Jason Sirois, Director of ADL’s No Place For Hate says, “ADL sees the Tyler Clementi Foundation as an example of two people who saw a need and decided to do something about it. We hope this recognition ignites the innovation of young leaders and educators across the country to tackle issues of bias and bullying in ways that will have sustainable impact.”

“With the increase of bias motivated incidents, it is easy for individuals to feel as if there is nothing they can do to stop these incidents from happening,” says Sirois. “[As part of #Day1], asking leaders in schools, workplaces and faith communities to declare that cruelty, bullying, harassment and humiliation will not be tolerated is the first step to creating a culture that inspires others to move from being bystanders to upstanders,” says ADL’s New York Region’s Education Director Nicola Straker.