
Born This Way Foundation hosts #BeKind21 annually, which calls on participants to practice an act of kindness each day from September 1st to September 21st with the mission of building kinder, more connected communities that foster mental wellness. Individuals are invited to take the pledge and share their experience on social media using the hashtag #BeKind21. We make sure to meet our participants where they are, sharing graphics reminding them that kindness is prioritizing time to care for your own mental health, kindness is caring for the environment, kindness is advocating for an inclusive world that celebrates everyone for who they are, and more.
Culminating on the U.N. International Day of Peace, #BeKind21 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.
Find inspiring stories from 2021’s campaign on Channel Kindness and learn about 2021’s #BeKind21 by the numbers here:
- Those who signed up for #BeKind21 were encouraged to report whether they were inviting colleagues, classmates, or other members of their communities to participate in their “Kindness Teams” as well. The total number of Kindness Team members signed up via the online form is over 6.8 million.
- Overall, participants pledged to do over 143 million acts of kindness globally.
- Over 400 partners, including entire school districts, cities, nonprofits, and corporations, participated in the campaign and helped to spread the word.
- On Twitter and Instagram, #BeKind21 generated over 29,000 social media posts, reached over 185 million unique accounts, and received over 2.8 billion impressions.
- #BeKind21 is a 2021 Webby Social Honoree in Public Service + Activism.
Our over 400 partners, representing a variety of fields, showed their acts of kindness through social media, including:
- Black Girls Vote
- Brightline
- Chicago Public Schools
- Conagra Brands
- Deloitte
- District of Columbia Government
- GivingTuesday
- Hilton
- Kate Spade New York
- The city of Las Vegas
- Oreo
- Pacsun
- The City of San Diego
- VolunteerMatch
- Sesame Street
- Subway Surfers
A growing body of research has demonstrated the tangible benefits of kindness, for communities and for individuals. In early 2021, Born This Way Foundation worked with Harris Poll to survey over 2,000 young people for the Kindness Is Action report, which found most young people say experiencing more kindness would improve their mental wellness—be it from others (73%), themselves (74%), or observed in the world around them (71%). And, according to Born This Way Foundation’s 2017 Kind Communities – A Bridge to Youth Mental Wellness report, young people who describe their environments as kind are more likely to be mentally healthy. That’s true for youth in high schools, colleges, and the workplace.
Learn more about our #BeKind21 past campaigns in our 2021 Press Release, 2020 Press Release, and 2019 Press Release.
Here are a few of our favorite posts from 2021 #BeKind21 participants:
Our #BeKind21 bulletin board had stayed up for the entire school year, as I wanted to emphasis the importance and impact of kindness. Now on the last day, I so proud of my students who worked hard to embody and demonstrate these qualities all year long 💗 @BTWFoundation pic.twitter.com/0V7brQ9nNR
— Mr. Bali (@JordanBali) June 29, 2021
My name is Cleo, and i’ll be taking over the #SubwaySurfers social media for the next few weeks!
— Subway Surfers (@sybogames) August 28, 2021
Umm, a few things about me; I’m a Las Vegas gal! I liiive to be KIND <3 I love to siiing 🎶 I can’t wait to get to know the rest of y’all!
<3 Cleo #BeKind21 #SubwaySurfersBeKind21 pic.twitter.com/PGJl3JpjMm
One of our kinder champions announcing #bekind21. pic.twitter.com/DFeRP1EO9H
— Eddie Bernice Johnson Elem (@EddieElem) September 7, 2021
@pacsun sprinkle on some kindness. 🍩 @btwfoundation ##bekind21 ##bekind ##pacsun
♬ original sound – 😘🙈☺️
Planting a tree 🌳— the 🐶 is not helpful, but means well… #BeKind21 pic.twitter.com/2sDnpRBH59
— Daniel Roeder (@dannybrook734) September 12, 2021
With tomorrow marking the anniversary of 9/11, we delivered brownies to @FDNY Engine 24, Ladder 5, Battalion 2. As we reflect on that tragic day, we recognize the sacrifices first responders made 20 years ago & thank them for the sacrifices they make every day. #BeKind21 pic.twitter.com/icqEHsKXKv
— God’s Love We Deliver (@godslovenyc) September 10, 2021
@katespade our ##bekind21 gift for you. (thanks, ali!) get your #a#nchorbox now or send this to a ❤️ one. #be#kind #me#ntalhealthawareness
♬ original sound – kate spade new york
DC is rich with love, inclusion and diversity. When people profess hate and sow division, we stand with organizations like @btwfoundation to denounce hate in all forms. I’m honored to proclaim today Be Kind Day to ensure the world knows that we stand for #DCValues! #BeKind21 pic.twitter.com/RE2aGUu4yj
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) September 21, 2021
In partnership with @ladygaga‘s @BTWFoundation, I’m proud to launch “Be Kind 21 Days” in the City of San Diego! This global initiative encourages all of us to practice kindness toward ourselves and others. Take the pledge: https://t.co/ffq3DFIpAa. #BeKind21 pic.twitter.com/JMOeZVjxev
— San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) September 1, 2021
To celebrate Born This Way Foundation’s #BeKind21 campaign, state landmarks will be lit purple, blue, red & pink.
— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) September 21, 2021
It’s crucial we provide our youth with mental health resources. Thank you @ladygaga and @BTWFoundation for your tireless work fostering mental wellness!