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Spread the word to end the word

Spread the word to end the word

Mark your calendars for March 3, 2010

March 3, 2010 is the Special Olympics day of awareness and we are encouraging everyone to visit www.r-word.org and make their pledge to not use the R-word (retard). Our goal is to reach 100,000 pledges.

"When I hear someone use the R-word its like someone's either calling me a name or cussing at me," said 18 year-old Christopher Keller, a senior at Reedsburg High School. "See to me, it's very hurtful."

AmeriCorps representative, Rebecca Masephol, is travelling to schools, grades K-12, across the state of Wisconsin on a mission to "Spread the Word to End the Word" that negatively impacts many of our community members. The R-Word is the focus of this campaign.

"Often unwittingly, the word is used to denote behavior that is clumsy, hapless, and even hopeless.  But whether intentional or not, the word conjures up a painful stereotype of people with intellectual disabilities," said Jeanne Hrovat, Senior Director of Field Services & Initiatives at Special Olympics Wisconsin's (SOWI) headquarters, who is guiding Masephol on her mission.

The R-Word Campaign, which kicks off March 3, 2010, is a national grassroots movement constructed by youth with and without disabilities and driven by Soeren Palumbo, a senior honors student at Fremd High School in Wheeling, Illinois. While shopping with his younger sister Olivia, who has intellectual disabilities, Palumbo heard a group of kids use those two syllables, felt anger bubble up inside him, and decided to act.

 "The slang term it has become singles out those with intellectual disabilities," said Masephol. "It has become socially acceptable and used a lot more than realized." For the past four months, Masephol has worked closely with Hrovat and the SOWI staff to build state wide awareness of the impact the R-Word has on people with intellectual disabilities.  

 "We're asking every person - young and old - to help eliminate the demeaning use of the R-word (retard) - a common taunt used to make fun of others," explained Hrovat. Hrovat said Masephol's assistance is filling a much-needed role for the Special Olympics community. "I believe her involvement during this AmeriCorps term will plant seeds for years to come," said Hrovat. "In addition, she can bring a fresh, young perspective to a youth-oriented activity."

A campaign that was born in a High School gymnasium in the mid-west is quickly growing and gaining support in the community as athletes and celebrities speak out, people upload videos to YouTube, and millions take the pledge to stop saying the word. Masephol is bringing the campaign to a local level by trying to change student's perceptions about saying the word "retard".

Masephol is targeting a young demographic locally by focusing her efforts mainly on schools and organizations. Four months into the program, Masephol said the greatest rewards come from watching athletes become more confident as their campaign takes off and hearing positive feedback from parents and teachers.

"I have learned that this campaign is really giving our athletes more confidence to stand up for themselves and others," Masephol said. "Teachers have informed me that it has started some great conversation in their classrooms and has gotten them thinking about ways to approach the issue," she added. "To me, this is fantastic, to hear that this can branch out from a small conversation to a much larger action."

Statement on comments made by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel

Disability leaders met with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to discuss the impact of the R word on our community. Read the joint statement

Read the letter from Special Olympics CEO Timothy Shriver

Resources