Photo courtesy of Marcos Cruz Rodriguez.
The mental health nonprofit Amplified Minds will host the second annual Louder Than Stigma Fest on Friday, Sept. 19 at The Kessler Theater.
The annual festival is meant to unite musicians, artists and the community for an evening dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding menthol health. Held during Suicide Prevention Month, the festival raises awareness and supports the nonprofit’s mission to provide free mental health services for Texans ages 18 and older.
This year’s festival will headline Oak Cliff native Tye Harris for the indoor performance along with the award-winning Dallas-based Latin band Cayuga All Stars, according to a press release.
Harris said that opportunity is “a pretty full circle thing” to be the face of the music when it comes to an event focusing on mental health.
“I know I’m not the only one going through it, and I know my story is a testimony, and anyone who is a creative or not a creative, or just a human being period, can relate to that,” he said. “I’ve had friends lose the battle to mental health. And if I could do anything, if I could do anything to help someone else to overcome what I’ve endured and what so many of my friends endured, then that’s cool enough for me.”
Hailing from Oak Cliff, rapper Tye Harris also trained as an opera singer, uses his music to create a distinct artistic identity that contrasts high culture with raw hip-hop. Photo courtesy of Tye Harris.
For Harris, his music is the way to do it.
“Art is the cure. Art is the thing that keeps me going,” he said. “When I was in a mental hospital all those years ago in 2015, and I was contemplating on doing the unthinkable, the only thing that did get me to the next day was the next song, was the lyric, was the notes, was the vocals, was just everything about music that I do. Creating it, the art behind the art. And music saved my life. Music definitely saved my life.”
This is not the first time Harris has performed at the event. Last year, he joined headliner Cure for Paranoia on stage as a special guest. This year, he hopes to do the same with a surprise guest of his own.
Prior to the indoor performances, attendees will have the opportunity to hear a live outdoor acoustic set by Courtney Hart and Tom Sless. Additionally, there will be a curated exhibition of wearable art by Dallas-area artists who have transformed clothing into one-of-a-kind pieces that will be available throughout the evening during a live and silent auction.
The festival will also feature a Mental Health Activation Space for attendees to learn from local organizations, discover mental health resources and connect with services that are available throughout the community.
“Louder Than Stigma Fest is more than a concert,” said Lauren O’Connor, president of Amplified Minds in a press release. “It’s a reminder that no one has to struggle alone. By bringing together artists, advocates, and our community, we’re creating a space where conversations about mental health are welcomed, creativity becomes a pathway to healing, and every ticket purchased helps someone access free mental health support.”
All proceeds from the event will go to support Amplified Minds’ free mental health services. Tickets are available now for general admission.
