On April 17, Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity will be collaborating to introduce the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign for the first time on Longwood’s campus.
The event will entail pledge cards and a banner that participants will be able to sign to swear to never use the word, “retarded,” or any other derogatory word referring to those with disabilities ever again.
Lauren Flood, philanthropy chair of Alpha Sigma Alpha, said, “I have a personal connection to this because my sister is mentally retarded. I myself take offense to this word and am saddened by how it is used in day to day life. Our generation has been desensitized to this word and many other words that offend all different walks of life. If we are able to make people more aware of what comes out of
their mouth, hopefully it will start affecting their actions.”
Matthew Pereira, treasurer and philanthropy and community service chairman of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, commented on the purpose of the event, saying, “It’s to spread awareness of just how hurtful the ‘r’ word really is, and just how demeaning it is to people.”
“My personal goal is just to spread awareness and to get people’s attention so they understand that throwing around that word is not okay, and it hurts people’s feelings, and it brings people down,” Pereira said.
Pereirastatedtha the was presented with the idea for the campaign by a Push America consultant.
The philanthropies for Pi Kappa Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha are Push America and Special Olympics, respectively. Push America is a non- profit organization founded in 1977 through Pi Kappa Phi and serves people with disabilities. Special
Olympics is a sports organization for those with intellectual disabilities, providing them with sports training and athletic competition.
Pereira said, “The whole idea behind the Special Olympics and Push America and the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign is to prove that people with disabilities really have abilities, and that they are no different from you or I.”
“This is more to show people that we’re more than just about raising the money. We’re about spreading the awareness and getting people to understand,” said Pereira.
Pereira commented that Pi Kappa Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha often join together to support similar events relating to supporting persons with disabilities. A few events that Pi Kappa Phi hosts throughout the year includes a bike- a-thon and War of the Roses.
Pereira said, “This is more to show people that we’re more than just about raising the money. We’re about spreading the awareness and getting people to understand.”
He further stated, “I hope students gain awareness from this campaign. Everyone always says that they will stand up to injustice and help people and do the right thing but it is very rare when people ‘put their money where their mouth is.’ I hope after hearing what we have to say and signing pledges against this word, people will be inspired to pay it forward and implement this way of thinking in other aspects of their life and change others views. “
Flood said, “Words like ‘retard’ can forever harm someone’s self-worth. Imagine actually having a mental disability and being called retarded. I know that I personally would be hurt beyond words. I have seen this happen; I have seen this happen to my sister. From the outside it is the most heartbreaking thing to watch. The question you have to ask yourself is will you be the one to step up and say something?”
