Mental Health Storytelling: “The Carters: Hurts To Love You” 

Directed by former child star Soleil Moon Frye (“Punky Brewster”) and narrated by Angel Carter Conrad with appearances by Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, the two-part documentary premiered on Paramount+ on April 15. For our opening session, Angel and Soleil will talk with journalist Lisa Ling about their decision to bring forward the story of how fame, mental illness and substance abuse led to the deaths of Carter siblings Aaron, Leslie and Bobbie Jean Carter, their journey in creating the film, their hope for what audiences will take away, and their action steps to help protect the mental wellbeing of all children. 

Evolving Backstage Care:

The music, entertainment and creator economies run on the artistry and energy of human beings, and it's abundantly clear we need to take better care of their wellbeing. This conversation will unpack the challenges and showcase the best opportunities for care backstage and behind the scenes. Zack Borer, licensed therapist and co-founder of Amber Health, which is working with The Recording Academy’s MusiCares Foundation on research about the mental wellbeing of touring professionals, will lead a conversation with Joely Fisher, actress and co-head of mental health, SAG AFTRA, Zareen Ali, co-founder of Cogs AI, and singer/songwriter Laura Warshauer.

Reality Check: Prioritizing Wellbeing for Unscripted Talent:

This session will focus on opportunities to provide better safeguards and support for those on reality TV. As some producers push boundaries to deliver programming they think will entice tune in, the mental health of participants in the unscripted realm has been on the decline for years amid challenges with newfound fame and alleged cases of manipulation, bullying, disregard for addiction and substance abuse, and more. Television personality and producer Colton Underwood, of “The Bachelor” fame, will guide this conversation with some of the genre's stars who will share their experiences - and their advice for a safer environment. 

Redefining Masculinity & Breaking Stereotypes: 

Rigid parameters constructed around emotional stoicism, physical dominance and the traditional “strong male” stereotype create dangerous barriers to mental wellness among men – who are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women. This conversation led by Brian Heilman, senior research fellow at the Movember Institute, with Cory Richards, world-renowned mountaineer, author and National Geographic photographer, and former NFL player Isaac Rochell will explore the critical need to redefine masculinity and ways men of influence are breaking stigma and elevating wellbeing in the culture. 

Shaping Mental Wellbeing Through Art, Science & Entrepreneurship:

Elevating mental wellness at scale requires collaboration and the coalescence of thought, acumen, creativity and skill sets. Myndstream founder Freddie Moross and head of music Jordan Galvan bring their advisory partner Dr. Richard Carmona, former US Surgeon General, and Ariel Dominguez, co-founder of HealthBird, to the stage to delve into a new partnership exploring the nexus of art, science and entrepreneurial forces to shape the future of mental wellbeing.

Uplifting Mental Health in the LGBTQ+ Community:

This session will highlight opportunities to destigmatize and support the LGBTQ+ community on screen, stage, socials and more, and ways the entertainment industry can best uplift allyship. Brandon Kyle Goodman, writer, actor and activist, and Alyson Stoner, entertainer and author, will share their lived experience. Meredith Goldberg-Morse, director, social impact, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, and Courtney Knowles, founder, Love is Louder and senior media advisor, The Jed Foundation, will unveil new research that shows almost all of LGBTQ+ youth engage in creative activities like music and dancing to care for their emotional health and the ways that engagement can reduce anxiety and depression and inspire greater levels of social connection. They’ll also share about the recent launch by MTV and "RuPaul's Drag Race" of Creativity as Self-Care, a program that drives young people to resources to help them leverage creativity as part of their mental wellbeing practice.