Yara Shahidi To Headline 'Mental Health Matters' Summit

Yara Shahidi is using her passion for activism as a means to educate others.

The Grown-ish star is set to speak at the RLJ Summit and Day Party: Mental Health Matters on November 9 at A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena, California.

The event seeks to raise awareness about mass incarceration in America and the stigma surrounding mental illness, and seeks to educate the public about Los Angeles County jail reform. In extension of this, the summit will encourage the local community to vote “yes” on the Reform L.A. Jails (RLJ) measure that will be on the California presidential primary ballot on March 3, 2020.

The 19-year-old will speak alongside Patrisse Cullors (activist, Back Lives Matter Global Network co-founder and Chair of Reform L.A. Jails), Kendrick Sampson (actor, activist and co-founder of BLD PWR), Jason George (actor and model), Zuri Adele (actress), Dawn Lyen-Gardner (actress), Boogie (rapper) and running District Attorney officials Richard Cabellos, George Gascon, Joseph Inigue and Rachel Rossi.

As the event’s organizers outlined, “LA County’s jail system is the biggest in the world and has a history of over-jailing the mentally ill… 65% of prisoners are not receiving the mental health care and addiction support that they need. If RLJ is successful, our ballot measure will require L.A. County to invest in rehabilitation and mental health treatment.”

Those who wish to attend the RLJ Summit and Day Party can RSVP here.