Today, July 26th, marks the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. We would like to honor and celebrate the radical, disabled activists who broke the chains of silence and isolation to bring forth this bill and the multitude of anonymous...
My name is Sofie and I joined Beyond Differences because I wanted to help middle schoolers free themselves from the pain of social isolation. I had experienced unseen social isolation throughout my life and knew how devastating it can be. Especially, throughout elementary and middle...
Whenever I opened my Superman lunch box in elementary school, by the reactions of my peers you would have thought I had just unleashed a wave of noxious gas. Every kid within a 15-foot radius of me wrinkled their noses in disgust. “EEEWWWW, what is that smell!” A dozen fingers would then all...
I have been involved with Beyond Differences since 6th grade at my school and jumped at the chance to join the National Teen Board this Spring. I was excited for Activist Academy because I knew I would be able to learn from a dynamic group of young, social justice activists and receive the...
Beyond Differences applauds all of the teens who lifted up a boy in Colorado this week. Today.com reported that Cody Ridder, a 12-year-old boy from Westminister, Colorado, told his mom that his 6th-grade classmates would not sign his yearbook. He was so disappointed that so many kids said,...
Allowing students the freedom to be themselves in school is essential. Sometimes a student can be bullied and socially isolated in school for expressing themselves. As an adoptee and as a queer youth, I’ve seen the repercussions of self-expression in the classroom firsthand. Fostering...
The pandemic fueled a rise in xenophobia towards the AAPI community. Every day, more news covered stories about verbal and physical assaults. As a Teen Board member of Beyond Differences, I heard about an opportunity to share my story at a rally to bring awareness to this issue and elevate youth...
Since the start of the pandemic, teens around the world have faced a myriad of new challenges that impact their mental health and well-being. They’ve also had a unique opportunity to reflect and grow. To celebrate Know Your Classmates® Day, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy sat down with...
“He yelled hate at me and my grandma and no one did anything. I have to ride that bus tomorrow. My mom tells me to be safe, but how am I supposed to NOT be Asian?” The young man’s tearful rage made the Zoom classroom fall silent. As I looked out at my students, every single one was looking away...