"#BeKind21" Campaign

The Campaign Calls on Participants to Practice Acts of Kindness for 21 Days This September

August 18, 2020 – Today, PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley 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.

PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley is committed to supporting the families and friends of LGBTQ+ youth providing education to our community and advocating for LGBTQ+ equality. Everyone, regardless of who they are should be treated with respect, fairness and kindness. The #BeKind21 campaign aims to promote just this type of behavior and we are so pleased to be a part of it.

PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley will participate in the challenge by asking people to make small changes in the language they use to help create more inclusive communities. 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.

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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/.

About PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley
PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. They work to make this vision a reality by providing support to LGBTQ+ family and friends, educating the community and advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ youth. The chapter holds a monthly support group for allies, friends, family and parents of LGBTQ+ children and adults, which meets the 3rd Monday of every month, currently via an online session. They are currently celebrating their 25th year in Danville and the San Ramon Valley. If you think you can benefit from their support, want to get involved in their education and advocacy work, want to support the work they do or just want to connect with other families with LGBTQ+ family and friends you can find out more at srvpflag.org