Meet Our Producer, Lily Chen

In addition to being the founder and Executive Director of WAVES, Lily Chen, RN, PhD(C), CNE is also the producer of Silent War: Asian American Reckonings with Mental Health.

Since 2016, she has been a leading force behind national efforts to bring culturally responsive mental health education to AANHPI communities.

When this film was first imagined, Lily saw it not just as a documentary, but as a movement. As an immigrant mother, community organizer, nursing educator, and researcher, she has witnessed the painful cost of silence and stigma. Her work has always centered the voices of those too often overlooked.

Behind the scenes, Lily shaped this project with intention, empathy, and fierce dedication. From story development to outreach, she brought both heart and vision, ensuring the film stayed grounded in community, culture, and care. The stories in Silent War are not abstract to her; they reflect real lives, real pain, and real healing.

Last July, Lily spoke at The White House AANHPI Mental Health Convening and continues to serve on national boards and committees. She is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a faculty member at NC Central University, and a 2025 recipient of the Carolina Public Service Award.

This film exists because of people like Lily.

📲 Visit silentwarmovie.com to learn more!