Cynthia Germanotta is making a positive difference with the Born This Way Foundation on youth mental health, especially in this digital age.
She serves as co-founder and president of the Born This Way Foundation, which she co-founded in 2012 with her daughter, global pop music superstar Lady Gaga.
In December, Germanotta spoke at the 2024 Bloomberg American Health Summit (BAHI).
The foundation also recently addressed the wildfires in Los Angeles, and they provided resources to help the youth mental health during this trying time.
Mission of the nonprofit organization
The mission of the Born This Way Foundation is to empower and inspire young people to build a kinder, braver world that supports youth mental health.
Under Germanotta’s leadership, the foundation has connected with countless young people across the country and the globe.
It has subsequently launched innovative youth-focused programming, and conducted cutting edge research to improve the understanding of mental wellness.
Germanotta speaks at the 2024 Bloomberg American Health Summit
“There’s no one size fits all of mental health experiences that youths are having. It’s diverse by community, by gender, by culture issues,” Germanotta said at the 2024 Bloomberg American Health Summit.
“Young people are leading the transformation that is happening in this space,” Germanotta noted. “They very much want to help themselves, and they very much want to support each other. They just need the tools and the agency to do that.”
Germanotta noted that the Kindness in Community Fund is a “grassroots initiative that invests in local organizations that are already doing great work.”
“They are very much rooted in equity and inclusion. It is very important to involve young people in those conversations,” Germanotta said. “Not only are young people experiencing the everyday stresses but also many other factors such as climate change, gun violence, education, and social injustice,” she elaborated.
“Despite that, we see nothing but hope and aspiration. They are not waiting. We are so proud to work with these young people,” she added.
Kindness is at the core of the Born This Way Foundation
The foundation focuses on kindness, which is at the forefront of everything they do.
Their goal is to make kindness cool, as well as validate emotions of young people around the world, and the third is to eliminate the stigmas around mental health. The foundation is made by young people for young people.
The Born This Way Foundation addresses the wildfires in Southern California, provides resources
Most recently, the Born This Way Foundation addressed the wildfires in the Los Angeles region of Southern California.
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the fires in California. During this challenging time, mental health support is essential. If you or someone you know needs help, here are some trusted resources to explore and share,” the foundation posted on its Instagram page.
In that aforementioned social media post, the Born This Way foundation provided a list of multiple resources and hotlines for teens and youth to contact during this sensitive time (especially on how to cope after a natural disaster such as the wildfires).
Background on Cynthia Germanotta
Germanotta is a former telecommunications executive whose career in sales and management has spanned 25 years.
In May of 2019, the United Nations’ World Health Organization appointed Germanotta as a global Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health.
Germanotta was born and raised in West Virginia, earned her Bachelor’s degree at West Virginia University, and a Master’s degree from George Washington University.
She resides in Manhattan with her husband, Joe Germanotta. They are the parents of two daughters, Natali and Stefani (Lady Gaga), and are owners of the Upper West Side restaurant Joanne Trattoria.
To learn more about the Born This Way Foundation, check out its official website, and Instagram page.
