#USvsHate (“us versus hate”) is about embracing inclusion and justice for all in our diverse schools and society. Our messages insist publicly that all people are equally valuable.
In #USvsHate, students are invited to create public anti-hate messages in any media for their school communities. Our national challenge then amplifies student voices for a nationwide audience.
What’s communicated in schools really matters. We think students creating school messaging is a great place to start building schools and a society where all are supported and valued.
Students: Imagine a school where everyone belongs, in a society that works for everyone. What messages are on the walls or on the loudspeaker, or circulating on the school’s media or on student phones?
We invite you to make those messages, share them at your school, and submit to our biannual challenges to amplify your voice nationally.
Teachers: You can submit up to 3 entries per class, per challenge! Youth also can submit messages directly to our challenges. Our 2024-25 deadlines are November 22, 2024 and March 28, 2025.
See our Special Call page for an additional special call to action this year: We invite students to weigh in on the inclusive education they want in school. Students can submit #USvsHate messages with that #LetUsLearn focus to this year’s two challenges.
Anti-hate messages:
- communicate that people across lines of difference contribute to our communities, regions, and nation, are equally valuable, and deserve access to opportunity and well-being;
- explicitly address, explore, and refuse racism, xenophobia, homophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, sexism, or other forms of hate, bias and injustice in schools and society, insisting instead on a society that works for everyone;
- celebrate our actual diversity and similarity, busting myths (challenging stereotypes) about any “type of” person too often misrepresented;
- ask people to treat each other kindly, fairly and respectfully, so schools stay safe for learning and society includes us all.
The goals of #USvsHate are to:
- Shape school/classroom climate to foster inclusion, belonging, and support for all in our diverse schools and society, countering incidents of hate, bigotry, and bias in schools and communities nationwide. Check out our many lessons and PD resources for support in building the “us” in your school!
- Build and amplify youth voice to shape such environments;
- Help students more fully know, value, and respect themselves and the people they share their school, community, and nation with;
- Encourage students to learn about and take action against hate, bias and injustice in society and schools, envisioning instead a society that works for everyone;
- Equip teachers with dialogue tools, and curricular resources from national educator support organizations;
- Catalyze ongoing intergenerational learning in school communities;
- Grow a larger community of “us” countering hate, bias, and injustice nationwide.
(What do we mean by “us”?)
“Us” means everybody attempting to counter hate, bias, and injustice – and “us” includes every community in our diverse society and schools.
(What do we mean by “hate”?)
We define “hate” as any time people denigrate, disrespect or harm an individual or group as if their identity makes them an inferior or less valuable type of person. See Definitions and Concepts for more!
By amplifying “anti-hate” youth voices in schools and publicly, we seek to empower students to build schools and a society where all belong, feel included, and get supported. Refusing “hate” starts the process of repairing the deeper biases and injustices that block that vision.
We think “hate” includes:
- Creating or spreading hateful speech or symbols that demean and hurt people.
- Repeating false ideas that some “types of people” are inferior or superior.
- Denying denigrated groups opportunity or well-being as if they are less valuable.
- Taking cruel actions that fuel more hate. (E.g., bullying, harassment)
- Accepting or allowing such harm to others.
#USvsHate is about standing up when people get hurt, whether that hurt is subtle or not. We refuse bigotry, celebrate our diversity, and reject habits of treating people as inferior that hurt folks throughout our society every day.
We see youths’ public “anti-hate” messaging as the first step of embracing inclusion and justice for all.
#USvsHate “Anti-Hate” Principles!
- We reject false ideas about “inferior” and “superior” people. Every person and each community is equally valuable and deserving of respect. We can be proud of whoever we are without putting anyone else down. (Identity)
- We refuse misinformation about other people’s lives. Instead, we build relationships and aim to more accurately describe people’s life experiences as individuals and as members of communities. We value everyone’s contribution to our society. We clarify that diversity makes us strong. (Diversity)
- We call for inclusion and opportunity for all “types of people” across our society. We reject any situation or action that treats some “types of people” as inherently more valuable than others. (Justice)
- We stand up against harmful treatment or opportunity denial. Through our anti-hate messages, we insist that all people should be respected, fairly treated, and supported. We ask others to act, as one 3rd grader put it, like “everyone belongs.” (Action)
This work is incredibly important today. And youth voices can lead the way.
Every school community can help spread the message that all community members are part of “US”!
Join us!
#USvsHate is a national project of Prof. Mica Pollock’s #Schooltalking. Our national expansion is also powered by the teacher networks of the National Writing Project.
