The Gen Now panelists, from left: Juan Acosta, Meera Varma, Elektra, Da’Mohntae Walker, and Cynthia Germanotta.
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CSUDH welcomed U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and the Born This Way Foundation (BTW) to campus on Feb. 22 for a Gen Now Youth Town Hall on mental health. The event brought together youth mental health advocates, students, faculty, and administrators for a panel discussion on ways to better identify the mental health needs of young people and improve the quality and availability of services in the spaces where they’re most needed.
Butler was appointed to the Senate in October 2023 by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Dianne Feinstein. Since her appointment, she has conducted listening sessions with young people across the state on topics including mental health, reproductive freedom, and the future of our democracy.
She partnered with BTW, Butler says, because the most effective and lasting solutions to the challenges facing young people are the ones that are formed and invested in together. “[These are the] solutions where we all feel heard and seen, and where we know that we are collectively trying to make a difference.”
Cynthia Germanotta co-founded BTW with her daughter Stephanie, better known as Lady Gaga, to support youth mental health through youth-driven research, programs, and strategic partnerships that validate the emotions of young people and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health.
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