Welcome to UnMuted
The mic is on. You in? 🎤✨
Three days. Less adult noise, more youth-driven solutions. We’re bringing together the bold young leaders rewriting the script on digital wellbeing. The future is being shaped right now, and we’re turning the volume all the way up.
We’re excited to announce the second annual UnMuted Amplify Youth Summit hosted by the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital, NAMLE (the National Association for Media Literacy Education), and the McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies taking place from October 22-25 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.
Building on the incredible momentum of our inaugural event, this year’s summit brings together young people (ages 14–22) from across the U.S. and Canada. Alongside youth voices, leaders from 30+ organizations—spanning industry, non-profits, and research—are convening for honest dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and actionable steps toward digital wellbeing.
Through interactive experiences designed for and with youth, participants will help shape real solutions, co-creating pathways toward healthier digital spaces while building the agency, tools, and connections needed to thrive both online and off.
Our Goal
To amplify young people’s voices on the issues that matter most to them in today’s increasing digital world. By bringing youth perspectives into conversation with expert insights, this event creates space to explore what it takes to support mental, social, and emotional health in the online environments where young people live, learn, and connect.
Summit Schedule
Get a sneak peek at the Summit structure below. Full session details and programming will be added soon, so stay tuned!
Welcome & Connect
Thursday, October 22nd
Holiday Inn Vanderbilt
2613 West End Ave Nashville, TN 37203
- 4:00 PM—6:00 PM Arrivals/Hotel Check-in
- 6:00 PM—6:30 PM Registration, Swag and Welcome Materials
- 6:30 PM—8:00 PM “Down South Delight” Dinner and Line Dancing
Day 1 Schedule—Listen & Learn
Friday, October 23rd
Central Library at Vanderbilt University
419 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
- 9:15 AM—10:00 AM Breakfast and Morning Mingle
- 10:00 AM—12:00 PM Plenary + Breakout Sessions
- 12:10 PM—1:15 PM: Lunch
- 1:15 PM—4:10 PM: Breakout Sessions + Recharge + Reflection
- 4:10 PM—5:00 PM: Closing Session + Day 2 Preview
Day 2 Schedule—Reflect & Strategize
Saturday, October 24th
Central Library at Vanderbilt University
419 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
- 9:15 AM—10:00 AM: Breakfast and Morning Mingle
- 10:00 AM—11:10 PM: Primer + Panel
- 11:10 AM—12:10 PM: Lunch
- 12:15 PM—2:00 PM: Roadmap + Recharge
- 2:45 PM—4:30 PM: Reflection + Closing Activities
- 4:30 PM—6:00 PM: “Happy Hour” Socializing, Snacks and Mocktails
Day 3 Schedule—What Comes Next
SuNday, October 25th
Central Library at Vanderbilt University
419 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
- 9:15 AM—10:00 AM: Breakfast and Morning Mingle
- 10:15 AM—12:30 PM: Primer + Visioning for Change + Action Mapping
- 12:30 PM—1:15 PM: Lunch
- 1:15 PM—2:00 PM: Closing Session + Showcase + Farewell
Please note that Nashville is in Central Time (CT) and all Summit events and scheduled activities are listed in CT.
Summit Venues
Holiday Inn Vanderbilt
2613 West End Ave Nashville, TN 37203
Vanderbilt Central Library
419 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
Room Locations
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
Authors Room
(4th Floor, #418A)
Divinity Library
(2nd Floor, #224 & #211)
McGee Center
(2nd Floor, #203)
Transportation
Nashville Airport to/from Holiday Inn Vanderbilt
From the Nashville airport, ridesharing (Uber/Lyft) is the most convenient option to the Holiday Inn Vanderbilt. (We do not recommend renting a car, as we will not be covering the cost of car rentals or hotel parking, and parking around Vanderbilt is extremely limited.) Transportation by public bus is also available.
Holiday Inn Vanderbilt to Vanderbilt Central Library
The hotel is conveniently located on the Vanderbilt campus across West End Avenue from Centennial Park and directly next to Vanderbilt’s athletic facilities, including FirstBank Stadium. Attendees can enjoy a lovely, 10-minute walk through the heart of campus to the Central Library, and shuttle service will also be available between the hotel and library throughout the Summit.
FAQs
Event Details & Logistics
Please plan to arrive by the afternoon of Thursday, October 22, so you can join us for the Welcome Social that evening. For departure, please schedule return travel for the late afternoon or evening of Sunday, October 25. The final event will wrap up at 2:00 PM CT.
Please keep an eye out for information from your sponsor organization in the coming weeks. They will be reaching out directly with details regarding your travel logistics and arrangements.
