35 Hours of Awareness: Students at UCLA Advocate for R-word campaign all week

Since 9 a.m., members of the Special Olympics College Program at the University of California Los Angeles have been advocating and campaigning for individuals to take the pledge to Spread the Word to End the Word. They will continue to do so until 4 p.m. each day this week.

“Starting today, and through the rest of the week, we have members of our organization promoting the campaign on Bruin Walk. They are handing out t-shirts, wristbands, and flyers about the R-word campaign and a panel we will be hosting on Friday,” Kevin Neumann, the Activities Director of the SO College Program, said.

For the past few years, UCLA has hosted a panel for students to attend. At the panel, audience members are able to listen to a variety of individuals and their experiences with the R-word. Participants on the panel include actors, Special Olympics Global Ambassadors, Special Olympics athletes, and volunteers within the organization.

The panel takes place on Friday to celebrate a week of successful promotion of the R-word campaign. It serves as a way to unify the student body with the mission of the R-word campaign and bring them together in one centralized location. Last year, the panel had the largest amount of participation, but the goal this year is for more individuals to join in on the conversation.

“I’ve been at UCLA for the past three years and something I’ve noticed is a lack of awareness for the R-word. I’ve started to see some changes when I talk to people about it and noticed that they will think twice before they use it,” Neumann said.

With the week of advocacy and promotion, members of the UCLA SO College Program are working to educate other students about how the campaign can impact attitudes and actions. This year, as members promote the event on Bruin walk, they have a variety of incentives available to encourage individuals to visit them. Upon taking the pledge, individuals receive a sticker and have the opportunity to earn a wristband or a flyer with information about the campaign and the importance of encouraging others to take the pledge.

After taking the pledge, students are encouraged to visit the panel for an educational message, but the possibility to win other incentives. They have the opportunity to win t-shirts and other prizes linked to the R-word campaign and the school’s Unified Sports program. These incentives serve as tangible reminders for why a student took the pledge and why they should encourage others to do the same.

Aside from events during the week of the R-word campaign, the organization hosts two Unified Sports Leagues: Unified Basketball and Unified Soccer. With 40 UCLA undergraduate members and 40 athletes, the organization has 80 individuals who promote respect and inclusion year-round. This week is just a reminder to the student body about the importance of taking the pledge and making UCLA a more unified community.

If you have a story, video, photo, poem, essay, guide, dance, (or anything else) to share with the world, follow the three easy steps in this link or publish your story on Medium and email it to spalumbo@specialolympics.org. If you prefer, you could also put your story into a word document, let us know whether you would like it published under your name or anonymously, and email it to spalumbo@specialolympics.org.

Pledge your support to end the R-Word here.