Made to Belong

We are hardwired to connect.

Biologically bound for belonging—

from our very beginnings.

In adolescence, new neural connections

foretell fierce friendships, first loves,

chosen families, and shared futures.

Yet in this moment of rupture,

as algorithms and agitators promise connection

but deliver its simulation

And purveyors of fear and hate

cast difference as danger,

pit neighbor against neighbor,

We rise, pulled toward belonging,

drawn better together, proving community

is not a place—but a practice.

Join us for #HealthyTeen26 in San Diego, October 5-7, and…

• Gain inspiration and a renewed spirit alongside a community of educators, care providers, and advocates;

• Reclaim belonging as the heartbeat of lifelong health, especially in adolescence;

• Explore how to build communities where young people feel safe, welcome, and valued; and

• Celebrate stories that anchor adolescent health as essential for thriving communities everywhere.

Come as you are. Return to your work with the fire of solidarity and real-world strategies. Be the reason someone feels safe and belongs.

Save the date and join us in San Diego, California at the beautiful Resort Hotel in Mission Bay San Diego with Water Slides | Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina.

Sign up to receive our emails and don’t miss important information about the call for proposals, award nominations, and when early bird registration opens!

The Healthy Teen Network annual national conference is a must-attend event for adolescent sexual and reproductive health professionals. Connect with fellow youth-supporting professionals at this professional development experience to continue to build your capacity to provide young people with the very best sexual and reproductive health programs and services. Come to get the latest information and resources on evidence-based and innovative practices and strategies while networking with colleagues from across the country. Learn more.

Info: General Session: Belonging isn't a nice-to-have—it is a biological necessity. Adolescents are exquisitely sensitive to status, respect, and social connection; exclusion and disconnection activate threat responses that interfere with learning and growth. This session explores how relationships are the foundation of healthy development and how context literally shapes the brain. Weaving together interpersonal neurobiology, attachment science, and developmental relationships, participants will delve into why belonging matters—and why young people must co-construct what belonging means for them.

Info: General Session: In this moment of rupture, as fear and opposition threaten the sexual and reproductive health of young people, this session invites you to experience art, storytelling, and culture as radical tools for belonging. Through a curated art talk and personal storytelling, we will explore how creative expression speaks to our hearts and imaginations, honoring the full diversity of young people's lives and proving that difference is not a danger, but a gift.

Rooted in the facilitator's personal journey of using art and storytelling to challenge shame and stigma around sex education, this session moves from inspiration to action. Participants will engage in a hands-on art activity, envisioning the world of YES they want for young people, because community is not a place, but a practice.
Leave with a sensory-driven framework for using creativity and storytelling as catalysts for equity, connection, and a future where all young people thrive.

Info: General Session: Belonging doesn’t just happen through relationships. It takes intentional effort to get to a place where "we're in this together," we honor multiple ways of knowing, and we implement organizational policies and norms shaped by young people.


Hear from the developer of the Opportunities to Belong framework, DeLeon Gray, about how various dimensions shape young people’s experiences of belonging. Learn from Black and Belonging Fellows, young people who will share their firsthand perspectives on what belonging – and its absence – actually feel like. This session will move from research to reflection to practice. Through a live self-assessment, roundtable application, and a curated menu of concrete starter moves, attendees will identify their leading strength, uncover their blind spots, and leave with tools designed for immediate use with their teams to foster belonging.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Healthy Teen Network