Kids can say some pretty mean things; but so can grownups. And sometimes, they can say things without intending to be mean or knowing what they’re saying is as insulting as it is.
A group of D.C. area teenagers who launched “We Are Artistic,” a group that aims to be inclusive in allowing teens to express themselves, are asking you to “Spread the Word To End the Word.” In this case, the word begins with an ‘R’ and is often used as a put down for someone’s intelligence.
“We care a lot about ending the use of the ‘R-word,’ which we feel is really harmful to people with learning disabilities,” said Carly Elliott, of We Are Artistic and a junior at the Academy of Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland. “That’s a cause we really care about.”
She and Edie Young, who is both the founder of We Are Artistic and also the head of Jackson Reed High School’s Disability Student Alliance, say it’s a word that’s often shrugged off by classmates as more funny than hurtful.
“What they don’t realize is anytime you say it has a harmful effect,” Young said. “I believe, with the right accommodations, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can achieve great things. Whenever you say that word, it’s a setback, and it’s like saying that you don’t think they can achieve great things, or that someone’s dumb.”
Elliott said it ultimately leads to people being left out or unnoticed because of the challenges they were born with.
“That’s not a problem that people really realize and want to change,” Elliott said. “But we are definitely people that realize that problem.”
“People often don’t include (those with disabilities) in activities because they just think they’re weird,” Young added. “And I think we should just take a minute to include them, because they’re also human, too.”
On Sunday, We Are Artistic will be at the Greenbelt Museum’s “Be Our Valentine” event, which will feature an exhibit which looks at love and Valentines Days from the 1940s and ’50s. You’ll also be able to make your own vintage valentines. We Are Artistic will ask visitors to sign a pledge to no longer use the R-word.
“It’s a nationally known campaign run by Special Olympics and Best Buddies,” Young said. “You can actually sign the campaign online at any time from the comfort of your own home.”
And beyond Sunday, the teens hope to get more people involved in expressing themselves through art while making a positive impact on the world.
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