The internet can inspire, connect, and empower, but it can also take a toll on mental health. Recognizing that duality, Social Driver and the National Digital Roundtable joined forces with Social Currant, What’s Trending, and Internet For Growth to host Creators 4 Mental Health DC, a unique event focused on mental wellbeing, creativity, and the evolving creator economy.

This exclusive event brought together creators, advocates, policymakers, and communications leaders to ask a vital question: How can we make the internet a healthier, more sustainable, and more human place for everyone?

A Powerful Conversation

The event featured an inspiring lineup of speakers including Congressman Ro Khanna, Shira Lazar (@shiralazar), Aaron Parnas (@aaronparnas), and A.B. Burns-Tucker, Esq. (@iamlegallyhype). Together they explored how social media can serve as both a risk and a resource for mental wellbeing, particularly for youth and emerging creators.

Congressman Khanna opened the evening with a passionate call for a Creators’ Bill of Rights, underscoring the importance of protecting creators and ensuring they can thrive mentally, emotionally, and financially in a fast-changing digital landscape.

Moderator Shira Lazar led an engaging discussion on balancing authenticity with self-care, combating burnout, and using influence to promote mental health awareness. Panelists shared honest reflections about navigating the pressures of life online while building communities that uplift and inform.

“The key is remembering there are real people behind every post,” one panelist shared — a sentiment that resonated throughout the night.

Because when community shows up, change happens.

Community That Shows Up

Beyond the stage, the energy in the room was undeniable. Attendees ranged from creators and marketers to advocates and policy leaders, all ready to listen, learn, and share ideas for making the internet more human.

To everyone who attended, shared stories, or simply listened – thank you for showing up. Your voices are shaping the future of digital wellbeing.

When people come together with openness, empathy, and purpose, the internet becomes a little kinder, and the future a little brighter.

For the National Digital Roundtable, the evening exemplified our mission to convene digital leaders and innovators to explore how technology, communication, and policy intersect. Washington, DC was the perfect setting for this conversation, as the creator economy increasingly shapes both culture and legislation.

We’re grateful to Internet For Growth for sponsoring this event, Social Currant for hosting, and our partner What’s Trending for helping bring this meaningful conversation to life. Their commitment to empowering creators and driving digital progress continues to set the standard for collaboration and innovation.

Photo credits: James Minichello Photography 🔗 | Born Off Conflict Creatives 🔗