A Day We Won’t Soon Forget

Every year now, UCA WAVES joins Asian Focus NC for Asia Fest, a celebration of Asian culture, community, and connection. This year, we were excited to return with even more ways to connect, including our very own Water Eagles dragon boat team, a Family Well-Being Booth, and a special bilingual performance celebrating our 10th anniversary!

The Water Eagles, made up largely of Karen youth, took on their first-ever dragon boat competition after just four practices together. They learned to paddle, communicate, trust one another, and work as a team in a remarkably short time. After improving their time in each race, the team earned a spot in the A bracket and finished third in their group, separated by just milliseconds. More importantly, the experience gave the youth opportunities to build confidence, leadership, teamwork, and resilience.

On stage, UCA WAVES volunteers came together from five cities and, after just three rehearsals, delivered a five-minute bilingual performance of 三句半 (Three and a Half Sentences). Originally created for the 2026 UCA Convention and Mental Health Summit in Las Vegas, the performance was adapted for Asia Fest to celebrate UCA WAVES’ decade of mental health work and community impact. The performance brought together volunteers and community leaders, including UCA President Haipei Xue and North Carolina Congresswoman Maria Cervania, who even joined rehearsals to learn her Chinese lines!

Throughout the festival, our Family Well-Being Booth also gave us the opportunity to share mental health education, resources, activities, and food while connecting with community members.

From the racecourse to the stage and the community booth, Asia Fest was a wonderful reminder of what happens when people come together to build connection, celebrate culture, and spread joy. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make the day possible and proud of all the UCA WAVES volunteers and youth who showed up, tried something new, and helped make this celebration so special. To quote Lily, “The joy will go on!”

Want to learn more about our role in Asia Fest? Click on the button below!