Proud Asian Men Retreat Vancouver 2025
Asian men are experiencing a mental health epidemic.
In 2015-2019, Asian men were the least likely to use mental health services compared to any other race and gender combination (SAMHSA, 2021).
In order to combat this, Proud Asian Men was created.
Proud Asian Men is a support group hosted under Asian Mental Health Project whose mission is to create a safe and brave space for Asian men to explore the intersection of their culture and masculinity in a supportive environment.
The Proud Asian Men Retreat is a culmination of 3+ years of biweekly support groups for Asian men hosted by Leo Xia through Asian Mental Health Project. It is an opportunity for the community of 300+ Asian men that have taken part in the groups to come together in-person to create community as well as continue to nurture their mental health and wellness.
This is a space for Asian men to connect, reflect and heal. Participants will leave with a new community to lean on as well as experiences and knowledge that destigmatize mental health. They will also receive education about what mental health services are available to them.
Activities will include movement/dance exercises, somatic group exercises, and open circle discussions.
Programming will span from 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and 9 AM to 12 PM on Sunday.
This event is reserved for folks who identify as Asian men - spots limited to 25 attendees. If we have reached capacity, please sign up for the waitlist in case someone drops out at the last minute. This will allow us to gauge interest in future events as well.
What you should bring:
- an open heart and mind
- journal and favorite pen
- plenty of water
- comfortable clothes for movement
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to Asian Mental Health Project to support this work continuing then visit https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/amhproject. Please label your donation with "Proud Asian Men".
Parking: street parking in the surrounding area.
DISCLAIMER This event is not providing professional therapy services. Please seek professional medical and mental health services for treatment needs and advice.
Media Release Permission: I hereby grant permission to the event hosts (Asian Mental Health Project, JinShan Collective, Big Asian Energy) to potentially use my likeness in photography/video or other digital reproduction, including website entries and social media channels. Note: A photographer and videographer will be present to cover the event broadly. I acknowledge that I am voluntarily participating in the activities at the event and agree to assume all liability & risks, including but not limited to injury, property damage or loss, food consumption & illness, whether those risks are known or unknown.
About your facilitators:
Leo Xia is a Los Angeles-based men’s mental health facilitator and Alt R&B/Lofi performance artist going by the name Lowhi.
He facilitates weekly men's support groups through his own JinShan Collective as well as Proud Asian Men in collaboration with Asian Mental Health Project. In these groups he navigates conversations about masculinity, culture and identity for Asian men. He created these spaces to combat the global male loneliness epidemic and to support men in creating the life that they dream of through emotional intelligence and communication.
Jackson Xia (he/him) is a dancer, video producer and facilitator striving to create playful, personalized dance art and community experiences to reawaken the joy and compassion within ourselves. He is a street dancer of 14 years, a community leader of the Los Angeles Hustle dance community and founder of Soulful Shifters, empowering people to reclaim their sense of self and reconnect with their bodies by experiencing artistic expressions from street dance cultures. He also founded Soulful Sundays, a free dance picnic that encourages dancing in nature for mental health.
Jackson recently facilitated movement sessions with Homeboy Industries, Sierra Club, Hollywood Climate Summit, University of Colorado Boulder and more.
About the partner organizations:
Asian Mental Health Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to educate and empower Asian communities in seeking mental healthcare.
“We believe core solutions in accessible mental healthcare are right here in our communities. We prioritize creating accessible community care programs such as virtual support groups and events so that they can collectively support our wellbeing.”
Big Asian Energy is a leadership training platform designed specifically for Asian Americans who want to increase their presence, confidence, and leadership communication in order to break through personal and professional barriers. The founder, John Wang, is an award-winning author and coach with over 15 years experience working with Asian American clients from across a wide range of backgrounds. John's ACE framework is based on evidence-based modalities including IFS, ICC, and somatic techniques. John has also been leading men’s groups for the since 2018, and have led and co-facilitated weekly in-person groups, online workshops, and live retreats.
In 2022, John and Colin Pal co-founded an Asian men’s group called Waking Dragons, with the intention of creating an inclusive community designed to foster brotherhood, building assertiveness and resilience, and improving relationships with others and ourselves. The group’s value is based on bonding, support, and honest, direct communication.