The Pledge

I will take a stand for people with a disability.

Stand up for myself and others

I will be a role model in the community. I could stand up for people and help them. stand up for myself and others.

I want to help people with disabilities.

I will be a example and a leader to the community. I will speak up for people and for myself.

I pledge to treat every person as a human first and above all else.

Replacing negative comments with complimentaries!

See each individual as an individual, not the manifestation of their 'disability' label.

The other evening, there was a commercial that showed kids in wheelchairs playing basketball. My daughter (age 9) said she's proud of those kids for playing basketball. I told her I'm proud of her for eating yogurt. She looked at me and said, "Huh?" I said that sounds silly, doesn't it? I explained that when kids with disabilities play basketball, it's not something to be "proud of". I told her they're playing basketball just like kids without disabilities play basketball. Just like you're doing a normal thing by eating your yogurt, they're doing a normal thing by playing basketball, and their disabilities don't make them lesser people who should be praised for doing a common activity. I pledge to raise my daughter to never stigmatize, even if she thinks it's in a "positive" way.

Advocate, I am a CPS and from what I've been taught and trained I have confidence to spread the word about stigmatizing

I will fight stigma in my daily life and in my professional work

Reduce the negative stigma associated with disabily

I pledge to help and inform others when there is ignorance involved.

To better educated the community that recovery is not a phrase but a reality.

I pledge to fight Stigma wherever and whenever possible. I will speak out against those that make poor comments and treat others with disrespect. I vow to hold all persons with disabilities with esteem and respect. I join the fight against stigma daily as I myself have a mental health disability.

I will advocate for others and work toward building an inclusive community through my words and actions.

I pledge to be a part of the solution to end stigma against people with disabilities by raising my son to be accepting of all people!

I will not judge individuals based on their disability and I will speak up if I hear others passing judgment on individuals with disabilities.

I shatter stigma wherever I go by being honest and open about the realities of struggles of mental illness and assertively confronting ignorance and misinformed myths and stereotypes whenever I encounter them. I am a writer, an artist, an encourager and an advocate. I have begun my own public service campaign of PSA's and also volunteer with NAMI Virginia and Outside In to help raise awareness and spread education and advocacy. I am frank about the ups and downs in my own life, the trials and the victories, the realities of recovery... I proactively encourage my tribe of fellow mental health warriors because we are stronger together... And I will always choose to speak out for those who have yet to find their own voice.

I have decided, at 63 years old, to launch a new company and to talk openly about my mental illness. In the past, I worked for my client’s disability rights in the workplace without disclosing my own disability. Now, disclosure works for me. My recovery is my greatest gift, so I needed to think again.

I will continue to reach out to others, tell my story and educate those on the subject of mental health.

Use opportunities to correct biased perceptions.

I pledge to see similarities rather than differences and to think before I speak. I will also pledge to intervene if I see people speaking/acting derogatory towards disabled people

I pledge to confront stigma whenever I see it being demonstrated by members of the community.

To educate not judge and advocate for individuals unable to advocate for themselves

Never judge a person by their exterior, people are as complicated as books and their stories are always being written

I speak out at local hospitals and to Crisis Intervention Team trainings (for police and EMS workers) to educate them about mental illness and share my story of recovery. I'm a trained Peer Specialist who helps others in their recovery. I make Handmade Mental Health Awareness Ribbons that I give out for free. I fight stigma with all I have in me.

I do my very best to correct those in my life, family, friends, acquaintances or strangers when I hear them being insensitive in how they describe or characterize anyone with a disability.

Continue to educate others about myths and fallacies associated with people with disabilities.

End it!

Educating people who treat those with disabilities differently than they do everyone else.

I pledge to help stop the stigma by continuing to educating the community on the abilities of all people, including those who happen to have a disability.

I pledge to help put a stop to the stigma against people with disabilities.

I pledge to spread awareness of the disability stigma! Disability is NOT just physical, it’s mental as well! Sometimes we (people in general – myself included) don’t realize that our thoughts, words and actions are harmful. I pledge to stop (others and myself) when these thoughts, words and actions happen, think (or encourage others to think) about the negative consequences, and then re-frame (or help others re-frame) these thoughts, words and actions. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of disability!

I will stop all bullying that I see

To never judge a person by a disability. Everyone is created equally. To accept everyone and anyone.

Raise awareness

I will recognize the ways others are like me rather than focus on our differences.

When I hear someone make a stigmatizing statement I will step up and say something to help them understand why what they say is hurtful.

I pledge to stop the stigma on the perceptions of disabilities.

I will stop believing that it is impressvie that a disabled person is out completing every day chores and running errands.

Amy Scott

I pledge to help put a stop to the stigma against people with disabilities.

I will educate those who have unkind words towards people with disabilities.

As the executive director of the PA Psychiatric Society, I am dedicated to take the pledge. However, as a consumer in recovery for an eating disorder and ADHD, I personally take the pledge for all of us, those who are willing to speak about their daily struggles, our triumphs, our losses, and how I never want to be discriminated against because of my biological illness. I am no different than anyone else, just have a bigger family of brothers and sisters sharing my journey. Let’s never forgot those who came before us leading the way for equality!!!!

Spread the word through social media.

If I see someone acting inappropriate, to just kindly remind them that we are all human and deserve to be treated the same. And that maybe they should stop and think twice about the kind of person that they are.

I’ll step in and correct someone using slurs and sterotypes to describe someone with disabilies. Not cool!

I pledge to speak up whenever I hear a negative comment.

I pledge to treat people with disabilities with respect & let people know when they do not.

If I hear an unkind word, I will inform that person of his or her ignorance in a kind way.

I pledge to reach out.

I pledge to help end the stigma about people with disabilities by educating anyone who has a negative discussion or shows ignorance, in both a personal and professional atmosphere. I personally vow to treat others with respect, dignity, and equality.

I will use my voice and speak out against ignorance and prejudice when I witness it.

Not initiate or engage in talk that could propel the stigma surrounding those with disabilities.

I will help any way I can

We pledge to interact with every person as an individual, to avoid assumptions and to listen openly. We pledge to operate our organization with compassion and respect for every person that walks through our doors.

I pledge to ask questions before I make assumptions and to look for beauty in every human being I come in contact with.

To be sure I teach my children that no matter what all people deserve to be treated with kindness and love. God made us all special in our own way!

I will seek to try and say only positive statements to others because you never know what is going on in their head and how that can help someone.