Event Highlights
The coronavirus response has disrupted the lives of young people in many ways, resulting in missed milestones and opportunities. Life is not “on hold” for teens this year, it’s still moving forward. How are young people finding ways to cope with the disappointments and tangible setbacks? How are teens taking care of their well-being during the pandemic?
Colorado Public Radio’s Avery Lill hosts a discussion with and for teens to share their experiences, as part of a live, virtual event with licensed therapist and school counselor Feliz Fraser, and Rosalind Wiseman, a teen mental health advocate and author of Queen Bees and Wannabes, to explore solutions for navigating these unprecedented losses. The event is co-produced by Call to Mind, American Public Media’s initiative to foster new conversations about mental health and Colorado Public Radio as part of the Well Beings Campaign and The Youth Mental Health Project, presented by WETA.
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The event is co-produced by Call to Mind, American Public Media’s initiative to foster new conversations about mental health, Colorado Public Radio as part of the Well Beings Campaign, and The Youth Mental Health Project, presented by WETA.
About the Host
Avery Lill
Avery Lill is a host and producer for Colorado Public Radio’s daily interview program “Colorado Matters.” She regularly reports on issues important to Coloradans, from health and government to arts and culture. She focuses especially on Indigenous affairs and teen mental health. Before joining Colorado Public Radio in 2019, Avery was news director at KDLG, an NPR-member station in Dillingham, AK. She traveled by boat, bush plane, dog sled, ATV, and snow machine to lead in-depth coverage of life in Bristol Bay.
About the Panelists
Rosalind Wiseman
Rosalind Wiseman has had only one job since graduating from college: to foster civil dialogue and work with communities to build strength, courage, and purpose. Rosalind is the founder of Cultures of Dignity, the author of the curriculum Owning Up: Empowering Adolescents to Confront Social Cruelty, Bullying, and Injustice, and a multiple New York Times bestselling author including Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World—the groundbreaking book that was the basis for the movie and Broadway musical Mean Girls. Among her most recent publications is Distance Learning Playbook for Parents: How to Support Your Child’s Academic, Emotional and Social Learning in Any Setting. She lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband and two sons.
Felicidad (Feliz) Fraser
Felicidad (Feliz) Fraseris a proud Native New Yorker loving and living in Colorado for the past 21 years and an LCSW. She received her BS in Social Work from the Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2009 and her MS in Social Work from the University of Denver in 2010. She is currently pursuing her EdD in Organizational Leadership from Northcentral University. She is the past Board President of the NASW-CO, a member and President of the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) CO Chapter and Give An Hour, an organization that donates pro-bono mental health services to active and inactive members of the armed forces and their families. If she (her/hers) had to label herself in one word, it would be “ADVOCATE,” though she prefers few, if any, labels at all.
Nadia Rivera
Nadia Rivera, 14, moved recently from Los Angeles, California, to Aberdeen, Maryland– a tough transition during the pandemic. She is an editorial advisor for Cultures of Dignity, an organization founded by Rosalind Wiseman of Boulder that advocates for young people’s physical and emotional wellbeing. She is committed to using her platforms to advocate for human rights.
Jak Rogoff
Jak Rogoff, 16, is a Junior from Lakewood, Colorado. For three years, he’s been a peer leader for the suicide prevention program Sources of Strength in his high school. The project focuses on building strong peer social networks and raising awareness about mental health. Jak struggled to find support when he faced bullying in middle school. Now he’s passionate about supporting other teens, whether that’s making himself available to listen or connecting folks with mental health resources. Among his many extracurriculars, he particularly enjoys marching band, where he is the clarinet section leader.
Kate Jordan Little
Kate Jordan Little, 15, lives in Denver, CO. She’s a multi-sport athlete, competing in golf, gymnastics, and cross-country. Her primary sport, and the one she hopes to continue in college, is swimming. Alongside athletics, Kate combines her interest in graphic design, mental, and environmental sustainability in her blog “A Little Difference.”
