The last several months have been marked by social isolation as a result of COVID-19 and social unrest due to heightened awareness and intolerance of racism and inequality in our country. Cricket Wireless has long believed forming meaningful, positive connections with our youth are essential but, considering today’s current climate, it’s more critical than ever.
On June 30, 2020, Cricket Wireless collaborated with Usher’s New Look (UNL) to host the Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit -a forum for teens to discuss the effects of racism, socioeconomic inequality and the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health and overall well-being. High on the summit’s agenda were candid conversations about the uncertainty many young people are facing, as well as the recent events that have laid bare the chronic, racially charged violence that continues to plague the Black community in the United States.
The summit featured R&B singer Usher, along with mental health experts Ashley Edwards, Founder, and CEO of MindRight Health, and Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble, a pioneering psychologist, scientist, media personality, author and speaker. The event was moderated by an alumnus of UNL.
The Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit was designed to offer comfort and counsel to young people who are experiencing pain, isolation, and fear as our country faces a pandemic and extraordinary social unrest. Cricket Wireless’ collaboration with UNL to host the summit is part of its corporate social responsibility platform, dedicated to building healthy human connections for happier youth by fostering kindness, encouraging healthy mobile habits, and providing resources to help youth overcome challenging times.
The UNL Disruptivate Racial Inequity & Mental Health Trauma Summit was originally designed to be an in-person event. Due toCOVID-19, however, it was conducted virtually via Zoom in a “talk show”-style format that encouraged audience engagement and participation.
To help amplify the summit, UNL distributed a national press release along with social posts from Cricket Wireless, UNL and Usher. To help continue its support of youth in need, Cricket Wireless, and AT&T, donated $100,000 to MindRight Foundation to help further its mission to support and advocate for the mental health needs of communities of color.
Cricket also donated $50,000 to UNL to support its transformative work in producing the next generation of young leaders who will change the world.
The event attracted several hundred online youths from across the country and garnered coverage from online, print, and radio media outlets.
Traditional Media Metrics:
Coverage of the Usher-Cricket Wireless partnership to host the summit generated 16 traditional media hits and 5,450,058 impressions. Coverage appeared in regional outlets:
In addition to traditional media, the event garnered engagement across Cricket's and UNL’s social channels:
Cricket Wireless Instagram
UNL Facebook
