Saturday, May 14, is National Decency Day, and Islanders can pick up campaign pins at locations around town, such as The Eccentric Bagel and the library.
Lisa Cholnoky, a New York City-based graphic designer with a home on the Island, began the decency campaign in 2017 to address challenges to civil discourse. The campaign’s mission: “To inspire decency in our everyday life, in our conversations and our actions.”
“The decency button was designed as an expression of the one key element that was missing in our country,” the campaign says. “It became a daily reminder to treat people with respect and kindness.”
How to observe National Decency Day
The campaign says that to honor National Decency Day, we can mindfully listen while someone is talking, appreciate another person’s point of view, and act/react with civility.
Here are some other tips for how to observe National Decency Day:
- Start a conversation with, “What does Decency mean to you?”
- Order DECENCY buttons and stickers to wear and share
- Encourage your school or local association to become a DECENCY partner
- Use #NationalDecencyDay to share on social media
- For more information on DECENCY, visit https://www.decency.today
About National Decency Day
Determined to make a difference, Cholnoky set out to bring decency into everyday conversations and actions. Initially, she designed the decency button and wore it every day. The impact was immediate; the message was contagious.
In July 2017, she mailed decency buttons to each member of the U.S. Congress. Two months later, the decency campaign was recognized on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, encouraging bi-partisan civility.
Since then, the Shelter Island Union Free School District and Florida’s Hernando County School District have embraced the campaign. And the National Day Calendar added National Decency Day to its roster.
The movement aims to encourage more participants to embrace decency and integrate it into curriculum plans and service projects.
For more information, contact Lisa Cholnoky at lisa@decency.today. Or use the form at https://www.decency.today/contact.
