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TO HEALTH, NATIONAL, AND SPORTS EDITORS:
Special Olympics and Best Buddies Celebrate 6th Annual Spread the Word
to End the Word@ Day on March 5th
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Special Olympics,
Best Buddies, and supporters from around the world will unite today on
the sixth Spread the Word to End the Word@ day to continue building
awareness for society to stop and think about its use of the R-word
and rally people around the world to pledge respect toward all
individuals, making the world a more accepting and inclusive place for
all people, especially those with intellectual and developmental
disabilities (IDD). Through engagement with schools, organizations and
communities, Spread the Word to End the Word highlights the harmful
effects the word "retard(ed)" has on the millions of people with IDD,
their families and friends. Use of the R-word, "retard" or
"retarded," is hurtful and painful and, whether intended or not, is a
form of bullying. Eliminating the use of this word is a step toward
respect.
The Spread the Word to End the Word grassroots campaign was created in
February 2009 by youth who participated in the Special Olympics Global
Youth Activation Summit, held in conjunction with the Special Olympics
World Winter Games in Idaho. Led by Soeren Palumbo and Timbo Shriver
(son of Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver), the campaign
evolved out of a united passion to promote the positive contributions
people with IDD make in communities around the world. It was combined
with a simple call to action to take the pledge and inspired thousands
of K-12 schools and universities across the country to hold rallies
enlisting young people to take the pledge. To date, nearly 500,000
people have taken the pledge online to end the use of the R-word and
millions more have signed banners and petitions throughout the world.
"We've had noticeable and sustainable impact, but these changes have
not come easily, and six years ago, we were met with stiff opposition
online and were repeatedly told that our efforts were a violation of
free speech and that changing language was a 'waste of time,'" said
Soeren Palumbo, co-founder of the Spread the Word to End the Word
campaign. "Change is about more than words. Change is about words
and more. The words we use serve as filters that distort our
understanding of ourselves and those around us. And when we remove
filters tinted with years of stigma and prejudice, then we can begin
to see each other's humanity a bit more clearly, and begin to act
accordingly."
What started as one single action of taking the pledge has evolved
into communities across the world challenging others to talk, think
and write with respect. A letter-writing campaign and social media
blitz led by the Special Olympics Youth Activation Summit drew more
attention to the campaign - as well as an apology - on American
television host and political commentator Bill O'Reilly's show after
the R-word was used. Most recently, Special Olympics athlete John
Franklin Stephens led the charge via a blog post that went viral when
pundit Ann Coulter lashed out with the word. Stephens received
support from over 3 million people through social media in just a
matter of days. Supporters from across the country were urging
Stephens to 'run for President!' The F/X network now includes the
R-word as one of three words that are not allowed to be broadcast.
MTV has also embraced the campaign by bleeping out the R-word just
like any other curse word or slur in shows like "The Real World" and
"Teen Mom." In 2010, a Maryland woman with an intellectual
disability was the inspiration for Rosa's Law. The bill, championed
by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyom.),
garnered overwhelming support in both the House of Representatives and
the Senate. Starting that year, federal agencies dropped the terms
"mental retardation" and "mentally retarded" in federal health,
education and labor laws and replaced them with "intellectual
disability" -- and since then, almost every state has passed similar
legislation. Through these and other important milestones, Spread the
Word to End the Word has continued to advocate on behalf of those with
intellectual and developmental disabilities and to work to make our
society more inclusive.
Youth leadership and athlete advocacy has played a large role in the
history of the campaign and continues to build awareness for Spread
the Word to End the Word. Special Olympics Project UNIFY@, in large
part supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Education, is an
education-based project that uses sports and education programs to
activate young people to develop school communities where all youth
are agents of change - fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for
people with intellectual disabilities. Project UNIFY is already in
over 2,100 schools in 42 states across the country and many of those
schools support Spread the Word to End the Word efforts. Best Buddies
International youth programs promote one-to-one friendship
opportunities and leadership development in schools around the world,
raising awareness and acceptance for people with IDD in their
communities. With over 1,700 middle school, high school, and college
chapters worldwide, the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign has
become an integral part of the Best Buddies mission and showcases Best
Buddies' commitment to creating inclusive opportunities for people
with IDD on a global level. The Spread the Word to End the Word
campaign urges young people around the world to take a stand in their
own communities and help change the conversation by eliminating the
use of the R-word from today's popular youth vernacular and replacing
it with "respect." Up to three percent of the world's population
(roughly 200 million people around the world) have an intellectual
disability and youth initiatives like Special Olympics Project UNIFY@
bring youth with and without intellectual disabilities together to
change attitudes and reverse the destructive stigma against those with
IDD.
"When Soeren and I started the campaign six years ago, we believed
that we could show our friends and fellow students the devastating
impact one word in particular could have on an individual and truly
believed that recognizing the power of words to harm would inspire
young people to do the opposite - to use their words to change the
hearts, minds and actions of their own communities for the better,"
said Timbo Shriver, co-founder of the Spread the Word to End the Word
campaign. "Finally, we believed that young people -- empowered by a
movement of their peers -- could change how we see and treat
individuals with disabilities with their words, and then more. We
have accomplished that goal but want more. Today, we ask that you
help us change our words, and then more. Start by visiting r-word.org
and take the pledge today."
Get Involved!
Engage with us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EndtheWord or
Twitter at http://twitter.com/EndtheWord, so that we can reach our
goal of gaining 50,000 tweets/re-tweets of the pledge in this year
alone! Tweet this pledge today:
I pledge #Respect thru my words and actions. Will you? Pledge now to
create communities of inclusion for people with ID r-word.org
About Special Olympics International Special Olympics is an
international organization that changes lives through the power of
sport by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual
disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities
of understanding and respect worldwide. Founded in 1968 by Eunice
Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few
hundred athletes to more than 4 million athletes in 170 countries in
all regions of the world, providing year-round sports training,
athletic competition and other related programs. Special Olympics now
takes place every day, changing the lives of people with intellectual
disabilities all over the world, from community playgrounds and ball
fields in every small neighborhood's backyard to World Games. Special
Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing
opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness,
demonstrate courage, and experience joy and friendship. Visit Special
Olympics at www.specialolympics.org. Engage with us on: Twitter
@specialolympics; fb.com/specialolympics;
youtube.com/specialolympicshq, and specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com.
About Best Buddies International Best Buddies@ is a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer
movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships,
integrated employment and leadership development for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1989 by
Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has
grown from one original chapter to more than 1,700 middle school, high
school, and college chapters worldwide. Today, Best Buddies' eight
formal programs - Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens,
e-Buddies@ , Jobs, Ambassadors, and Promoters - engage participants in
each of the 50 states and in over 50 countries, positively impacting
the lives of more than 800,000 people with and without disabilities
around the world. In many cases, as a result of their involvement with
Best Buddies, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational
leaders, and make lifelong friendships. For more information, please
visit www.bestbuddies.org, facebook.com/bestbuddies or
twitter.com/bestbuddies.
SOURCE Special Olympics
-0- 03/05/2014
/CONTACT: Christy White, Special Olympics, +1 (202) 738-8511, cwhite@specialolympics.org, or Heather Schatz, Best Buddies International, +1 (305) 374-2233 ext. 207, heatherschatz@bestbuddies.org
/Web Site: http://www.specialolympics.org
CO: Special Olympics; Best Buddies International
ST: District of Columbia
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0000 03/05/2014 14:38:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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