VOTE for Your Favorite RESPECT! Challenge Finalists
Thank you to everyone who participated in the RESPECT! Challenge, a national public action campaign and contest that reminds us about the critical role that parents, teachers, coaches, family, and mentors play in shaping young lives and promoting a respectful society. We asked the public who they wanted to thank for teaching them respect and received so many thoughtful, creative, and heartwarming thank you notes and videos from across the country. You exceeded our expectations and imaginations with your stories of respect.
Our judges have chosen the top ten finalists, and now it’s your turn to vote on your favorite thank you note or video. Cast your vote before October 26th at 6pm PT and encourage your friends and family to do the same! The winner will receive $10,000 for the nonprofit of school of their choice and a VIP trip to New York City.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to our high profile friends who participated in our RESPECT! Challenge video. They each took a moment to stop and reflect on a person who made a lasting impact on them. Check out the full RESPECT! Challenge video here.
On the Passing of Senator Arlen Specter:
It is with sadness that we mourn Senator Arlen Specter, a champion of the Violence Against Women Act and supporter of programs that helped women and children trying to escape and heal from violence. While he was known for his aggressive questioning of Anita Hill more than 20 years ago, he also used his position in the Senate and his personal experience as a prosecutor to help bring attention to the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. The women and families of Pennsylvania--and the nation at large--have benefited enormously from his tenacity and his efforts to ensure that violence against women remained a non-partisan issue.
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Futures Celebrates International Day of the Girl
We applaud the United Nations for recognizing the value of girls and declaring October 11th the first-ever International Day of the Girl. Every girl deserves to live an empowered life free of discrimination, abuse, economic disparities, and violence. This landmark day celebrates the importance of girls, and will generate conversation about specific injustices that girls face across the globe.
In honor of the first International Day of the Girl, Futures Without Violence helped lead the fight against the harmful practice of child marriage, a form of gender-based violence and human rights violation.
