What an incredible experience at the Jiaozi Festival in Chicago this past February 16th!

UCA Illinois hosted the fourth edition of this cherished tradition, and UCA WAVES was proud to be part of it. A huge thank you to Saichang (Sai) Xu and the UCA Illinois team for their incredible leadership in making this event such a success!

As a Board Member of UCA National and Executive Director of UCA WAVES, Lily had the honor of delivering a speech alongside Haipei Shue, President of UCA. Together, they highlighted UCA’s vital role in community service, youth development, and cultural sharing. It’s inspiring to see how UCA, founded in 2016, and UCA Illinois, founded in 2017, have grown and continued to strengthen our cultural bonds.

During the festival, Lily also introduced UCA WAVES—what we do, what we’ve achieved, and how we’re expanding our programs. One exciting announcement: we’re bringing UCA WAVES initiatives to Chicago! Lily had the opportunity to meet with key partners, including Marjorie Moore (Board Member ) and Yanelly Villegas ( Program Officer ) from the Julian Grace Foundation to discuss potential programs.

UCA WAVES is proud to be part of Asian Culture Association’s ( ACA ) impactful initiatives, including an Inter-generational Peer Support and Service Program where volunteers created handmade hats for newborns in hospitals. Our Chicago volunteer Jing Kong joined the workshop to help knit hats for babies in need, and we are excited to continue working closely with ACA in the future. Special thanks to Sherry Huang of ACA, for leading the team in their continuous service to the community.

It’s truly special to be part of a national platform like UCA, where WAVES can amplify its mission and build strong partnerships to make a lasting impact. From promoting Chinese culture to empowering communities, we’re proud to be contributing to the cultural legacy of the Lunar New Year and beyond.

Stay tuned for more updates from UCA WAVES—we’re just getting started in Chicago!