HEAL & RISE 2026 is expanding its reach this fall, bringing together communities in New York City, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago for a first-of-its-kind tri-country convening focused on youth and women’s mental health.
Presented by Beyond The Call 24 7, the international healing movement will take place Thursday, September 24, at TD Bank’s U.S. headquarters at One Vanderbilt in New York City. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. ET. For the first time, the event will connect the New York gathering with satellite experiences in Scarborough, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago through a shared live broadcast.
The expansion builds on the inaugural HEAL & RISE convening held in 2025 and reflects Beyond The Call 24 7’s effort to turn conversations around mental health, healing and resilience into an ongoing movement.
The 2026 gathering will bring together survivors, mental health professionals, educators, researchers, artists, musicians, advocates, policymakers and community leaders. Through the organization’s HEAL & RISE framework, the event will explore mental health through the lens of lived experience, community and Caribbean heritage.
The convening is being presented in collaboration with W.I.T.H. (West Indian True Heritage), incorporating cultural traditions into an experience designed to go beyond the format of a conventional conference.
Rather than relying solely on panels and keynote presentations, HEAL & RISE 2026 will incorporate visual art, music, cuisine, storytelling and immersive experiences designed to engage the five senses. Organizers say the approach is intended to create opportunities for healing, resilience and deeper community connection.
Ozzie Stewart, founder and president of Beyond The Call 24 7, said the event’s expansion demonstrates how an initial gathering can develop into a broader movement.
The tri-country format also underscores the organization’s focus on strengthening connections throughout the Caribbean diaspora. By linking participants across multiple locations, organizers hope to create a shared space where survivors and communities can recognize common experiences while building relationships and resources.
Founded in 2023, Beyond The Call 24 7 uses storytelling, advocacy, culture, education and community engagement to transform lived experiences into opportunities for collective healing. HEAL & RISE is part of that broader mission, with the annual convening designed to help generate year-round partnerships, educational programming and community initiatives.
The 2026 event comes as conversations about mental health continue to expand beyond clinical settings, with growing attention on the importance of culturally informed support and community-based approaches.
By connecting New York City with communities in Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, HEAL & RISE 2026 aims to create more than a single-day event. Organizers envision the gathering as a catalyst for continued dialogue, collaboration and action around the mental health and well-being of women and young people across the Caribbean diaspora and beyond.