New initiative underway to spread kindness, inclusivity

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - A project is underway in western Massachusetts to promote positivity, kindness, and inclusivity.

“It’s a neat way to say you can tell me anything and I will accept you for who you are,” said Kim Cook.

Red heart stickers are spreading around western Massachusetts as part of the ‘Heart on Your Sleeve’ project, which has a mission to promote inclusivity and kindness.

“There were organizations out there doing such great work for everyone in their community and they just needed a way to show it,” Cook added.

By signing a pledge and handing out the stickers, Cook said her goal is to help connect others in a positive way and let them know they are accepted for who they are.

“It’s simple. The pledge outlines who you are going to be for members of your group and you are going to listen to them, you will be kind, you will use inclusive language - nothing that they aren’t already doing - but what it will do is send a clear signal to their members that this is what they are committed to,” Cook explained.

The idea came to Cook during the COVID-19 pandemic. She told Western Mass News that when she would talk to people, they really opened up to her about their feelings and they all would leave the conversation uplifted. She wanted to spread that experience on a larger scale

“I thought there is probably more people like that and how can we highlight to be one of those people to say, ‘Hey, I’m one of those people that you can come to, you can tell me anything and I’ll accept you for just who you are,’” Cook noted.

So far, 12 organizations in the area signed the pledge and wear the hearts including schools, health care centers, and music academies. Those hearts are $1 each and come in packs of 50.

If you would like to join the project, you can download the pledge and order stickers online.

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