Advocating for Love and Kindness

Ava, is a nonspeaking 7th grader, from Southern California who spells to communicate. During a lesson on inspirational street art, Ava began to create a campaign to spread kindness. She plans to begin this campaign with a series of signs to hang in her school and hopes to build upon this through social media.
~I-ASC

THERE IS SO MUCH NEGATIVE TALK TODAY. I THINK WE ALL NEED MORE LOVE AND KINDNESS. THE IDEA THAT I COULD HELP OTHERS BE NICER EXCITES ME. THE WORLD IS GETTING SO MEAN. WE NEED THIS TO STOP. MY CAMPAIGN IS TO WORK ON ACCEPTING EACH OTHER THE WAY WE ARE. THAT MEANS THAT WE THINK ABOUT EACH OTHER AS HUMANS WHO ARE ON THE SAME PLANET TRYING TO HAVE MEANINGFUL LIVES. THE POINT IS WE ARE ALL TRYING TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE.

THE FIRST THING WOULD BE SIGNS. THE SIGNS COULD GO IN MY SCHOOL. THEY SHOULD LOOK NICE. THE SIGNS COULD BE WASHED OUT PICTURES WITH WORDS ON THEM. UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT BUT ALSO THE SAME IS VERY IMPORTANT TO COMMUNICATE. THE WAY TO MAKE OTHERS NICER IS TO LET THEM SEE WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. THE SIGNS ARE MY FIRST IDEA. THEN IT COULD GROW FROM THERE.

“YOU CAN THINK HOW YOUR WORDS MAKE ME FEEL.” – THIS COULD GO ON A PICTURE OF GIRLS LOOKING AT A GIRL SITTING BY HERSELF. THE MESSAGE IS THAT WORDS HURT SO CONSIDER WHAT YOU SAY.

“UNDERSTAND EVERYONE IS TRYING THE BEST THEY CAN.” – THIS WOULD GO ON A PICTURE OF A STUDENT TRYING TO WORK ON HOMEWORK COWERING IN FRUSTRATION.

“ASK ME TO JOIN YOU.” – THIS COULD GO ON A PICTURE OF ME SITTING BY MYSELF.

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A WOMAN, A REGULAR WOMAN WHO WANTED TO HAVE A THING TO CALL HER OWN. SHE DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIAL OR UNIQUE ABOUT HER. SHE WANTED TO ACT FOR SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT BUT DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS. THEN ONE AFTERNOON SHE SAW SOMEONE CRYING. SHE REALLY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP. THOUGH SHE WAS NOT SPECIAL OR UNIQUE SHE COULD NOT STAND BY AND WATCH THIS PERSON CRY BY HERSELF. SO SHE WENT UP TO THE WEEPING PERSON AND ASKED IF SHE COULD HELP. THE SAD PERSON TOLD THE WOMAN THAT SHE REALLY FELT NO ONE UNDERSTOOD HER AND THAT SHE WAS ALL ALONE. THE WOMAN HAD NO SPECIAL TALENTS OR SKILLS SO THE ONLY THING SHE COULD DO WAS HUG THE SAD PERSON. THEN SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED. THE PERSON STOPPED CRYING. NO LONGER ALONE, THE WEEPING PERSON WAS NOW UNDERSTOOD AND WAS A HUMAN IN A MORE ACCEPTING AND LOVING WORLD. THE WOMAN WAS NOT UNIQUE OR HAD SPECIAL TALENTS BUT SHE WAS LOVING AND KIND. THIS IS A THING WE CAN BE ANY TIME TO ANY ONE. THE WORLD NEEDS MORE LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE.

Ava G.
Nonspeaking self-advocate
California