Kenneth Cole, has been a fashion icon for decades, innovating a unique and lasting style for which he is known. But he comes to All About Change to talk about another of his great passions: mental health awareness. Kenneth won the 2025 Morton. E Ruderman Award in Inclusion, an award my foundation presents to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the inclusion of people with disabilities.

The award recognized Kenneth’s transformative leadership in confronting mental health stigma and building a national movement for inclusion through storytelling, awareness, and action as the founder of the Mental Health Coalition. 

We discuss the Mental Health Coalition’s origin story, the state of mental health in America, how to work in mental health when you are not a doctor or mental health expert and much more.

Today's episode was produced by Tani Levitt and Mijon Zulu. To check out more episodes or to learn more about the show, you can visit our website Allaboutchangepodcast.com. If you like our show, spread the word, tell a friend or family member, or leave us a review on your favorite podcasting app. We really appreciate it. All About Change is produced by the Ruderman Family Foundation.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Intro

1:28 The power of Mental Health Awareness Month

4:28 Kenneth’s activist origin story

9:04 The Mental Health Coalition is founded on connection and coordination

15:54 Good deads lead to more good deads

20:14 The business costs of not addressing mental health issues

24:33 Outro and Goodbye

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Looking for more insights into the world of activism? Be sure to check out Jay’s brand new book, Find Your Fight, in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at https://www.walmart.com/ip/Find-Your-Fight-Make-Your-Voice-Heard-for-the-Causes-That-Matter-Most-Hardcover-9781963827071/10817862336⁠⁠