While all attendees are required to participate in the full daytime agenda across all three days, your evenings are completely free for you to explore the city, try local restaurants, and enjoy Nashville. Please note that off-site outings are independent and not officially event-sanctioned. Attendees under 18 must be accompanied by their designated chaperone or guardian when off-site.
All participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or designated chaperone for the duration of the Summit, including all travel, daytime programming, and evening activities. Additionally, all participants (and the parent/guardian of any attendee under 18) must sign and submit a standard liability and event participation consent form prior to the event. Registration details and instructions for submitting your signed form will be sent out in your welcome email.
Yes, will offer adult-specific digital wellness and media literacy programming throughout the event, as well as a designated quiet space where chaperones and parents can work between sessions.
If you have a laptop or tablet, please bring it with you. Many of our sessions will use technology for ideation and engagement. We’ll have charging stations throughout the event venue, so bring your charging cables. A notebook and pen are always a great idea too!
Nashville in October features mild, pleasant autumn weather with average daytime highs around 74°F to 80°F and cool overnight lows dropping to 49°F to 55°F. It is typically one of the driest and sunniest months of the year, but please be prepared for sudden unseasonable warmth or a quick cool front.
There is no formal dress code—your comfort should be your priority! We do recommend easy-to-walk-in shoes and dressing in layers so you can adjust accordingly for both indoor and outdoor activities. While much of the day will be spent sitting in sessions or workshops, we’ll also be podcasting, line dancing, doing a little yoga and meditation, and spending time outdoors, so choose attire that allows you to move freely and participate fully.
Not recommended! Parking around Vanderbilt is extremely limited and we will not be covering the cost of car rentals or parking. Plus, the event venues are within a 10-minute walk of each other. If you are not up for walking, a public bus is also available.
Check-in is at 4pm. If you arrive earlier, the hotel offers luggage storage.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided on all three days, catered by Vanderbilt University Dining. Dinners are on your own, giving you the chance to explore Nashville’s vibrant local food scene—this decision was made based on great feedback from last year’s attendees!
No problem! Please note any food allergies/dietary preferences on your registration form so we can accommodate your needs.
Community & Engagement
Our workshop and full group conversations will be held under Chatham House Rule. This means means you can talk about what was said in a meeting, but you can’t say who said it. It’s a way to make sure everyone feels safe sharing their honest thoughts, without worrying that their name will be connected to their words later.
We ask all attendees to uphold the following standards to ensure a respectful and productive environment:
- Stay Actively Engaged: Be present and participate fully in the sessions and discussions.
- Seek Understanding: Listen to presenters and peers to understand their perspectives.
- Engage in Honest Dialogue: Participate in conversations that are both honest and respectful.
- Amplify Every Youth Voice: Intentionally consider the perspectives of voices and communities that may not be present in the room.
- Invite All Voices to Join: Work to create an inclusive space that encourages everyone to contribute their thoughts and ideas.
To foster deep collaboration and meaningful dialogue, the Summit is an invite-only event. Invitations are extended to youth and partner organizations we’ve previously worked with who share a deep commitment to digital wellness and media literacy. Because space and funding are limited, our goal is to distribute our available resources thoughtfully so we can welcome as many incredible youth voices as possible. While we wish we could open the doors to everyone, keeping the gathering focused helps us maximize support (and safety) for our attending youth delegates and participating groups.
We encourage sharing your full Summit experience! However, please be respectful and always get verbal permission from speakers and attendees before posting photos or quotes. Attendees wearing black name badges have opted out of appearing in photos and social media. When in doubt, leave them out.
Yes! Please use #amplifyyouth across all platforms to share your photos and highlights, and tag The Digital Wellness Lab, NAMLE, and Vanderbilt.
As one of our UnMuted: Amplify Youth Summit co-hosts, NAMLE empowers young people to analyze, evaluate, and create media responsibly. The 12th annual National Media Literacy Week takes place this year from October 26–30, 2026 and highlights the importance of critical thinking in a digital world. Students can get involved by sharing original content using #MediaLiteracyWeek, hosting classroom discussions, participating in NAMLE’s student-designed Your Media, Your Choice campaigns, or joining virtual events throughout the week. Visit NAMLE’s Get Involved page for more information.
The Amplify Youth Summit is an initiative of the Inspired Internet Pledge which is a commitment by all who work within the digital ecosystem to unite with the common goal of making the internet a safer and healthier place for everyone, especially young people.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Title sponsor
Champion Sponsors
Advocate Sponsors
Community Sponsors
How can we help?
Please send any additional questions to the Digital Wellness Lab team at dwl@childrens.harvard.edu.
We believe that by following the science, we can create an empathetic and respectful world in which our kids can grow up healthy, smart, and kind.
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