Day 1 Schedule—Listening & Learning
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD
Vanderbilt Central Library
419 21st Avenue South, Nashville
Summit Kickoff
9:15 – 10:00 am
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
All Participants
Breakfast & Registration
Breakfast + hangs with the UnMuted 2026 cohort. Arrive anytime this hour. If you missed the Welcome Event the previous evening, stop by the Registration table near the Community Room entrance to get your name badge, playbook and swag.
10:00 – 11:00 am
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
All Participants
Welcome Plenary
Doors open, energy up! Our hosts kick things off with a big welcome, walk you through everything happening today, and then hand the mic to youth leaders for an activity that’ll get everyone moving.
- Cori Stott, Digital Wellness Lab, and Donnell Probst, NAMLE
- Emily Schlemmer and Ally Millar, Pinterest
- Dr. Kristy Roschke, McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies, Vanderbilt University
- Zoya, Bansi and Jackson, Digital Wellness Lab’s Student Advisory Council
Reflection Session 1: Understanding and Interacting With(in) Digital Spaces
11:00 – 12:00 pm
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
Youth
From Tracking to Trust: Navigating Tech and Independence with Teens
Led by Alex Leavitt & Jennie Ito, Roblox
This workshop will focus on fostering parent child communication and partnership rather than surveillance through parental controls during the U13 to U16 transition. We’ll discuss which controls families find useful or overly restrictive while establishing youth-informed principles to make safety protections, settings, and age-up changes clear and understandable to both parents and teens.
11:00 – 12:00 pm
Authors Room
(4th Floor, #418A)
Youth
Your Media, Your Choice: Media Literacy Basics
Led by Youth Advisory Council, NAMLE
What exactly is media literacy, and what does it look like in everyday life? In this interactive, youth-led session, members of NAMLE’s Youth Advisory Council will explore the basics of media literacy and what it can look like in the media experiences we have every day.
Created by students, for students, this session brings media literacy to life through real-world examples, discussion, and interactive activities, including a three-level quiz to test your media literacy skills. YAC members will share the Your Media, Your Choice: Media Literacy Basics campaign they created and guide participants through practical ways to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act when engaging with media.
Come ready to participate, share your perspective, and learn with and from your peers!
11:00 – 12:00 pm
Divinity Library
(2nd Floor, #211)
Youth
Navigating Digital Environments: Personal and Design Factors
Led by Katrina Ho and Nicole Powell, Digital Wellness Lab
What if you could see your entire digital life as a map; with different platforms as neighborhoods, each with its own vibe, rules, and weather? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll create a visual map of where you spend time online, exploring which spaces feel closest to your authentic self and which ones require you to travel far from home. Through guided mapping and reflection, you’ll identify what you’re really seeking in these digital spaces and make one commitment toward building the online life you actually want.
11:00 – 12:00 pm
McGee Center
(2nd Floor, #203)
Adults
ReThinking Digital Parenting
Led by Angel Zhong and Amias, ReThink Citizens
This workshop helps parents and caregivers better understand today’s online world. Drawing on research and expert insights in digital safety, the workshop explores how young people use social media, the challenges they may encounter, and practical strategies for fostering healthy, balanced digital habits. Participants will leave with concrete tools and greater confidence to support their children’s safe and positive online experiences.
Lunch Break
12:00-1:00 pm
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
All Participants
Taco Cantina Lunch
Grab your food in the lobby and pick your spot! Hang out in the Community Room or head outside and soak up some Tennessee sunshine.
Reflection Session 2: Digital Spaces x Identity, Belonging, and Worldviews
1:00-2:00 pm
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
Youth & Adults
Putting AI to Work For You: College Planner
Led by Eric Porterfield and Shayanna Ahuja, Open AI
The college application process can be overwhelming! AI can help you manage the practical steps of applying to college, including planning applications, tracking deadlines, researching schools and understanding financial aid. ChatGPT for Teens is launching College Planner, which brings together application requirements, deadlines, tasks, and financial-aid steps for schools all in one plan. Students applying to several colleges can return to it to update their progress, use the timeline to plan ahead and see what’s left to do. They can also ask ChatGPT questions along the way, from what a requirement means to how to get started. Come learn more–and test it out!–before College Planner goes live.
1:00-2:00 pm
Authors Room
(4th Floor, #418A)
Youth
Find Your Path Through the Media Jungle
Led by Zephy Wharton and Sarah Ochoa-Rodriguez, MediaWise
MediaWise teen creators will share tips and tricks for navigating news ecosystems with a fun jungle theme! We’ll cover topics like how to identify AI in your feed, an interactive look at echo chambers and how to protect yourself against changing media landscapes so you can stay well-informed!
1:00-2:00 pm
Divinity Library
(2nd Floor, #211)
Youth
Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People: How to be an Active Ally
Led by Keemia Abbaszadeh and Youth Advisors, Born This Way Foundation
Join Born This Way Foundation for an interactive workshop on how to be an active ally to the LGBTQ+ community. During this workshop, you will learn about our recent research, create your own action plan based on our findings, and discuss strategies for translating research into impact. Together, we can build a kinder, braver world that supports the mental health of all young people.
