Laura Tucker-Longsworth
“In Belize we believe in treating others the way we would want to be treated,” “Discrimination isn’t a Belizean value”, and “Respect and fairness matter to Belizean families” are just some of the messages the “Live and Let Live” campaign hopes to spread in our country. The campaign for respect has been launched with national TV and radio spots and seeks to explore the values of respect while not condoning discrimination, in any of its forms. It is a movement for the everyday Belizean, and will include a series of public service announcements (PSAs) featuring very real and very personal stories. The main intention of the campaign is to get this message across: regardless of our differences, we each deserve respect and, as such, should offer respect to everyone. While that is a message most if not all Belizeans have learnt from a young age, and one which most people practice, there are instances where that is not the case. It is possibly most common in the workplace that discrimination is experienced, whether it be due to gender, sexual orientation or identity, age, or other factors. “Live and Let Live” shows the everyday Belizean who has faced some sort of discrimination and the impact it has had on their life.