Watch 'Citizen Verizon Assembly: Education Is Not Up for Debate' live town hall

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Yahoo Life and Verizon will host the second Citizen Verizon Assembly, Education Is Not Up for Debate, for a timely discussion about the education system, covering remote learning, inequality and mental health as Verizon continues to convene advocates, activists, and nonprofit and business leaders to address the most pressing global economic, environmental and social issues. The event can be watched live at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT in the player above.

The hour-long virtual event will include keynotes and discussions with leaders from around the globe, including mental health activist Catie Cole, actress, producer and change agent Yara Shahidi, and actress, entrepreneur and activist Gabrielle Union, among others.

After an introduction from Shahidi, and remarks from Verizon’s Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Rose Stuckey Kirk, the event will open with a debate moderated by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien. Focusing on the current issues facing students and teachers, and how we can build a public education system for the future, debate participants include:

• Anthony Jack, author and assistant professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education;

• Michelle Udall, Republican member of the Arizona House of Representative; and

• Jordan Shapiro, assistant professor at Temple University.

Students, teachers and parents are in the midst of another school year of remote or hybrid learning in most classrooms across the country. Following the debate, Soledad O’Brien will moderate a mental health fireside chat that brings together leaders and activists to discuss the best ways for both students and parents to cope with the new normal in education:

• Catie Cole, co-founder of The Mental Health Coalition and creator of How Are You Really?;

• Gabrielle Union, actress, entrepreneur and activist; and

• Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, President, Medical Director of Child Mind Institute.

To learn more about Citizen Verizon and the company’s digital inclusion efforts, visit CitizenVerizon.com.

Yahoo is a division of Verizon Media Group.

Read more from Yahoo Life:

• Class of COVID: How students, parents and educators are handling an unprecedented academic year

• ‘I’m hungry all the time’: How hunger has reached crisis level on college campuses (exclusive)

• ‘Back to school is just the tip of the iceberg’: A psychologist on how parents can prepare kids for the long haul of the pandemic