BET JOINS FORCES WITH [TBH] IN THE FIGHT TO COMBAT HATE FOR NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY AND MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
NEW YORK, NY – BET (a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), the nation's leading provider of quality content for African American audiences, and [tbh] Together Beat Hate, an organization focused on creating replicable models for fighting antisemitism and other forms of prejudice, racism and hate, are joining forces to shine a light on heroes of the past and leaders of today who are using their platforms to combat hate. The partnership will launch in celebration of National Religious Freedom Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Too often, racial, ethnic and religious groups are pitted against one another in their respective quests for equality, both in the United States and globally. Yet marginalized groups often have more in common than not, and the respective missions of these groups are best served when viewing the struggles of other groups with empathy and compassion.
BET and [tbh] will celebrate leaders in various areas as the country focuses on important moments in history and social movements: National Religious Freedom Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January), Black History Month (February), Women’s History Month (March), Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April), American Jewish Heritage Month (May) and Pride Month (June).
“Antisemitism, racism, prejudice and all forms of bias are objectively dangerous forces that exist as undercurrents of our society, and we must all leverage our spheres of influence to eradicate these forms of hate, wherever they appear,” said Scott Mills, BET President. “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has said ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.’ Through our partnership with [tbh] we will shine a light on those who serve as illuminating forces in the face of inequality, creating a better, more equitable future for us all.”
“We are living during a time in which various forms of hatred have once again become socially acceptable, and it is incumbent upon all of us, no matter our race, religion or background, to stand up against it,” said Robert Kraft, Chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group and founder of the [tbh] movement. “I am grateful to Shari Redstone and Scott Mills for their shared vision and investment in this partnership. The BET brand and the movement of [tbh] both seek to build bridges between communities while at the same time celebrating our uniqueness. We believe in the power and importance of leading with compassion to promote voices and platforms that do not bow to hate, and we are excited to team with BET in this important work.”
The campaign will kick off by recognizing two greats in American history who dedicated their lives to fighting for religious freedom and racial equality, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Joachim Prinz, the former President of the American Jewish Congress chosen by Dr. King to address the crowd of thousands at the Lincoln Memorial prior to Dr. King delivering his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Additionally, BET and [tbh] are encouraging social media followers to honor the heroes in their lives who are fighting against hate. Follow @BET and @togetherbeathate on Instagram and use the hashtag #tbhBET to share a post about your hero throughout January to be featured as a part of the campaign.
BET and [tbh] believe in the power of recognizing and honoring our differences as well as our shared humanity. By listening to individuals with different backgrounds, learning from diverse perspectives, and educating one another with compassion, we can build bridges and understanding across communities. We can together beat hate.