AACS is proud to host a special screening of Silent War: Asian American Reckoning With Mental Health, a powerful documentary that illuminates the often-unspoken mental health challenges within Asian American communities. Through personal stories across diverse Asian identities, the film explores cultural stigma, intergenerational trauma, and the urgent need for open dialogue and accessible, culturally responsive support.
Reception: 4:30pm
Documentary: 5pm
Panel Discussion: 6:20-7:30pm
Location: ISB/Browning Hall Auditorium 160, Webster University
Panel Discussion features:
Dr. Changfu Chang (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4873255/), award-winning filmmaker and storyteller whose work has often focused on identity, belonging, and the Chinese American diaspora.
Yujia Lei (Ph.D., CGP). Staff psychologist. Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, Washington U in St. Louis.
Dr. Lei integrates person-centered, psychodynamic, and interpersonal approaches with multicultural and feminist perspectives. She focuses on identity, trauma, and immigration-related concerns. As a bilingual Asian psychologist, she provides culturally responsive care and fosters inclusive spaces for marginalized and international students.
Kristina Le: Vice President of OCA-STL , Board Chair of St Louis Vietnamese Community, Director of HR of LAMP
Panelist Narrative:
I’m here because I know what it’s like to struggle in silence, especially as an Asian American. After my dad passed, I stepped away for about a year and a half, not knowing when—or if—I’d come back, while surviving suicidal attempts that nearly broke me. On the outside, I held leadership roles, but behind closed doors I was fighting a private battle, ashamed to admit I needed help and weighed down by cultural expectations and the image I’d built over the years. I share my story to remind others that no title protects us from pain, and asking for help isn’t weakness—it is resilience, and it can save your life.
Jeff Wade: Executive Director AACC St. Louis, Founder Crypto World, Co-Founder of zPods
Panelist Narrative:
Jeff Wade’s story is one of survival and healing. Born in a poor village in the Philippines, he immigrated to the United States at nine seeking opportunity but instead endured years of abuse, learning to stay silent to survive. Though outwardly successful, unresolved trauma shaped his self-worth and limited how fully he lived. In his mid-30s, after losing a job, a pivotal conversation with his wife pushed him to confront his past. Today, Jeff shares his journey to promote open conversations about mental health, especially within immigrant and Asian American communities, working to break stigma and create space for honest dialogue and support.
Your Program Hosts:
This screening is cohosted by AACS and Department of Professional Counseling at Webster University.
Dr. Hemla Singaravelu: Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Dept. of Professional Counseling at Webster University and Program Co-Director of AACS Mental Health Initiative.
Dr. Min Liu: Professor of Communication, SIUE; Director of AACS, Co-Director of AACS Mental Health Initiative.
AACS Mental Health Youth Advocates 2025/2026 Mia Zhang, Dantin Naidu
Community Partners:
We thank our community partners for their support of this movie screening:
- Asian Studies Minor program at WashU
- Asian American Chamber of St. Louis https://aaccstl.org/
- OCA St. Louis https://www.oca-stl.org/
Registration form questions:
- Name
- Organization/community affiliation
- # of attendees, including self
AAPI Mental Health St.Louis 