By Greg Justice, Head of Content Programming, TikTok US

As the world comes together to fight the spread of COVID-19, we're confronted with the cruel irony that one of the most important ways to combat the virus – social distancing – requires us to physically isolate ourselves from our fellow human beings. Being asked to stay home can be unnerving, especially when there's so much uncertainty. We feel it, too. But one thing that has really moved our team is seeing the TikTok community unite around the things that show we're more alike now than ever before. We're all adjusting to new normals: coping with boredom, processing our uneasiness, and adjusting our daily habits. At its core that's what TikTok is all about: bringing people together. We couldn't be more inspired by the strong show of compassion and solidarity across the TikTok community.

To honor that spirit, we've partnered with a wide range of amazing celebrities and creators to launch something special: #HappyAtHome: LIVE!, a week of nightly programming that kicks off today at 5:00 PM PDT and will run each evening through Friday. The goal is simple: share in a bit of levity, provide some comfort, and embrace the responsibility we all have to do the right thing by staying inside and stopping the spread. There's a lot we can't do right now, but this is one small way we can all help each other during these trying times. 

We're excited to be able to bring together a group of such talented people to livestream with us this week. We invite our community to kick back, relax, and check out some of the LIVE! experiences we have planned for this week: 

  • Motivation Monday: We're kicking off the week with inspirational talks, workouts, dance classes, and cooking tips featuring Tyra Banks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Derek Hough, tWitch & Allison Holker, and Eitan Bernath.
  • Kick Back Tuesday: Join some of TikTok's most popular creators for game night, makeup tutorials, and chat sessions with the likes of Loren Gray, Charli D'Amelio, Adam Ray, and Addison Rae.
  • Show & Tell Wednesday: Hear from Dear Evan Hansen star Jordan Fisher, step into magic tricks with Zach King, keep it real with iconic actress and entrepreneur Tracee Ellis Ross, and much more from TikTok's diverse community of creators.
  • EduTok Thursday: We're teaming up with the likes of Dr. Phil and Bill Nye for thoughtful conversations, advice, and life tips you don't want to miss. We will also continue to livestream Q&A sessions with the World Health Organization (WHO), which kicked off last week.
  • Sound Check Friday: Wind down your week and get pumped for the weekend with intimate performances from top artists' homes to yours. Join GRAMMY award winner and host Alicia Keys, with Jason Derulo, Megan Thee Stallion, Troye Sivan, Meghan Trainor, Yungblud, Hailee Steinfeld, Lauv, Kelsea Ballerini, and DJ Khaled for a night of music, stories and major keys. 

We hope #HappyAtHome: LIVE! will not only help us embrace the importance of social distancing, but also bring some genuine comfort and connection in a very isolating moment in time. But this is just one of the ways we’re trying to help. We're also focused on doing everything we can for communities beyond the app, including donating to WHO's COVID-19 Solidarity Fund to aid global health providers, partnering with After-School All-Stars to distribute food for hard-hit families across the US, and matching donations from our employees to a range of global and local initiatives to support those in need. We're mindful of the role TikTok plays in the lives of the people who find joy and inspiration from this platform daily, and committed to doing our part to help the broader community.

This is a difficult time for the world as a whole, but it's also possible for our shared sense of concern to be a commonality that brings us closer. It's on us to come together as a community, understand how we're all still connected, and recognize the importance of helping support, encourage, and even uplift one another. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay #HappyAtHome. 

To join us LIVE: tap the 'Happy at Home' banner in TikTok's Discover page, or simply search #happyathome in the app. #HappyAtHome: LIVE! begins at 5:00 PM PDT / 8:00 PM EDT every night.