#ADDYELLOW FOR SURVIVORS
ON THE 4TH OF JULY
Stand in solidarity with COVID survivors
July 4th is a moment to acknowledge that over 300 million doses of the vaccine have been administered and we are finally able to come together in small gatherings with families and friends safely for the first time in a year and half.
This July 4th, as we fly our flags, fire up the BBQ, and reflect our national pride, we will also remember the full toll the pandemic took on the United States and the disproportionate impact it has had in communities of color. Yellow has historically symbolized support and remembrance for those that are missing and have been taken from our lives – children who have died by suicide, soldiers away at war – and the Yellow Heart has become a symbol of COVID loss and survival, representing both sudden and catastrophic loss and signifying new hope as the pandemic begins to come to an end.
COVID Survivors for Change and The Yellow Heart Memorial launched the “Add Yellow Campaign” to encourage people across the U.S. to add yellow wherever they are on July 4th, and share photos on social media with the hashtag #AddYellow, to honor all victims and to stand in solidarity with all survivors of COVID-19.
Want to participate? Here's how:
#1 Add something yellow to your 4th of July celebrations
On Sunday July 4th, Add Yellow to your gatherings to support survivors and stand in solidarity with individuals and families who have lost someone to COVID-19. This simple act of solidarity will demonstrate awareness and compassion for the survivors in our country still coping with devastating loss and uncertainty. Add Yellow, to remember those we lost who are gone, but not forgotten – and for all those who have survived COVID.
Ideas for ways to Add Yellow to your Fourth of July Celebration, wherever you gather with friends and family, or at a location that is meaningful to you, include adding: Yellow Hearts, Yellow Flags, Yellow Flowers, Yellow Ribbon, Yellow Sparklers, Yellow Masks, Yellow Picnic Blankets, Yellow Tablecloths, Yellow Cups or Plates, Yellow (or Gold) Jewelry, or decorating your front yard in Yellow.
Be creative! Add Yellow and take photos in front of iconic locations, at family gatherings, or in a place that has special meaning for you. Use yellow sidewalk chalk to write #AddYellow messages in public parks or use other yellow art supplies to create #AddYellow signs. Show us why you #AddYellow in the way that resonates with you
#2 Snap a photo and post it on social media
Then, simply snap of photo of your yellow item and post it on social media using the hashtag #AddYellow. If you aren’t sure what to say when you post, here are a few suggestions:
- Today I’m bringing a bouquet of yellow flowers to our family cookout in honor of my Uncle Joe, who we lost to COVID last year, and in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands other COVID survivors across the country. Gone, but never forgotten. Join me and and #AddYellow today.
- This Fourth, I put yellow hearts in our windows to stand in solidarity with the friends and family of the 600,000 Americans who’ve died from COVID. If you see family this weekend who aren’t vaccinated, ask them to visit vaccines.gov and get their shot. #AddYellow
- I’m wearing this yellow bracelet to my family’s Fourth of July barbecue in honor of myself and every American who is living with Long Covid. Join @SurvivorsChange and me and #AddYellow at your get-together today.
- I am so grateful to be vaccinated and able to gather with my family in person for the 4th, but I know that for many COVID survivors, these celebrations are bittersweet, and can be downright hard. I put up yellow ribbons outside my home today in solidarity with them. #AddYellow
- I made this #AddYellow drawing with my children to honor my husband and their father who was a frontline worker and hero who became infected with COVID while working to save others. We miss him every day and #AddYellow will help them always remember that their papa was a hero.
- I’m wearing this yellow shirt in front of the Las Vegas sign because COVID has devastated millions of families and I am showing my support for them. You’re in my thoughts this weekend, and always. Join @SurvivorsChange and me and #AddYellow this Fourth.
What else can I do to help?
There are many ways to stand in solidarity with COVID survivors. This August, you can join one of the dozens of COVID March to Remember events that will take place safely in communities across the nation with thousands of participants to acknowledge those lives taken, and resolve to continue to support the families and survivors who have been impacted by COVID.
COVID Survivors for Change, The Yellow Heart Memorial, Faces of COVID Victims, and other groups are partnering together for this virtual and in-person campaign that will unite millions of Americans in an effort to raise awareness about the ongoing needs of the COVID survivor community. Join others from across the country to help take 615,000 steps forward to honor every life taken by COVID-19. Each step is a pledge to support the millions of Americans whose lives have been changed forever by COVID-19.
Here are a few #AddYellow photos from across the nation…
Survivor Resources
Find healing in support groups with other Covid-19 survivors. Read up on public resources available to you.
Survivor Stories
Together, we share our stories in hopes that others can learn from them, and that our fellow survivors can find healing in knowing that they are not alone.
Take Action
Help stop this pandemic and prevent more people from experiencing the loss we know intimately.