Did you know that one out of every five students experiences bullying? Bullying can have a detrimental affect on a person’s mental and physical health, leading to depression or anxiety and symptoms like headaches and stomachaches.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a month-long awareness campaign to prevent bullying by promoting kindness, acceptance and inclusion. The most effective way to put an end to bullying is by standing together to let others know that bullying is never acceptable.
That’s why Dallas College is participating in Unity Day on Wednesday, Oct. 18, by holding a Unity Day Walk. This nationwide event brings people together to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying.
“As members of our Counseling and Psychological Services team, we thought it would be an important stance to take as we can become upstanders for our community,” shared Katie Neff, Dallas College counselor.
Promoting a Culture of Kindness
Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “We cannot walk alone.” Nobel Prize recipient Albert Camus said, “Just walk beside me and be my friend.”
People throughout history have recognized that progress is made when we join together for a common good. The purpose of the Unity Day Walk is to show solidarity on our campuses in promoting a culture and climate of kindness.
“We need more kindness in our lives, whether it’s a hello from a stranger, someone picking up trash leftover from a storm, treating individuals to a hot drink, calling a friend or simple gesture of helping someone with opening the door,” said Neff. “Also, it encourages us to want and sustain a safe and supportive environment here on campus.”
Join the Unity Day Walk
Lace up your walking shoes and join Dallas College for the 2023 Unity Day Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 12:30-1:30 p.m., on all seven campuses. The walk will begin and end at Information Central on each campus.
We encourage you to wear orange, the official color for Unity Day, as we come together to celebrate unity and kindness.