From left Isabela Merced, Kel Mitchell and Soleil Moon Frye. Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images; Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images A new initiative aimed at helping young people in entertainment, music and the creator economy navigate growing up in the public eye launched Tuesday.
Next Generation Collective was unveiled at Hollywood & Mind’s inaugural summit in New York City. The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, was also on hand at the summit to participate in the announcement.
Next Generation Collective’s founding advisory board includes talent and family members who have firsthand experience of what it’s like growing up in the public eye. They include Angel Carter Conrad (children’s mental health advocate), Logan Henderson (actor and singer), Isabela Merced (actress and singer), Kel Mitchell (actor), Soleil Moon Frye (actress and filmmaker), John Ryan Jr. (producer), Carmela Wallace (mother of Juice WRLD and founder of Live Free 999), Hudson Yang (actor) and Breanna Yde (actress and singer), along with Artists for Artists. Additional members will be announced at a later date.
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Next Generation Collective, which was designed for young people, families and the professionals who support them, “brings together clinical mental health expertise, entertainment industry leadership and lived experience to provide practical, expert-informed guidance on mental health, boundaries, pressure and the realities of working on set, performing, creating content and building a public profile at a young age,” organizers said. In addition, it will serve as resource for studios, productions, agencies, managers and platforms supporting young talent.
The collective was founded by Lilah Kojoori, a longtime children’s entertainment communications executive who has more than 20 years’ experience working with young performers and their families to provide additional guidance, trusted resources and a stronger community of support.
Kojoori spent 20 years at Nickelodeon and Paramount+ kids and family, working closely with several stars who broke out at Nickelodeon, including Ariana Grande, Miranda Cosgrove, Jennette McCurdy, Victoria Justice, Keke Palmer, Jace Norman, Breanna Yde, Jack Griffo, Kira Kosarin, Isabela Merced and JoJo Siwa.
Lilah Kojoori Courtesy of Lilah Kojoori “Young people in entertainment often grow up in the public eye, and they deserve real support along the way,” Kojoori said. “With The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s clinical expertise, Hollywood & Mind’s reach across the industry and an advisory board that has lived this life firsthand, our hope is to give young talent and their families guidance and resources to navigate the industry while prioritizing their wellbeing.”
The Kids Mental Health Foundation will provide clinical guidance and insights to align the Collective’s work with evidence-informed mental health educational resources.
“We are excited that the collective is beginning their work by first learning from the community they want to support,” said Dr. Ariana Hoet, executive clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “There are so many directions this important work can take shape, and it’s wonderful that it’s being launched in such a thoughtful way.”
Hollywood & Mind, founded by veteran entertainment journalist Cathy Applefeld Olson, will connect the collective with talent, executives, advocates and wellness professionals, partner on programming and uplift the work of the Collective at its events.
“Supporting the well-being of those who work in entertainment is at the heart of Hollywood & Mind’s mission,” Applefeld Olsen said. “We’re thrilled to be a founding partner of Next Generation Collective, where we can provide young people and their support teams with the resources and community they need to thrive both personally and professionally.”
Starting next year, Next Generation Collective will work with its founding advisory board and partners to “develop expert-informed resources, education and support for young people, their families and the studios, productions, agencies, managers and platforms that shape their professional environments.”
Additional programming and partnership opportunities are expected to be announced in the coming months.
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