Abby Graham, a grade twelve student at Centre Wellington District High School (CWDHS), is using her voice to make a difference in her community by launching the Kindness Pledge. Starting today, Graham, in partnership with The Grove, is inviting organizations, groups, families, students and community members to sign the Kindness Pledge. By signing the pledge, participants are committing to creating safe spaces in Wellington County and Guelph with a focus on those in underserved communities.

Recent incidents of bullying those from marginalized groups at the local high school inspired Abby to speak up and take action.

Seeking partners to offer support and help spread awareness, Graham reached out to local organizations including The Grove, The Letter M Marketing and Pearl Street Communications. Eager to amplify Graham’s message and equip the community with the resources it needs, each organization has worked with Graham to get the campaign off the ground, including assisting with the launch of her website: kindnesspledge.ca. The website explains what it means to be a kind and inclusive community and provides resources for those seeking to learn more about allyship. This includes guides to being an ally to Black and racialized communities, persons with disabilities, individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, newcomers to the community and Indigenous peoples.

To partake in the pledge, Graham invites participants to visit her website where they can learn what it means to be part of an inclusive community, sign the pledge and commit to spreading the word and continuing their education on the matter. Posters and other communication tools are available for participants to put in their place of work, sporting arenas, homes and classrooms to further show their support. Graham also encourages those who take the pledge to share their participation on social media to reach as many people as possible with this important message.