Usher to Launch Virtual Youth Mental Health Summit

Usher’s New Look has announced its collaboration with Cricket Wireless to host a Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit for youth on Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm ET. The virtual event will provide a forum for teens to discuss the effects of racism, socioeconomic inequality and the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health and overall well-being. High on the agenda will be candid conversations about the uncertainty many young people are facing, as well as the recent events that have laid bare the chronic, racially charged violence that continues to plague the Black community in the United States. The event, which is expected to attract several hundred online participants, will also offer coping mechanisms and counseling insights to help alleviate the burden of mental stress.

“UNL’s Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit is designed to offer comfort and counsel to young people who are experiencing pain, isolation and fear as our country faces a pandemic and extraordinary social unrest,” says Careshia Moore, President and CEO of Usher’s New Look. “We commend Cricket Wireless for their invaluable support, and we thank them for creating the impetus to foster healthy solutions — and hopefully a brighter outlook for our young people.”

Founded in 1999 by Usher with the goal of providing educational resources and developmental tools for underserved youth in need of a “new look” on life, UNL has helped transform the lives of more than 50,000 young people around the world. UNL offers comprehensive programming that develops passion-driven, global leaders from middle school through college. UNL is currently hosting 300 high school and college-level students for its annual Summer Leadership Academy, which is also virtual this year. UNL offers a robust curriculum of educational programming year-round.

The UNL Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit will also feature Ashley Edwards, Founder and CEO of MindRight Health, and Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble (Dr. Alfiee), a pioneering psychologist, scientist, media personality, author and speaker. Launched in June of 2019, MindRight is a tech startup with the mission of making mental health support radically accessible and inclusive of communities of color and low-income families. MindRight provides culturally responsive and trauma-informed mental health coaching over text message to youth and young adults.

Cricket Wireless’ collaboration with UNL to host the Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit is part of its Cricket Cares corporate social responsibility platform, dedicated to building healthy human connections for happier youth. Through Cricket Cares, Cricket supports young people and their families by fostering kindness, encouraging healthy mobile habits, and providing resources to help youth overcome challenging times.

“On the heels of months of isolation and as our country grapples with racism and social injustice, forming meaningful, positive connections is essential for our youth,” said John Dwyer, president of Cricket Wireless. “By participating in events like this and collaborating with organizations that help fill critical gaps in our communities, our goal is help young people build healthy human connections that set them up to succeed and flourish.”
—
Photo Credit: Jamie Lamor Thompson / Shutterstock.com