We invite you to participate in the “I Wear Teal Because …” campaign to express your support and help you engage members of your congregation and community in this work.
What is this campaign about?
“I Wear Teal Because…” is a social media awareness campaign for the WRJ says STOP Initiative. This initiative aims to help people become advocates and instruments of positive change in their congregations and communities. We know it is not always easy to start or join that conversation. The “I Wear Teal Because...” campaign provides an opening and an opportunity for a discussion.
“I Wear Teal Because...” actions can be used as part of any WRJ says STOP-related education, action, advocacy program, or your direct congregational or community work. It can also be used effectively on Mitzvah Day, to inspire engagement, or to celebrate achievements such as implementing or updating your Code of Ethics/Conduct or agreeing on a covenant (brit) within your board and committee leaders.
Why do we wear Teal?
Teal is the ribbon color that represents issues around sexual harassment and abuse. Creating safe, respectful environments with equality and a culture in which every person is valued and every voice is heard is an ongoing process of partnership and engagement in the community. By writing down and sharing (internally or publicly) why we wear teal, we simultaneously:
- strengthen our internal commitment to, and responsibility for, our culture and environment, and
- welcome others to be a part of the conversations, which is not always easy.
More reasons to wear teal
- We wear teal because our voices matter.
- We wear teal because the time for change is now, and we will drive and shape that change.
- We wear teal because we are survivors.
- We wear teal to catch ourselves when our implicit biases lead us to unintentional microaggressions and proactively share micro affirmations to create a positive environment.
- We wear teal to show solidarity, and we wear teal so that others will know that we are safe people to approach if you have been harassed or assaulted.
When should we wear teal?
We will publicly share “I Wear Teal Because…” images and messages throughout the WRJ says STOP Initiative. We are planning specifically to raise “I Wear Teal Because…” on:
- October 15th – The anniversary of #MeToo going viral
- April 2023 – Sexual Assault Awareness Month
We also invite you to choose opportunities with your leadership and community, such as on:
- Mitzvah Day
- At a congregational Teal Shabbat to inspire engagement or celebrate your communal culture.
- To celebrate achievements. Have a Teal Shabbat when you implement or update your congregational ethics code or harassment policy, a Teal Board Meeting when you adopt a Brit, or a Teal Banquet to celebrate your congregation and its sacred lay/professional partnership.
To say, “I Wear Teal Because ….”
- Download signs here.
- Customize if you wish. You can add your logo or modify the sign to read, “Congregation “XYZ” says STOP,” but please don’t remove the WRJ logo.
- Use the photos and the “I Wear Teal Because…” campaign to engage members of your congregation and community.
- Use hashtags to inspire others: #WRJsaysSTOP #WRJSTOPInitiative
- Please send some of your photos to advocacy@wrj.org with a line or two about the context so we can share them as part of WRJ says STOP.