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Okanagan students come together to express the importance of kindness

Pink Shirt Day is on Feb. 24 and while there will be no in-person gatherings, everyone can be kind

There may not be big Pink Shirt Day gatherings to celebrate kindness and anti-bullying, but several Okanagan students wanted to keep the day in mind and share their thoughts on what the event stands for.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions are still in place on in-person gatherings but that doesn’t mean that young people will forget to celebrate kindness.

Aidan Angell-Janfield said everyone deserves a level of respect, but what’s important is to try to go above that to be kind.

“For me, basic respect is not being rude to (people), respecting their boundaries, respecting pronouns, things like that,” he said.

“But being kind to me is going beyond that just because you can. Not because you have to, but because it’s easy and it doesn’t cost anything.”

Daniel Landrecht has seen many instances of bullying and says it’s always horrible to witness.

“It’s terrible and we should tell them not to do that anymore because it’s not necessary. I’ve learned about so many things happening in the world right now and it’s all horrible, and now more than ever it’s important to be kind,” he said.

Plain and simple, you never know what a person is going through, is what Brandon Viguers believes, which is why there is always value in showing kindness.

For Quin Cafazzo, it’s important to show you care because it can be a lonely journey.

“Others who also care may feel like there’s not a lot of others like them. Sometimes you just feel alone in being kind, so it makes it hard to be kind,” they said.

Not only on Pink Shirt Day but all days, these students are taking steps to watch out for one another and stand up for those who are facing situations of bullying.

“If you see someone getting bullied, it might be hard for that person getting bullied to stand up for themselves or ask for help, so going out of your way to help or stand up for them, I think that’s important,” they said.

“I feel like there’s a lot of people in this world who aren’t cared about and the more you can spread (kindness), the better.”

READ: COVID-19 brings some families closer together as bonds strengthen in times of crisis


Twila Amato
Video journalist, Black Press Okanagan
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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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