For just about as long as he has been in the NBA, Trae Young has been using his platform to promote mental health awareness. Now he’s teaming with Snapchat to take those efforts to the next level.
On World Mental Health Awareness Day, Snapchat launched Club Unity, a group of young leaders including athletes, actors and other entertainers. Trae is a founding member of Club Unity, along with Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Maddie Ziegler, Yusuf Omar, Halima Aden and Rickey Thompson. These seven Gen-Z voices are advocating Snapchat’s mission to support young voices, particularly by addressing the need to increase support around the mental health and wellbeing of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth.
For Trae, it’s important to speak to young people and tell them that the things they’re feeling are normal, and to help them focus on living in the moment and not become overwhelmed.
“Being able to focus on the present and the now, it’s hard. It’s something that I’ve struggled with, but I’m just continuing to get better at,” Trae said. “You are not alone. We are all going through it. Reach out and be vocal.”
As part of their efforts, Snapchat has formed a partnership with the mental health movement Active Minds, which advocates for young people at high schools and colleges across the country. Snapchat has also developed an in-app resource hub called “Here For You” that provides tools for young people to not only work through their own mental health concerns, but those of family and friends.
