End the Word Awareness Day

Special Olympics Project UNIFY and youth leaders around the country are trying to make our schools and our world safer and more just for students with intellectual disabilities. They have named March 3 as End the Word Awareness Day. Go to their website, www.r-word.org, to sign your support and find resources to develop your own efforts and awareness in your organization, community or school.

"As we consider concepts of safety, equity, and justice", says Anderson Williams, "this campaign represents a powerful national, youth-led effort for all of these ideals in our schools and communities. We can make a real difference by simply choosing not to use the r-word ourselves."

Anderson Williams shared several brief videos that demonstrate the importance of this issue and the power of young people to change it:

1. A student video created in response to the use of the r-word on the O’Reilly Factor which was sent to the show and solicited a public apology!
2. An interview with Johnny Knoxville with Eddie Barbanell on why he has chosen to stop using the word