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.
Sexual Assult at Amherst College
Last week, a brave former Amherst student named Angie Epifano recounted the circumstances of a sexual assault that took place her freshman year in an article published in the college’s newspaper The Amherst Student. Angie wrote candidly about the devastating emotional consequences of sexual abuse, and criticized Amherst’s policies and actions (or rather, inactions) to address the situation. Angie’s story has since spread across the internet, and prompted additional accounts of unreported sexual violence on the Amherst campus to surface.
In response to Angie’s article, Amherst President Biddy Martin issued a statement acknowledging that the administration’s response to sexual violence on campus was unacceptable and needed to change immediately. She identified the need to review and make changes to Amherst’s Title IX and sexual misconduct policies.
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The Waiting Room Debuts Nationally
The Waiting Room, a documentary produced by our very own board member Bill Hirsh, has received rave reviews from critics across the country. The thought-provoking film weaves the stories of several patients, as well as the hospital staff at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA, as the cope with the complexity of the nation’s public health care system.
The Waiting Room opened in New York City and Los Angeles last month. Starting today, the film will be playing throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and will reach D.C., Seattle, and other cities in the coming month. The Waiting Room has received favorable reviews from leading publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, and New York Magazine.
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