The Town Hall to Present CIVIC DISCOURSE Panel Centered on Mental Health

The Town Hall will present the first event of the 2025-2026 Civic Discourse program, Dismantling the Stigmas Around Mental Health, taking place on Monday October 27, 2025 at 6:30PM at McNally Amphitheater at Fordham University. This event is free and open to the public, with advance registration, and will also be livestreamed. 

The Town Hall is convening a thoughtful panel discussion: Dismantling the Stigmas Around Mental Health. The 90-minute program, held in person and livestreamed, will feature a moderated conversation followed by a Q&A. Laura J. Downey, an Executive Editor at WebMD, will moderate the discussion with distinguished panelists including Maggie Hureau, Director of Social Impact at Mammoth Brands; Darcy Gruttadaro, Chief Innovation Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); and Dr. Wenhua Lu, Associate Medical Professor at the CUNY School of Medicine. Together, they will examine why stigmas persist, how they differ across communities, and what it takes to change narratives and dismantle barriers to mental health care.

The Civic Discourse 2025-2026 season is supported by partners The Center for Community Engaged Learning at Fordham University, The Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, and the Streisand Foundation.

Dismantling the Stigmas Around Mental Health is supported by Bring Change to Mind, Mammoth Brands/Portfolio Company Harry’s, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), The IV Fund, and WebMD.

From 1935 to 1956, Town Hall was home to the Peabody Award-winning America’s Town Meeting of the Air (ATMA), a public affairs program broadcast on radio and television. The show brought elected officials, activists, and thought leaders together to debate the most pressing issues of the day. Participants included Eleanor Roosevelt, Langston Hughes, and Mary McLeod Bethune. ATMA helped bring civic discourse directly into living rooms nationwide.

Town Hall is proudly revisiting its civic engagement legacy with Civic Discourse. The program features a series of panel discussions and activities inviting thinkers, experts, and visionaries to present forward-thinking ideas that address some of our country’s most perplexing challenges. This free series aims to engage a cross-section of New Yorkers and communities across the country in civic dialogue with the goal of creating a better future for all.

Each session is accompanied by free online resources to help participants deepen their understanding of the issues discussed and take meaningful action toward change. Panel discussions are followed by lively Q&As from the in-person audience and those viewing the live stream.