us for inspiring events, including a pivotal Mental Health Summit and Congressional advocacy. We concluded with a commemorative walk on the National Mall, honoring the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

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