This June 23 marks the first-ever Differences Day, a day of national recognition meant to celebrate our many differences, brought to you by Rise Little Earthling in support of Special Olympics Canada. Special Olympics Canada is proud to be a part of this important day, as the charitable beneficiary. Through a shared vision for a more inclusive future for children and our future leaders, the collaboration is designed to champion differences and celebrate them, early on in life.
How to participate
1. Create a post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter that celebrates a difference you love about yourself.
2. Include the hashtag #DifferencesDay and tag @SpecialOCanada and @RiseLittleEarthling to help spread the movement and unlock a 25¢ donation to Special Olympics Canada for each post.
3. Nominate a friend to join in the celebration and share their own unique difference!
About Rise Little Earthling and #DifferencesDay:
Rise Little Earthling is a brand new, socially conscious, multi-dimensional modern brand for little ones aged 0-6 who want to live, play and dream in a better world, by Joe Mimran. As a brand rooted in inclusivity, Rise Little Earthling strives to reach parents who care about the future and their name represents a commitment to do better through positive messaging, imaging and practices.
“We designed the brand for young families who, like us, believe that kids’ style should support creativity, inclusivity, growth, self-expression, carefree movement, and connection,” said Rise Little Earthling creator, Joe Mimran. “Working with Special Olympics to bring Differences Day to life in an impactful way that champions our many differences is an honour, and we look forward to building this out with them year over year.”
Research has shown that subtle tweaks in how we speak to young children – and how we listen – can literally grow tiny brains for the better. Instilling these important values of celebrating differences early on in life can quite literally make the world a better, more inclusive place for future generations.
For every post shared to social media using the hashtag #DifferencesDay, Rise Little Earthling will donate 25¢ to Special Olympics Canada. Rise Little Earthling will also donate 10% of proceeds from all sales at Toys R Us on Saturday June 26, 2021, so that more children with intellectual disabilities can access programming in their communities - and a safe, inclusive space that champions our differences.
Meet Special Olympics Active Start athlete, Emmanuel:
When Sosena Tezera discovered that her son Emmanuel had a gross motor delay, it was extremely difficult for her to accept the differences and challenges that she worried he would later face.
It was then that Sosena decided to go back to school to learn more about his needs and strengths. She enrolled in Advanced Special Needs Education so that she would have the best tools to raise her son and support him through life. What she learned through her education and in raising Emmanuel was that his differences were what made him so extraordinary.
When Sosena heard about Rise Little Earthling’s first-ever Differences Day, an initiative with the goal of instilling the same values that have been so important to her son’s development, she knew she wanted to take part.
“Instead of teaching certain children with differences that this is something that sets them apart, we need to teach all children that we all have differences, and they all deserve equal acceptance and celebration,” she shares.
Read more about Sosena and Emmanuel's story:
Olympian and Special Olympics Champions Network member, Meaghan Mikkelson, joins in celebrating #DifferencesDay:
After twelve seasons with the National Women’s Hockey Team, and starting a family, Meaghan is currently balancing motherhood along with the demands of training as a national team athlete.
With two gold medals from the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games, a silver medal from the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, Meaghan aspires to represent Canada and win gold at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing next year. She was the oldest of the 47 hopefuls invited to Hockey Canada’s selection camp for the winter Olympic Games in Beijing that just happened in Halifax, and one of just two moms on that list.
“The message that we send to our children through our everyday example cannot be overstated,” she shares. “We all have so many differences that should be celebrated. It is encouraging to see movements like this catching on and seeking to make important, intuitive connections with kids early on in life. This is how we create more inclusive societies from the ground up.”
The proud mom of two will be celebrating Differences Day with son Calder, age 5 and daughter Berkley, age 2.