~ Boston, MA- On July 31, 2025, Mayor Michelle Wu, the City of Boston, and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) will be hosting a summit for teenagers to explore healthy relationship dynamics and coping skills. The annual Break-Up Summit, organized by BPHC's Start Strong program, will take place at Simmons University with this year's theme being "Unscripted Love."

The summit aims to provide a safe space for teenagers to have honest conversations about relationships in the age of social media and AI. As digital interactions and social pressures continue to complicate how teens navigate relationships, Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston, emphasizes the importance of increasing youth-led violence prevention and community building efforts.

"We are grateful to Start Strong for organizing this summit and equipping our young people with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to build safe, respectful, and affirming relationships," said Dr. Ojikutu.

The annual summits have a specific focus on preventing dating violence among teenagers in Boston and increasing their understanding of what constitutes a healthy break-up. This year's theme "Unscripted Love" encourages teens to laugh, vent, share stories, and uplift each other while discussing the impact of social media on relationships. It also addresses important topics such as setting digital boundaries and self-care strategies.

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Jess Alder, Program Director for Start Strong Initiative explains that this year's summit will center on social media as a "super peer" that shapes how young people understand love, conflict, and identity. While media can be a source of healing and connection, it can also reinforce harmful myths about control, jealousy, and violence. By helping young people critically engage with the messages they consume and share through a media literacy lens, they are empowered to communicate with empathy and build healthier relationships.

The summit has been co-designed by teen peer leaders and Start Strong staff and will feature live skits and performances, interactive breakout sessions, a youth-led panel discussion, a live recording of the "Real Love Real Talk" podcast, and an intergenerational dialogue between teenagers and adults. All attendees will also receive a free lunch. The summit is free and open to Boston-area teenagers, with registration now closed. However, 200 teens from across the city have signed up through their youth programs to attend this year's summit.

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Start Strong is an internationally recognized youth-led violence prevention program housed within the Child Adolescent Family Health Bureau. It aims to prevent teen dating violence and promote healthy relationships by using a trauma-informed, positive youth development framework. The program also incorporates a media literacy lens in its work, starting conversations on systems of oppression, intersectionality, and prevention/promotion work. As stated by Start Strong staff, all of their work is youth-created, driven or inspired, making youth the heart of the program.

In conclusion, the Break-Up Summit organized by BPHC's Start Strong program is set to take place on July 31st at Simmons University with the theme "Unscripted Love." This summit provides a platform for teenagers in Boston to have honest conversations about relationships in the age of social media and AI while promoting healthy relationship dynamics and coping skills. With its focus on preventing dating violence among teens and increasing their understanding of healthy break-ups, this year's summit promises to be an empowering event for all attendees.

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