Making WAVES In the Northeast

WAVES had an absolutely amazing time in Boston last weekend attending the 15th National Conference of the Chinese School Association of the United States (CSAUS)🏙️

We were honored to host a powerful panel titled “Asian Parents, American Children,” featuring our Founder and Executive Director Lily Chen; WAVES Board Member and Chief Medical Officer of Cartwheel, Juliana Chen; WAVES Acting Finance Director and CSAUS Board Member, Feng Xue; and Chinese American high school student Tristan Liu. The discussion highlighted cross-sector collaboration and the value of shared leadership in understanding real school and family needs—especially the voices of young people themselves.

Our Peer Support Specialist and Community Health Worker in training, Lei, also shared about WAVES’ peer support programs, while Haipei from United Chinese Americans – UCA, our National Partner, spoke to the critical role of youth leadership and cultural identity in supporting mental well-being. We also screened the trailer to Silent War, sparking meaningful dialogue around parent–child relationships and mental health.

All in all, it was a powerful conference marking a renewed commitment by Chinese schools nationwide to invest in youth mental health alongside cultural education. As long-standing strategic partners, CSAUS and WAVES demonstrated how schools, families, and community organizations can come together to advance youth development and emotional well-being on a national platform📚🩵