ATLANTA, GA — As communities across the country continue to navigate rising stress, burnout, and emotional isolation, a bold new wellness movement is stepping forward to meet the moment. CAREGD
(Culture. Care. Connection.) officially launches as a national, culture-driven wellness and social impact company built to normalize emotional check-ins, make mental health culturally fluent, and scale care where it’s needed most.
Founded by Lisa C. Williams, Wellness Architect, former Division I athlete, and veteran brand strategist, CAREGD transforms emotional care into visible, actionable practice through nationwide campaigns, community activations, and technology-enabled tools. The movement meets people where they already are—from barbershops and classrooms to locker rooms, churches, and workplaces.
“We’re not whispering wellness anymore,” said Williams. “We’re checking in loud so people don’t have to struggle quietly. CAREGD exists because culture shapes behavior—and care has to live in the culture to actually work.”
The CAREGD Framework: One Mission, Three Campaigns
At the heart of CAREGD is a simple but powerful question—“Are you good?”—brought to life through three flagship initiatives:
Checking In – Are You Good?
The heartbeat of CAREGD, this national campaign centers emotional check-ins in everyday spaces. Through partnerships with barbershops, schools, churches, nonprofits, and community hubs, it makes mental wellness visible, conversational, and culturally relevant—especially within Black and Brown communities.
Me 1st Then Sports
A protection-first wellness initiative for athletes, coaches, and parents that shifts the narrative from performance to personhood. From youth sports sidelines to professional leagues, this campaign prioritizes mental headspace before the game begins.
You Matter More
A radical affirmation campaign for those who are overworked, overlooked, and quietly struggling—including first responders, frontline professionals, educators, and caregivers. Through message-driven merchandise and storytelling, it reinforces dignity, worth, and humanity beyond productivity.
Wellness That Moves—Literally
In its first year alone, CAREGD has activated its mission through high-impact, real-world experiences across sports, community, and culture, including:
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NBA mental wellness pull-ups, including All-Star Weekend and Summer League check-ins
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Youth sports tournament activations across the South and West Coast
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Firefighter tribute activation with Mayweather Boxing & Fitness honoring 2025 LA Wildfire first responders
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Community check-in with young Black men and residents of Pasadena and Altadena impacted by the Eaton Fire
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Barbershop check-ins and facilitated community conversations with Black men and local leaders
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School-based parent check-in sessions exploring youth mental health and the emotional effects of AI, technology, and social media
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Athlete suicide prevention talks and keynote addresses
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Mental wellness activations at nonprofit conferences
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Black student and Black student-athlete pop-ups
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Church-based activations, including The Drop the Weight Experience
Each activation features visible check-ins, real-time interviews, emotional awareness prompts, and branded wellness tools—bringing care directly into the spaces people already trust.
A Living Movement Hub: Tech + Care
What differentiates CAREGD is its role as a living movement hub—one that allows people to see, wear, and measure care. By integrating technology and wellness, CAREGD leverages pulse metrics, quizzes, NFC taps, text-based check-ins, and partner dashboards to transform awareness into measurable, preventative care—without sacrificing human connection.
Now Seeking Strategic Partners
As CAREGD scales nationally, the organization is inviting aligned partners to join the Check-In Era through:
- Sponsorship of school, sports, and community activations
- Custom employee wellness and culture campaigns
- Fundraising collaborations with churches, youth organizations, and HBCUs
- Support for storytelling, content, and message-driven wellness merchandise
“We’re turning emotional care into currency—making it visible, wearable, and actionable,” Williams added. “This is the movement we wish we had growing up.”
About CAREGD
CAREGD (Culture. Care. Connection.) is a national wellness and social impact movement redefining how mental health is understood, experienced, and prioritized—beyond the therapy room and into everyday life. Cultural, not clinical, CAREGD builds emotionally intelligent campaigns—such as Checking In – Are You Good?, Me 1st Then Sports, and You Matter More—that help communities interrupt silence before struggle turns into crisis.
Through pop-up activations, peer check-ins, message-driven merchandise, and tech-enabled insight tools, CAREGD turns connection into care—and prevention into practice. We are not whispering Wellness anymore. We’re checking in loud so people stop checking out quietly