Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and More Than 80 Partners Launch Second Annual “21 Days to Be Kind” Challenge

August 14, 2019 – Today, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation – with support from the City of Las Vegas, Miami Dade College, Deloitte LLP, Starbucks, UGG®/Deckers Brands, Winston & Strawn LLP, Chopt Creative Salad Co., and more than 80 other partners – announced the launch of its second annual 21 Days to Be Kind Challenge. The challenge encourages young people, families, employers, teachers, and community members to build habits that foster kindness and promote the strength and wellness of their communities.

Inspired by the idea that habits are formed by repeating an activity for 21 consecutive days, the campaign calls on participants to practice an act of kindness each day from September 1st to September 21st. Culminating on the U.N. International Day of Peace, the challenge invites schools and colleges to kick off the new school year by establishing kinder habits, and for corporate partners, nonprofit partners, and all other participants to head into the fall with a spirit of compassion and kindness across their organizations and in their communities.

Individuals who take the pledge and share their experience on social media using the hashtag #BeKind21 will be entered to win two tickets to an upcoming Lady Gaga show and various other prizes.

“We were overwhelmed by last year’s response to our #BeKind21 Challenge. This year, we hope to build on the excitement we saw from thousands of people and dozens of partner organizations,” said Cynthia Germanotta, co-founder, and president of Born This Way Foundation. “Kindness is a simple yet powerful practice. That’s why we’re inviting everyone to join us in establishing kinder habits and building a culture of kindness by putting it into action each day from September 1^st to September 21^st – being kind to your body, mind, and community.”

The challenge will launch with a kickoff event in Las Vegas, on Wednesday, August 14th hosted at City Hall. Partnering on the challenge are more than 80 schools, nonprofit organizations, government institutions, sports teams, corporations, and even a hit Broadway musical including:

• Acalanes High School
• Active Minds
• Ali Forney Center
• Amy Poehler's Smart Girls
• Baldwin Union Free School District
• Bel and Bunna’s Books
• Blue Star Families
• BMF Media
• Case Foundation
• Chopt Creative Salad Co.
• City of Lafayette, CA
• City of Las Vegas, NV
• Community Access
• Congress for Global Good
• Cleveland Metropolitan School District
• Dear Evan Hansen
• Deloitte LLP
• Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
• DKC Public Relations
• Find Your Anchor
• Flutter
• Girls Inc.
• Global Health Strategies
• Kansas City Anti Violence Project
• Khloe Kares
• Kids Food Basket
• Kyler's Kicks
• Life Is Good
• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• Mental Health America
• Miami Dade College
• Miami HEAT
• Mindful Littles
• National Council for Behavioral Health
• O’Neill School at Indiana University
• Peace First
• Peter Pan Foundation
• PFLAG
• Project 150
• Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology
• Putnam Clubhouse
• Random Acts of Kindness
• Rock the Audition
• Situation
• Springhill Elementary
• Starbucks
• Templeton Chamber of Commerce
• The Chain
• The Embracing Project
• The Reflect Organization
• The Kindness Campaign
• The Mighty
• The SPOT
• UGG®, Deckers Brands
• United for Global Mental Health
• UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Public Health
• Verizon Media
• White Pony Express
• Winston & Strawn LLP
• Youth Homes

A growing body of research has demonstrated the tangible benefits of kindness, for communities and for individuals. For example, according to a survey commissioned by Born This Way Foundation, young people who describe their environments as kind are also more likely to be mentally healthy. Performing acts of kindness has also been shown to boost reported levels of happiness, self-worth, and calmness while decreasing symptoms of depression.

Born This Way Foundation is grateful to have such committed and passionate partners supporting this year’s campaign.

“Kindness, equity, inclusion, and love—for self and others—are pillars of UGG and Deckers Brands,” said Andrea O’Donnell, President, Fashion Lifestyle, Deckers Brands. “We are so proud to be a sponsor of Born This Way Foundation’s #BeKind21 campaign as we join them in promoting a culture of kindness for all.”

“We are happy to be part of Born This Way’s "21 Days to Be Kind” challenge. At Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, we know that kindness is a choice; a choice we make not only every day, but every encounter with other people all day long. Kindness may not seem like the obvious answer to the increasingly violent rhetoric we experience in the world, but that is exactly what it is. It stands against what is demeaning in our common life. Our acts of kindness are the exact thing we need to combat the casual indifference to the easy inhumanity surrounding us,” said Meredith Walker, Co-Founder, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls.

Participants are encouraged to pledge their participation in the 21 Days to Be Kind Challenge here. Participants who take the pledge will receive daily emails starting on Sept 1st with exclusive kindness suggestions, tips, and inspiration from Born This Way Foundation’s co-founders and partners, and have a chance to be featured on ChannelKindness.org.