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The One Word You Should Say If You Want to Talk to Someone with a Disability

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If you’re unsure how to start a conversation with a person with (or without) a disability, it comes down to one word: hi.

This is what’s fueled the Cerebral Palsy Foundation‘s “Just Say Hi” campaign, a simple effort to end the unnecessary hesitation people may feel when starting a conversation with someone who looks or acts differently.

The video below features a number of celebrities and public figures, including William H. Macy, Gayle King, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, chef Mario Batali, New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and actor Jim True-Frost, whose son Leo has cerebral palsy. They’re here to emphasize how easy it is: just say hi.

One real and immediate area of opportunity is simple engagement,” Richard Ellenson, CEO of CPF, told Mashable. “While ‘just saying hi’ only scratches the surface of all we can do, it’s a simple and impactful first step.”

Funds raised through #JustSayHi will go towards research for cerebral palsy.

Originally published: October 22, 2015
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