Aly Vredenburgh

Why is Gen Z facing the worst mental health crisis in modern history—and what can we do about it? In this dynamic presentation, Aly Vredenburgh takes audiences behind the scenes of her documentary Crisis Generation, sharing powerful interviews, real-world data, and firsthand insights. More than a diagnosis, this talk is a call to action: a roadmap for communities, educators, and policymakers to reimagine mental health care with creativity, equity, and prevention at the center.

From rising anxiety to social media burnout, the narrative around Gen Z’s mental health often stops at surface-level solutions. In this eye-opening talk, author and filmmaker Aly Vredenburgh dives into the systemic root causes we’re overlooking—from economic inequality and environmental stress to digital overwhelm and broken institutions. Blending compelling stories from her book Out of Focus and her upcoming documentary Crisis Generation, Aly offers a bold, intersectional framework to shift how we understand—and solve—the mental health crisis affecting today’s youth.