As students head back to classes next week, some may be facing the ugly specter of bullying in the hallways.
So Lush Cosmetics is looking for a way to help them out.
The company, which first opened in the UK in 1995, has locations throughout the world, including one at Burnaby's Metropolis at Metrotown.
Starting Saturday, Aug. 31, the Burnaby store is encouraging people to come down and "erase bullying" via an interactive window art installation, according to a Lush press release.
The campaign was set in motion with the help of Sina Kamran, a Lush floor manager in Mississauga, Ont., who has experienced being bullied.
"I wanted to execute this campaign because I feel that bullying is an issue that's been overlooked and severely sugar-coated for far too long," Kamran said in the release. "I look forward to educating customers and helping to change the way people perceive and understand bullying."
The interactive window is the work of Vancouver-based artist, Bryce Evans, and is an adaptation of his art piece against bullying, the release stated.
It is part of The One Project - go to www.theoneproject.ca for more information - and was inspired by a friend's experience with bullying, putting hurtful words in a larger-than-life format.
Words and phrases, selected based on Evans' conversations with people about the worst names they've been called, will be displayed in a mural on the windows of Lush shops for two weeks to illustrate what many face every day, according to the release.
The public is invited to white out the words on the windows by erasing that have personally affected them. The act of whiting out the words symbolizes that the solution to erasing bullying is in our hands, the release stated.
People are also being asked to sign an online pledge to treat others with dignity and respect, which was set up by campaign partner Charter for Compassion. The pledge is at charterforcompassion.org.
For more information on the campaign, go to www.lush.ca/erasebullying or follow the campaign on social media: Twitter and Instagram @lushcosmetics #erasebullying and Lush Cosmetics on Facebook.