1:00-2:00 pm
McGee Center
(2nd Floor, #203)
Youth & Adults
‘Toxic’ Masculinity Has Left the Chat: Building Online Spaces Where Guys Can Be Real
Led by Stephanie Wright and Ali Zaidi, Next Gen Men
Starting with insights from Next Gen Men Alliance’s thriving Discord community, this interactive session explores how different online spaces either reinforce or challenge narrow ideas of masculinity. After introducing the concept of precarious masculinity, we’ll break into two groups to brainstorm: one tackling internal communities (Discord, group chats) and another examining public platforms (TikTok, Twitch streaming). Together, we’ll shift from identifying problems to building solutions—sharing real examples of where you’ve seen positive masculinity thrive online and collaborating on what specific features, norms, and practices create spaces where young people can show up authentically. In this session, youth and adults (industry leaders, researchers and parents) will work side-by-side to identify what works, what doesn’t, and how we can design online spaces that celebrate the full range of who young people are and who they’re becoming.
Re-Energizer Break
Feeling peckish? We’ll have some protein and veggie bento boxes, sweet treats and cold drinks available. This hour is intended as an opportunity to decompress and reset. There is no agenda. You can choose to spend it however you like. If you are interested in group activities, we’ve listed some options below:
2:15 – 3:00 pm
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
All Welcome
Paws & Pause
Take a mindful pause during your day to relax and connect with owner Holly and resident therapy dog, Lola. Stop by for some tail wags, a little calm energy, and maybe even a big, slobbery kiss to brighten your day. Snuggles are fully encouraged!
2:15 – 3:00 pm
Authors Room
(4th Floor, #418A)
All Welcome
Record Media Moments
Got a story to tell? Let’s capture it. Vanderbilt’s Studio 608 features a state-of-the-art podcast booth, and we want to hear your voice! Sign up solo, or with a partner, to record your own Media Moment—a brief reflection on your personal experiences with media and technology. Support from student journalists from PBS Student Reporting Labs will be available!
Please note: plan to meet and hang out in the Authors Room, and a staff member will escort you to the podcast booth when it’s your turn
Limited Spots Available: Only 8 spots total (10-minute segments for pairs of 2 students).
👉 Sign up on Google Forms here to claim your slot before they fill up!
2:15 – 3:00 pm
Divinity Library
(2nd Floor, #211)
All Welcome
Career Spark Chats
Connect directly with professionals from leading tech and media companies in quick, engaging conversations. Ask questions, explore career paths, and gain real-world insights to help you imagine your own future in technology, media, and beyond.
👉 Sign up on Google Forms here to claim your slot before they fill up!
2:15 – 3:00 pm
McGee Center
(2nd Floor, #203)
All Welcome
Recharge Zone
Just need a break? Head to the McGee Center to recharge—kick back with friends, play a game or tackle a puzzle, step out for some fresh air on the patio, or just take a moment to breathe and reset before the next session.
Reflection Session 3: Balance + Boundaries in the Digital Age
3:00-4:00 pm
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
Youth
What We Wish You Knew: The Conversation Continues
Led by Kristelle Lavallee-Collins and Patricia Noel, Discord
Last year at Unmuted, teens and parents sat down together to share what they really need from each other, and from the platforms they use, to feel safe and supported online. This year we’re back and ready to build on those learnings! In this interactive workshop, teens and parents/guardians will explore the tools and resources already available to them, share what actually helps when it comes to mental health and wellbeing content, and hear what Discord’s Teen Council has been telling us. Come ready to talk, listen, and help design what comes next.
3:00-4:00 pm
Authors Room
(4th Floor, #418A)
Youth
Co-Op Mode: Youth-Led Digital Wellbeing Online
Led by Kasima, Joshua, Mariana, and Mark, Media Done Responsibly
Please note: this session will be filmed by a student videographer
Grab your seat at the table! Let’s talk about the real power we have to shape the digital spaces we use every day. Instead of being talked at, scolded, or told what to do by adults, middle school and college mentors are entering “co-op mode” to kick off an open, honest chat about gaming, social media, platform design, and everything in between. We are moving past just scrolling and playing. It’s time to see how our collective voices can drive true tech justice. Discover how we can use youth-led co-design to team up with tech companies, shape realistic changes on our favorite platforms, and build a safer, healthier digital culture in our schools, campuses, and communities.
3:00-4:00 pm
Divinity Library
(2nd Floor, #211)
Youth & Adults
Protect Your Energy: Nervous System Resilience in a Hyperconnected World
Led by Ally Millar, Pinterest and Zabie Yamasaki, Transcending Yoga Through Trauma
Please note: this session is pre-recorded (not live) but still offers an interactive and self-directed experience. We promise it’s incredibly relaxing! There is some light yoga and breath work, no previous experience required.
As a key aspect of (Me)dia Mindfulness, we will explore nervous system resilience in a hyperconnected world. Understand how constant input affects your brain and body—and what to do about it. You’ll learn to recognize your own stress signals, name your patterns of overwhelm, and practice grounding tools that support focus, emotional regulation, and sustainable engagement online and off.
Day 1 Closing Session
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Community Room
(4th Floor, #408)
All Participants
Led by Devon Tutak, NAMLE
Group recap of the day with a creative “zine” activity. We’ll prep for tomorrow and transition to the evening (where you’re on your own tonight for dinner and free to safely explore Nashville).
On the way out, everyone will rank their preferred topic set for the next day.
- Belonging & Identity
- AI + Gaming
- Social Media + Cell Phones & Devices
- Media Literacy
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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