Feathery brushstrokes of dark black paint dance upwards to meet the center, where soft outlines form two figures embracing. Warm orange color radiates from behind them; the word “KIND” in bright white letters spread diagonally across the painting’s bottom.

“I believe that warm things can change the dark in a person,” explains Yifan Yang, a student in the International Business program and a member of KIND at SUNY Broome. “Doing kind things can change your life.”

Yifan first learned about the KIND club during her first semester when she was chatting with a friend. The club encourages everyday people to contribute in meaningful ways to the world around them. They also discuss self-care, being mindful and grateful, and talk about ways for members to get out of their comfort zones to challenge themselves, in small ways, to do different things.

Yifan used her creativity to contribute to KIND and created a painting design that speaks to their mission. “My painting and the story behind it came from my soul,” said Yifan. “The yellow means there is sunshine, the white means light, and the black means everyone may have some fears,” she explains.

Yifan comes to SUNY Broome from Shanghai, China, and she is majoring in Business Administration: International Business. She is preparing to transfer to a four-year university in the fall and plans to major in international relations or policy analysis and management. 

Learn about the Business Administration: International Business program.

Currently, Yifan and the KIND club are working on creating small gift bags for people who get vaccinated in the Ice Center on campus. They are also part of the “You Matter Compassion Project,” which shares positive messages written on cards and passed around town to strangers, friends, and loved ones to remind them that they matter.

When asked why it is important to be kind in your everyday life, Yifan said, “sometimes an unintentional smile can bring hope to those who are depressed,” she explains. “When you are kind and helping others, you will also be happy. It’s like giving flowers to someone and then having flower fragrance left on your hands.”

Interested in joining KIND? You can find more information about how you can be a part of KIND by logging into The SWARM at sunybroome.edu/swarm and searching KIND.

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