There’s something magical about sharing this work with others, live.
“Dr. Weinstein put this into words perfectly, [Teens] have to pit desire for self-care against the desire to care for friends.” – Emmie Wolf-Dublin for YR Media (age 15)
Photos for SXSW by Katie Hayes Luke for Pivotal Ventures
Real impact, right away
At SXSW, Emily told a story about a parent who approached her in a hotel elevator, hours after a talk. The parent said that she’d taken to heart what Carrie and Emily shared about teens and tech, and what they need from adults. The woman called her daughter after leaving the talk; she said it was one of the best conversations they’d had in a long time. Emily couldn’t believe she was lucky enough to hear firsthand that their speaking made a difference.
Weeks later, after Emily spoke at a school, the school counselor shared that a student who was at the talk came the next day to seek support for a peer who was struggling. The student said the talk motivated her to reach out. She’d heard the messages about tech, but perhaps more importantly: that adults want to help.
Coaches For Digital Life
There’s so much that adults can do to be more like coaches for digital life, and not just screen time referees who issue only rules and penalties. There’s also so much adults can relate to — even if they’ve never found out about exclusion through Venmo or been left off of a spinoff group chat. This is one reason Emily loves sharing what she’s learned from her team’s research with teens: when adults understand more, we’re better positioned to think productively about what might help.
Speaking Engagements
To get in touch about a speaking engagement, please email emily_weinstein@harvard.edu and/or digitalthriving@gse.harvard.edu.
Thank you for your interest in bringing this topic to your community.