The Office of Student Life at SJC Brooklyn will welcome James Clementi, co-founder and outreach coordinator of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. in the Tuohy Hall Auditorium. During the event, Clementi will focus on the organization’s #Day1 Campaign —a pioneering movement grounded in research to prevent bullying before it starts.
“We are very proud to partner once again with the Tyler Clementi Foundation and to embrace their message about the importance of affirming one’s dignity and self-worth,” said Sherrie Van Arnam, vice president for student life at SJC Brooklyn. “At SJC, our culture is one of inclusion. By taking this pledge, students serve as ambassadors of our values as they work to prevent bullying.”
The Tyler Clementi Foundation was created by the Clementi family in response to Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University who committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after being cyber bullied in 2010. Clementi’s death captured the attention of teachers, parents, students and family members worldwide. His story has since become the face of the global anti-bullying movement.
The foundation aims to stop all forms of bullying through inclusion, assertion of dignity and acceptance in remembrance of Clementi. #Day1 is a nationwide initiative focusing on schools, universities, workplaces, athletic programs and other group environments to reduce bullying, harassment and humiliation. It is effective, immediate, free and asks participants to pledge as an upstander — someone who works to stop bullying by intervening or reporting abuse.
#Day1 pledges have already been taken on campus by SJC Brooklyn faculty and students looking to make a difference.
In honor of #BullyingPreventionMonth, SJC Brooklyn freshman took the @TylerClementi #Day1 pledge to be an #Upstander. pic.twitter.com/YcZA6XhkU2
— St. Joseph’s College (@SJCNY) October 26, 2016
This event is free and open to the public.