The pandemic, political divisiveness, war, and other crises have had a profound impact on our mental health. Three experts will share ways to promote wellness and resilience through mindfulness, policy, and “revolutionary love.” How can we apply their studies and lessons learned to improve our wellbeing and transform our world?

• Valarie Kaur is a renowned Sikh activist, filmmaker, civil rights lawyer, and author of See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love. Kaur burst into American consciousness in the wake of the 2016 election when her “Watch Night Service” address went viral. She now leads the Revolutionary Love Project, producing stories, tools, curricula, conferences, films, TV moments, and mass mobilizations that equip and inspire people to practice the ethic of love and fight racism, nationalism, and hate.
• Jennifer Lewis is a professor in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at USC. Her specialties include interventions and education in health and mental health, focusing on addiction, suicide prevention, trauma, and resilience. Her book, Organizing for Suicide Prevention: A Case Study at the Golden Gate Bridge, describes how a coalition of families touched by suicide, health professionals, and others built a successful campaign for a suicide prevention structure at the San Francisco landmark.
• Linda Yaron Weston teaches Physical Education at USC, where she developed the undergraduate mindfulness course. Her book, Mindfulness for Young Adults: Tools to Thrive in School and Life, is an interactive experience designed to enhance mindful awareness and to aid in teaching and learning the principles and practice of mindfulness.
• Varun Soni (moderator) is Vice Provost for Campus Wellness at USC, leading the advancement of wellness and provides training for faculty and staff on issues of student mental health. He is also Dean of Religious Life of USC, bringing together the spiritual and scholarly resources of the university, providing moral and ethical leadership for the USC community, and working closely with the 90 student religious groups and the 40 religious directors on campus.