The first episode of the series, aimed at reaching AAPI youth, is available now on the Mindset YouTube channel to stream globally for free
Collaboration launches with special virtual Mindset Town Hall event featuring Eric Nam and JED Expert Dr. Monica Band
[May 18, 2023-LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK CITY] – The Jed Foundation (JED), a leading national nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults, announces a first-of-its-kind K-Pop content series in partnership with Mindset, the self-care and wellness platform founded by K-Pop and AAPI-focused media company DIVE Studios.
The series, released during AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, is designed to normalize mental health support among AAPI youth through intimate, personal stories from top Korean artists.
The first of three Mindset Collections, featuring K-Pop superstar WONWOO of SEVENTEEN, launches today. The first episode of the collection is available now to view globally for free on Mindset’s YouTube page, and is also available to Mindset users via the app. The second episode will be released on May 24, with the third and final episode following on June 1.
Two additional collections, featuring Korean indie rock band The Rose and an artist to be revealed soon, will launch throughout the summer.
The collaboration between JED and DIVE was built upon a mutual mission to spark conversations about mental health among their shared audiences—Gen Z, and BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth—particularly since those groups face compounded challenges that impact their emotional well-being.
According to a 2020 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) study, AAPIs have the lowest rate of seeking help of any racial or ethnic group. Research by the National Latino and Asian American Study found that only 8.6% of Asian Americans sought mental health services, compared to 19.2% of the general U.S. population. In many Asian communities, a stigma pervades around treating mental health issues, with many wary of being perceived negatively if they seek outside help.
Younger generations of AAPIs coping with today’s issues—from everyday microaggressions to anti-Asian violence—have found allies in K-pop artists, who have opened up about their own struggles and how they deal with them. Research shows fandoms can be safe online spaces that are supportive of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth who feel disconnected and underrepresented.
“This is an important partnership for us, since we know Asian Americans are among the least likely to seek help for mental health out of any racial or ethnic group,” says Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth, JED’s Chief Medical Officer. “Mindset’s audience finds safety and support in music fandoms, making it a powerful tool paired with JED’s mental health expertise to both reach and assist youth where they are.”
Mindset, a daily self-care app launched by DIVE Studios co-founders Brian Nam, Eric Nam, and Eddie Nam, launched in 2021 with the goal to normalize the global conversation around mental health. Mindset’s audio Collections find the biggest global musicians, actors, athletes, and other notable public figures to discuss their experiences with mental health in their own words, allowing listeners to connect in the most personal, honest way possible.
“We started Mindset with the intention of normalizing these difficult conversations and supporting our audience through community and shared experiences,” says Mindset CEO Brian Nam. “We are so proud to be partnering with an established organization like JED to bring even further resources directly to those who need them most.”
To bring the conversation to life, Eric Nam, Brian Nam, and JED Expert Dr. Monica P. Band will discuss the topic of “Identity and Connection” in the first-ever public virtual Mindset Town Hall event on May 18. The town hall, presented in partnership with The Jed Foundation and Adobe, is free for anyone around the world to join; registration is open now via Eventbrite.
The event is a virtual iteration of Mindset’s successful ongoing college tour, during which thousands of students gathered in shows of community solidarity at universities including Stanford, Boston College, and University of Southern California.
Images
Credit: Courtesy of Mindset by DIVE Studios
About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
Connect with JED! Email | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Snapchat | Pinterest | TikTok
Media Contact
Justin Barbo
Director, Public Relations, The Jed Foundation
justin@jedfoundation.org
914-844-4611
About Mindset
Mindset – from the co-founders of DIVE Studios, Eric, Brian, and Eddie Nam – is a self-care and wellness platform for artists and celebrities to share their personal stories and life lessons directly with fans. Mindset’s collections (Mindset Collections) are based on incredibly personal and honest stories by some of the world’s leading artists. Artists co-produce and narrate their own Mindset Collections, which deliver unique, exclusive, and unfiltered stories from their lives, including candid conversations and interviews with friends, family, and those closest to them. The Mindset app is available for download on the Apple and Android app stores, with the introduction and first episodes of each Mindset Collection and all Booster episodes are available for free. DIVE Studios was founded in 2019, and launched Mindset in 2021. Both are headquartered in Los Angeles. Website / Instagram / TikTok / Twitter / App Store
Media Contacts
Daniel Rasmussen
Daniel.Rasmussen@ledecompany.com
Liz Heyman
Liz.Heyman@ledecompany.com
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