“As our college began to return in individual, I simply seen what an influence the pandemic had on college students and academics and everybody’s psychological well being. So I acknowledged this as a difficulty that I used to be each keen about, and deserved a whole lot of consideration from this group. And I wished to dedicate this occasion to it,” he mentioned.
Music for Psychological Well being is the primary live performance that the committee has organized — and Nesamoney mentioned he hopes that it’ll turn out to be an annual occasion custom.
The occasion has acquired help from Menlo College’s YLE (12 months-long Engagement) program, for college students who’ve particular initiatives targeted on group engagement.
“Being a part of this system has been very useful, as I’ve gotten a whole lot of help programs inside Menlo and I’ve simply gotten a whole lot of assist and encouragement from a whole lot of academics since this can be a student-led group,” he mentioned.
The live performance raises funds for the Youngsters’s Well being Council (CHC), a Peninsula-based nonprofit that gives psychological well being providers to kids, teenagers and younger adults. The committee selected the nonprofit because the beneficiary for the live performance as a result of it aligned with their mission, in accordance with Nesamoney.
“We wished to help a company that simply improves accessibility to psychological well being care, much more than simply elevating consciousness,” he mentioned.
By means of particular person sponsors, the mission has already raised $25,000 for CHC, Nesamoney mentioned.
The live performance options music and dance performances by the Menlo College dance staff, choir, orchestra, jazz band and particular person college students, in addition to school members. The lineup has grown to incorporate teams from different Peninsula faculties — Woodside Priory and Gunn Excessive College — and a video of a choral efficiency from college students at St. Patrick’s college in Chennai, India.
Underscoring the theme of how the humanities have helped college students navigate these difficult occasions, an artwork gallery, open throughout intermission, showcases visible arts and poetry by Menlo College college students. Every art work can be displayed with a blurb about what the piece means to the artist and the way it has helped them in the course of the pandemic, Nesamoney mentioned
Dr. Leanne Williams, Director of Stanford College’s Middle for Precision Psychological Well being and Wellness. Courtesy Voices for Hope.
An uncommon element for a profit live performance is a slate of audio system — group leaders and well being consultants who can be available to debate how their organizations’ work connects with teen psychological well being.
The inspiration to incorporate audio system as a part of the occasion got here after Nesamoney’s personal experiences with TedX talks hosted at Menlo College final yr.
“Particularly as a result of it’s a live performance not simply to lift cash or to play music, however it’s additionally to lift consciousness. I wished to ask a number of audio system to discuss the work that they have been doing of their fields and supply just a little bit extra data to the Menlo group,” he mentioned.
The speaker lineup options Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube; Dr. Leanne Williams, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Stanford Middle for Precision Psychological Well being and Wellness; U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna; Dr. Lloyd B. Minor, Dean of Stanford College College of Drugs; Dr. Patty Crisostomo, Youngster Medical Psychologist at The Youngsters’s Well being Council and Than Healy, Head of Menlo College.
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna. Courtesy Voices for Hope.
Whereas the lineup focuses extra closely on healthcare consultants, Nesamoney famous that it was necessary to symbolize social media, as its results on teen psychological well being specifically are sometimes debated.
Nesamoney mentioned he hopes that the live performance underscores for college students within the viewers how helpful music and the humanities will be to psychological wellbeing, and for the viewers at giant, that they achieve a greater understanding of juvenile psychological well being points, in addition to the ability of the humanities.
“I hope they’re each extra knowledgeable concerning the influence that the pandemic has had on our psychological well being and what our group can do to try for enchancment of juvenile psychological well being, but additionally simply develop to really embrace and love performing the inventive arts as a lot as we do,” he mentioned.
The Spieker Middle for the Arts is situated at Menlo College, 50 Valparaiso Ave, Atherton. Tickets are $5. For extra info, go to menlovoicesforhope.com.
