Making Music for Mental Health Awareness

Youth from across California joined music industry leaders for the “#MillionsLikeMe Music for Mental Health” event to discuss the power of music in reducing mental health stigma.

Held at California State University, East Bay and made possible by Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement, the event celebrated the recent launch of the #MillionsLikeMe album, which features original music and spoken word pieces submitted by 13 young artists.

The “#MillionsLikeMe for Mental Health” event and album were created to harness music as a powerful tool for social change, especially among young adults.

This idea was echoed by the hip-hop artists and industry leaders in attendance, including Bay Area artist KALASOL, a.k.a. Boss of Bay, and Steve Hogan of Pandora Radio, who also offered insight on the music industry to the aspiring young artists in the audience.

Mental health professionals facilitated discussions with attendees on communicating emotions through music, poetry and artistic expression. Mentoring sessions provided the opportunity for attendees to perform their music and receive advice and guidance from expert guests.

The #MillionsLikeMe Music for Mental Health Album can be downloaded for free at www.cdbaby.com/cd/millionslikeme.