The AAKOMA Project Joins Born This Way Foundation For Its Third Annual "#BeKind21" Campaign
The Campaign Calls on Participants to Practice Acts of Kindness for 21 Days This September
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the AAKOMA Project and Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation – with support from 150 additional partners – announced the launch of Born This Way Foundation's third annual #BeKind21 Campaign. As communities across the world face the trauma of a pandemic, the ongoing racial inequalities, and a host of global challenges, this campaign encourages everyone to build habits that promote wellness and cultivate kindness through action.
From September 1st to September 21st, the campaign invites schools and colleges to kick off the new school year by establishing kinder habits, and for corporate partners, nonprofit partners, and all other participants to head into the fall with a spirit of compassion and kindness across their organizations and in their communities.
Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, founder of the AAKOMA Project, noted how crucially important kindness is, "In this time of the dual pandemics of racism and COVID-19, part of the fight for the health of our world and healing of our nation is reflected in channeling kindness. As an organization that prioritizes the needs of young people of color and diverse backgrounds, AAKOMA is deeply committed to ensuring Mental Health research and care for all, we begin always from a place of kindness."
The AAKOMA Project will participate in the challenge by posting kindness messages across our social media, sharing pictures of our ongoing yard sign project in the Northern VA area and donating surprise gift packages to students as they head back into the academic year. Also partnering on the challenge are more than 150 schools, nonprofit organizations, government institutions, sports teams, and corporations across the country.
"This campaign aims to create a culture of kindness and foster healthy communities," said Cynthia Germanotta, co-founder and president of Born This Way Foundation. "Our #BeKind21 initiative is an opportunity for all of us to put kindness into action. We believe that being kind is advocating for a world that values, validates, and respects all people. Together we are building a movement based on actions that create a future that is kinder, braver, and more just."
Studies have found that performing acts of kindness can boost happiness (Dunn, Aknin, & Norton 2008) and increase feelings of self-worth and calm while decreasing feelings of depression (UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science Center). Born This Way Foundation's research found that young people who describe their environments as kind are more likely to be mentally healthy. That's true for youth in high schools, colleges, and workplaces.
This year's #BeKind21 Campaign will build on last year's effort during which, with support from over 130 partners, 1.6 million participants engage in over 41 million acts of kindness. Individuals who take the pledge will receive exclusive kindness suggestions, tips, and inspiration from Born This Way Foundation's co-founders and partners, and have a chance to be featured on ChannelKindness.org.
About Born This Way Foundation
Led by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta, Born This Way Foundation was founded in 2012 to support the wellness of young people and empower them to create a kinder and braver world. To achieve these goals, Born This Way Foundation leverages evidence-based research and authentic partnerships in order to provide young people with kinder communities, improved mental health resources, and more positive environments – online and offline. To learn more, visit https://bornthisway.foundation/.
The AAKOMA Project is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping diverse teenagers and their families achieve optimal mental health through dialogue, learning, and the understanding that everyone deserves care and support. Find out more at https://AAKOMAproject.org/.
Contact: Tracey Deavers, [email protected]
SOURCE The AAKOMA Project, Inc.
Share this article