Leaders in Communications: A Conversation with Shanti Das ’93

Navigating Your Mental Wellness in Entertainment and Entrepreneurship

Alumna Shanti Das ’93 found success in the music industry during a 25-year career working directly with some of music’s top talent in positions at Capitol Records, LaFace Records, Columbia Records, Sony Urban Music and Universal Motown.

But Das also suffered from depression and anxiety, and she watched loved ones suffer with mental health issues as well.

Her nonprofit, Silence the Shame, was founded in 2016 to empower and educate communities on mental health and wellness. The organization is dedicated to eliminating mental health stigma, reducing health disparities and lowering suicide rates among vulnerable populations through community conversations, compelling content and culturally responsive programs. In 2019, Silence the Shame was honored by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation for advancing minority mental health.

In conversation with Rawiya Kameir, an assistant professor in the magazine, news and digital journalism department at the Newhouse School, Das will discuss her journey from music industry executive to mental wellness advocate and her hopes for the #SilenceTheShame movement.