Hollywood & Mind, the venture positioned uniquely at the intersection of mental health and entertainment, presented a daylong Summit featuring discussions that were moving and impactful on the campus of UTA in Beverly Hills yesterday. Themes of the day centered around ways the film, television, music and tech industries can help break the stigma surrounding mental health and how those with influence who have been through their own mental health struggles can use their experience to be of service to others.
Highlights included a moving discussion among rapper and producer Percy “Master P” Miller; Carmela Wallace, mother of Jarad "Juice WRLD" Higgins; and Robin Williams’ son Zak Williams, each of whom has experienced tragedy due to mental health crises in their families. The conversation was moderated by The Hollywood Reporter editorial director Nekesa Moody.
Demi Lovato sat for a wide-ranging conversation with Hollywood & Mind founder Cathy Applefeld Olson. During the chat Lovato said, “I’ve been through so much. I’ve had struggles and I never wanted to have secrets... That is part of the reason why I’ve decided to be open about my challenges. I wanted to be honest with my fans because I knew that if someone was struggling that they could use that honesty as a source of inspiration.”
Singer/songwriters Em Beihold, Meredith O’Connor and Valerie June closed the day’s discussions with performances of their songs, with June giving a riveting performance of “A Satisfied Mind.”
Rene Jones, UTA Partner & Chief of Social Impact commented: ““Hosting the inaugural Hollywood & Mind Summit was a true honor for UTA. We're passionate about leveraging the entertainment industry's influence to elevate mental health, break stigma, and save lives. By bringing together industry leaders at the summit, we're continuing to drive meaningful change and advance this critical conversation. Our longstanding work with mental health non-profit organizations, many of which were represented at the event, is a source of pride for the UTA Foundation.”
This first-of-its- kind Summit held during Mental Health Awareness Month, brought together executives and talent across television, film, music and tech with mental health experts for conversations on topics including mental health storytelling, the power of song, opportunities to elevate mental wellness through technology, and the evolution of partnerships among mental health organizations and creators. UTA served as an ideal location for this groundbreaking event, given its strategic positioning at the nexus of the film, music, tech and television industries.
Hollywood & Mind Summit partners include Founding Sponsor UTA, Marquee Sponsors Hallmark Media and Publicis Health, Event Sponsors Milk & Honey Music + Sports + Ventures and MTV Entertainment Studios, and Supporting Partners 237 Global, AIM Youth Mental Health, Calm And Collected Music Group, FutureMood, iHeartMedia, Mayawell and Tixologi. More information is available at www.hollywood-mind.com.
