We Day 2012 marked an unforgettable experience for many students of Richmond schools Westwind and Brighouse elementaries. Inspired by the event, they put their thoughts into words for the Richmond News.
"Seeing all the famous celebrities, hearing all the speeches and songs It was the best experience I've ever had! I was most inspired by the story of Molly Burke, who was bullied physically and emotionally. I now realize how bad bullying can get and I want to stand up for victims." - Rachel Vorik, Grade
"We Day was spectacular because Desmond Tutu spoke about the challenges in his life; that white people bullied him because he was black." - Ciaran Vernon, Grade 7.
"I had a very fun time at We Day! My favourite memory was when Magic Johnson came out and talked about discrimination. One of his quotes was discrimination is not cool. It's not okay to discriminate people and I think treating people equally is a nice thing to do. It's like the saying, 'don't judge a book by it's cover'" - Nancy Song, Grade 6.
"We Day was a great day for me, especially when Archbishop Desmond Tutu came out and talked about discrimination and racism. He said that he got bullied because he was black and everyone else was white, so the white thought of him as not even a person, as an evil boy who was not normal and unequal. I have never been more influenced by any other event in my life! Let's be the change we wish to see in the world!" - Ryan Liu, Grade 7.
"I had a great time at We Day. I learned that many kids and adults have suffered from diseases just because they don't have clean water. Everyday, they take the trouble to get water. Some people died just getting water. I am grateful I don't have to do that." - Simran Prashar, Grade 6.
"I learned that we are very lucky in the world; we have food, water, shelter, families, and we are able to get to school. From We Day, I learned not everyone has these things and we should be grateful for our opportunities." - Onyx Ho, Grade 7.
"We Day was a really special event. The speakers and the presentations inspired many students. I could see that an impact was made on the thousands of young spectators! It was a great day!" - Andrea Nitikman, teacher
