Our Vibe Check: Youth Mental Health Festival NYC

Inspiring conversations, interactive workshops, movement, music, storytelling, and space to connect with peers and mental health advocates!
About this Event

Not a conference. And not a lecture series. Our Vibe Check blends music, movement, art, storytelling, skill-building, and the kind of peer connection that makes you remember: you don’t have to navigate life alone.

Our Vibe Check is a youth-led gathering in New York City designed to normalize mental health support and create inclusive, judgement-free spaces where young people ages 16-24 feel connected instead of isolated, seen instead of invisible, supported instead of overwhelmed, and empowered by their own stories.

Community, connection, and good energy? Say less.

FREE workshops listed below! FREE meals included for those who register through the link!
☀️Brave Together Allyship Training
☀️Self-Portrait Painting
☀️Yoga & Yoga Nidra
☀️Mindful Movement: Tai Chi
☀️Music Workshop with Sounds of Saving
☀️Storytellers Club Workshop with Born This Way
☀️Massage Station
☀️Caricatures
☀️Zine Making
☀️Live DJ, and more!
... see you there!

Agenda

🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Registration

Info: 10th Floor, Rosenthal Pavilion

🕑: 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Welcome Remarks

Info: 10th Floor, Rosenthal Pavilion

🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Brave Together Allyship Training
Host: Johnell Lawrence

Info: Navigating identity, relationships, mental health, and everyday challenges as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can feel overwhelming. Luckily, you don't have to do it alone.

Join Vibrant Emotional Health for Brave Together, a welcoming space for young people to share experiences, discover tools for emotional wellness, and center queer joy. We'll explore how to build courage and resilience, make real connections, and create spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

9th Floor, room 914

🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Self-Portrait Painting with Unarthodox

Info: This self-portrait painting workshop is where raw expression meets fearless art. Inspired by the revolutionary work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring, this experience drops you straight into the raw creative energy that changed art forever.

This bold and immersive journey guides you through creating a striking mixed-media self-portrait inspired by the 1970’s graffiti, street poetry, and radical self-expression that drove a cultural revolution. No artistic experience needed. Just show up, grab some materials, and tune into the creative frequency.

4th Floor, rooms 405/406

🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Yoga Class with Dorian Arrunategui
Host: Dorian Arrunategui

Info: Research shows that combining breathwork with mindful movement can help regulate mood, reduce tension, and build a greater sense of body awareness — tools you can carry with you after class.

Join us for a relaxed, inclusive yoga session designed with your well-being in mind. This class gently guides you through breathing techniques, simple movement sequences, and mindfulness exercises that help calm the nervous system and ease stress and anxiety.

No prior experience is needed. Every pose will be offered with modifications so you can work at a pace and level that feels right for your body. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some yoga experience, you’ll find movement here for you.

What to bring: Wear comfortable, stretchy clothing. Mats will be provided, but feel free to bring your own.

9th Floor, room 912

🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch

Info: 10th Floor, Rosenthal Pavilion

🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Youth Panel

Info: What's actually going on with young people's mental health right now? Hear it directly from people your age. Participants from Vibrant's Youth Advisory Council, New York University, and Vibrant Community Programs will come together to discuss the most urgent mental health topics for youth ages 16 to 24.

9th Floor, room 914

🕑: 02:05 PM - 02:25 PM
Yoga Nidra with Alena Goldstein
Host: Alena Goldstein

Info: Your brain has been working overtime. Give it a break! Join us for a quick, 20-minute yoga nidra session centered around deep rest and relaxation for the mind and body.

9th Floor, room 912

🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Mindful Movement: Tai Chi with Elmhurst Suicide Prevention in Youth (ESPY)

Info: Need a moment to slow down? Try Tai Chi! This introductory Qigong/Tai Chi workshop will cover the basics of the technique, its history, and the practice's emotional and physical health benefits. Through gentle movement, we'll learn to link the three pillars of Tai Chi: the body, the breath, and the mind.

Appropriate for most fitness levels, with modifications provided.

9th Floor, room 912

🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Music Workshop with Sounds of Saving

Info: Music has a way of helping us communicate what is going on inside of us. This interactive workshop explores the connection between music, emotional wellness, and human connection through a live, shared listening experience. You'll engage in guided conversation, reflection, and music-centered activities designed to spark creativity, self-awareness, and community. Rather than approaching mental health in a clinical or overly formal way, the session uses music as an accessible entry point into conversations around identity, emotion, resilience, and belonging. No musical background is required — just curiosity and openness.

9th Floor, room 914

🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Storytellers Club Writing Workshop with Born This Way Foundation

Info: Your story matters. The Channel Kindness Storytellers Club is a writing workshop for youth designed to encourage authentic storytelling and foster community. In this special session, you’ll have the space to safely explore a series of journaling prompts centered on joy and mental health, connect with their peers, and build the habit of creative writing.

4th Floor, rooms 405/406

🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
Ask A Clinician Q&A Panel
Host: Tiffany Rodriguez, PsyD

Info: Ever had a question about therapy, mental health, or how getting help actually works, but never knew who to ask? This no-judgment session gives participants a chance to ask questions directly to clinicians in the mental health field and get real answers about emotional wellness.

9th Floor, room 914

🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:30 PM
Closing Remarks and Raffle Announcements

Info: 10th Floor, Rosenthal Pavilion