When we lift each other, we see past the things that separate us and see instead, the things that unite us. As people continue to embrace their cultures, identities, and true selves in more open and direct ways it is key to: #Lifteachotherup🚀 and have greater acceptance, respect, and inclusion for everyone. Please join Pink Shirt Day on February 23rd, 2022 by wearing some pink and learn about how you can help stop bullying in communities across the province at the Pink Shirt Day website by being Upstanders. Pink Day Shirt = Anti-Bullying Day! This Pink Shirt Day, and every day, take your kindness to new heights by lifting each other up!
The theme for this year’s Pink Shirt Day is “Lift each other up”; a simple but powerful message encouraging us to look beyond our differences and celebrate the things that make us unique. In 2007, on his first day of Grade 12, Travis Price learned that a Grade 9 student had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt. To take a unified stand against bullying, he and his friend David Shepherd convinced hundreds of his fellow students to be Upstanders, rather than bystanders, and wear pink clothes to school the next day. Price and Shepherd started an annual campaign now known as Pink Shirt Day and sparked an international anti-bullying movement. As Price himself experienced bullying when he was younger, he felt motivated to make a difference for this student by turning an idea into action!
Be an Upstander! An Upstander is a person who recognizes injustice, knows their personal strengths and uses those strengths to create change. Someone who recognizes when something is wrong and acts to make it right. When an Upstander sees or hears about someone being bullied, they speak up. Being an Upstander is lifting each other up – we are standing up for what is right and doing our best to help support and protect someone who is being hurt. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights has wonderful digital resources to better understand What’s an Upstander? During Pink Shirt Day reflect on how have you used your strengths to lift each other up. Take this day as a new opportunity to become an Upstander that takes a stand for human rights in their community.
Pink Shirt Day is now celebrated every February across Canada to raise awareness about the negative impacts of bullying and to promote anti-bullying initiatives in schools. Although the movement has continued to expand, the end goal is to make every day a pink day. This means that students, and all of us, should always reject bullying tactics and try to make a difference if we see someone being targeted. The story of Travis Price shows that one small act has the potential to inspire others to stand up for inclusion resulting in a big change. Remember, kindness and compassion can go a long way. The Pink Shirt Day website also offers great digital resources to better understand bullying. The Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) will have pink shirts for sale for Pink Shirt Day as of today, Monday, February 14th! Shirts are available to purchase at UNYA’s Main Office 1618 East Hastings during office hours (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday only, closed for lunch 12pm – 1pm). K.C. Hall donated the design to UNYA to use on their pink shirts.
Kind words and small actions have meaningful impacts on our communities, so remember to #Lifteachotherup🚀 . This Pink Shirt Day, by wearing pink we are encouraged to think about how we can say ‘no’ to bullying behaviours and say ‘yes’ to supporting and uplifting one another. In the video below, Reg Krake from ARC Foundation sits down with News Talk 980 CKNW’s Simi Sara to share how SOGI 123, a program supported by Pink Shirt Day, helps 2SLGBTQIA+ kids. Together, they discuss why teaching young people using SOGI-inclusive curriculum (SOGI = Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) is important and how teachers and mentors can create or lead an inclusive environment for youth. Small acts can result in big change! Follow @pinkshirtday on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook