Join NAMI-Santa Clara County for a virtual screening of the movie “Anxious Nation”
and a live panel discussion afterwards.
NOTE:
This event will be an online Webinar.
Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Time: 6:00 – 8:30PM (PDT)
“Anxious Nation” (2022) is a documentary film directed by Laura Morton and Vanessa Roth that explores mental health in the U.S., focusing on its impact on children and young adults (ages 10-26) and their families. After the virtual movie screening, a live panel will discuss the film and youth mental health.
While tickets for “Anxiety Nation” are available at a minimum of $10, we invite you to contribute more if you’re able. Proceeds from this event will help support NAMI-SCC’s Ending the Silence (ETS) program, which brings mental health education and awareness to youth in our community.
ETS reaches students directly in schools, helping them recognize the signs of mental health conditions, reduce stigma, and learn how to seek help for themselves or a friend.
Together, we can ensure more young people have the knowledge and support they need.
Your support can make a real impact:
-
- $50 can provide educational materials and resources for students for one presentation
- $75 can help us conduct outreach in the community about ETS and youth mental health
- $125 can help fund a classroom presentation reaching young people with life-saving information
Any amount helps us expand access to mental health education for youth.
NOTE:
We strive to make this event accessible to all. If the $10 ticket price is a barrier, please email Jen Larson at jlarson@namisantaclara.org
We’re happy to offer options so you can join us.
Live Panel Discussion: Meet Our Panelists
Moderator: Moryt Milo
Moryt Milo is a veteran journalist and editor, whose opinion pieces appeared in newspapers nationwide. She is an editor at San José Spotlight and was the former editor of the Silicon Valley Business Journal and a reporter and editor for the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers. In 2012, after her son was diagnosed with serious mental illness, her focus turned to mental health advocacy. She writes articles for the NAMI newsletter, blogs for the website and posts interviews with individuals advocating for changes to the mental health system. She also helps organize and moderate events for NAMI.
Panelist: Laura Morton
Laura Morton is the author of over 60 books and a staggering 23 New York Times bestsellers, with a wide range of celebrities, including Jennifer Hudson, Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, Justin Bieber,the Jonas Brothers, Susan Lucci, Joan Lunden, Melissa Etheridge, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Kathy Ireland and Danica Patrick, just to name a few. She has also written bestselling business books with John Maxwell, Bob Parsons, Dave Liniger, Glenn Stearns, and many others. Laura has been involved in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years as a writer, producer, and entrepreneur. Laura co-directed, produced, and wrote the award-winning documentary Anxious Nation, her first feature, which focuses on the crisis of anxiety in America, especially its impact on our youth and their families, available to stream on Amazon, Google Play, and Apple TV.
Panelist: Vanessa Roth
Vanessa is an Academy Award, Emmy Honors, Alfred I DuPont-Columbia, Sundance and Leonard Maltin Humanitarian Award-Winning non-fiction filmmaker with over 25 years of creating documentary features, series, shorts, as well as museum and organizational major storytelling initiatives that span time and scope.
Her visceral and collaborative work around the world blends oral history, verite, animation, music and archive and is exhibited in museums, released theatrically and broadcast around the world by Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Discovery, Disney +, PBS, BBC, ESPN, HBO and has garnered the highest of honors in documentary, film, television and journalism with over 60 awards including the Oscar, The Television Academy Emmy Award for Social Impact, Sundance Prizes, Cine Golden Eagles, Casey Medals, Impact Doc Awards for Best in Show and Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking, IDA nominations, Audience Awards and Jury Prizes at festivals around the world, as well as top honors for work in social impact, social justice, witness to history, legacy, youth empowerment, LGBTQ and women’s rights. Her films have been instrumental in policy change in mental health, child welfare, education, and diplomacy in the US and abroad.
Among her dozens films & series, she is the Executive Producer, Writer and Director of the Emmy Honors winning international series, Daughters of Destiny (NETFLIX Originals), Oscar winner for her film Freeheld (HBO), Director of the acclaimed Premium Documentary Mary J Blige’s My Life(Amazon Originals), Producer & Director of the Netflix Animated documentary, I am Who I Am Because of Her, Producer/Director of the ESPN 30 for 30 film, The Other Side, Director of the WWII Normandy Prize winning film, Liberation Heroes: The Last Eyewitnesses (Discovery), Producer/Writer/Director of American Teacher with Dave Eggers, Writer/Director of the untitled stage/doc project with Jazz legand Wynton Marsalis, Executive Producer, Writer, Director of the Impact Doc Best in Show and GLAAD Award winning series National Geographic PresentsIMPACT with Gal Gadot, (National Geographic Originals, Disney+), Writer/Director of acclaimed Anxious Nation, Writer/Director of the Nanjing Memorial/USC Shoah Foundation film, The Girl and the Picture, Director, Director/Writer/Producer of the award winning film series A Place of Honor in partnership with the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial & Museum, Executive Producer & Director of the 4-part HBO Max Series The Last Wright, Writer, Director, Producer of the upcoming film, The Righteous Road trip and Director of upcoming Hulu/ABC News Studios Production about icon Raven Symone.
Before making films, Vanessa received a Masters’ degree in Social Work, and Minor in Family Law from Columbia University. She is the daughter of Archeologist Linda Roth and Academy Award Winning Screenwriter, Eric Roth.
Panelist: Dr. Nahal Zakerani
Dr. Nahal Zakerani is a California-licensed pediatric psychologist with expertise in neuropsychology and health psychology. A Bay Area native, she earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and completed her Master’s and Doctoral training at Palo Alto University. Her clinical journey included a residency at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at Oregon Health & Science University and a neuropsychology fellowship at Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center. Before joining El Camino Hospital, Dr. Zakerani worked in several leading Bay Area medical centers. For over a decade, she has been a key contributor to El Camino’s ASPIRE program—an intensive outpatient mental health program for youth ages 11–25 and their families. She has served as a consultant to medical centers interested in developing similar programs and provides clinical supervision to training clinicians. In addition to her hospital-based work, Dr. Zakerani maintains a small private practice, offering individualized, compassionate care. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and can often be found cheering on her children at soccer games and gymnastics meets.
Panelist: Dr. Hogan Shy
Dr. Hogan Shy has been practicing internal medicine for over 20 years. In his years of treating patients, he has seen how vital mental health is in people’s lives. He has a passion for helping people and is a staunch advocate for NAMI. Dr. Shy’s dedication to mental health extends beyond individual patient care. He has served as a clinician and educator at low-income clinics in San Jose. He has also worked in the department of corrections helping those with mental and physical challenges. He grew up in Cupertino and enjoys playing basketball, kickboxing, and tinkering on his guitar.Panelist: Rachel Cucchiara
Rachel Cucchiara is the Youth Program Administrator for NAMI Santa Clara County, where she supports youth mental health education in schools and communities. She is also an “Ending the Silence” and “In Our Own Voice” presenter, speaking to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and empower people to have open conversations about mental health.
Together, we can ensure more young people have the knowledge and support they need.
