A national campaign launched by Teaching Tolerance over a decade ago, Mix It Up at Lunch Day encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries.
In our surveys, students have identified the cafeteria as the place where divisions are most clearly drawn. So on one day—October 27 this school year—we ask students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch. It’s a simple act with profound implications. Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misperceptions can fall away.
Mix It Up offers an array of free online resources designed to help school groups and classroom teachers explore the issue of social boundaries. These activities can be used as ice-breakers during the planning process, to get the group geared up for the event; or they can be used as classroom activities by teacher allies seeking to support the Mix It Up effort.