Sound & Mind: Hip Hop and Men’s Mental Health

Where hip hop, music, culture and mental wellness meet. Hip hop has always been more than music. It has been a place to tell our stories, express what we’re feeling, work through pain, celebrate joy and find community. Sound & Mind brings that connection to the forefront. Through the perspectives of three DJs and two licensed mental health professionals, we’ll explore how music intersects with the mental and emotional lives of men particularly the pressures to remain strong, the ways men cope, the importance of having safe spaces to talk, and how music can serve as an outlet for emotions that aren’t always easy to put into words. Hosted by Dr. Faith Wilkerson of UnlockingRVA, the conversation will feature: Musical Architects: DJ Lonnie B • DJ Fountz • DJ Rayvon Mental Health Professionals: Paula Harrison-Hill, LPC • Adrienne N. Smith, LPC Expect an authentic, culturally relevant conversation that moves beyond the traditional mental health panel. We’ll talk about everything from the emotional power of a song and the responsibility of reading a room as a DJ to therapy, vulnerability, community, stress, grief and what it really means to check on the men in our lives. Presented by The Institute of Hip-Hop and Cultural Studies and supported by The Office of the Provost, The College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and The Department of Music.