UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute and Initiative to Study Hate Impact Symposium
2026-06-03 13:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the BKI community for an afternoon devoted to sharing research findings drawn from the study of hate and kindness—and to thinking of ways in which we can make a real difference in the world. The BKI Impact Symposium will explore some of the most critical issues in the world today, including navigating AI technologies, reducing political and social polarization, and building practices of compassion and community. The symposium will feature the following three panels, along with research project posters:
Toward a Better AI? Can It Combat Hate with Kindness?
The danger AI poses to society is becoming clearer by the day. AI technologies have already been explicitly implicated in the spread of mis- and dis-information, risk developing lethal means of destruction, and perpetuate sexual violence against women and girls. This panel will consider the very real social, economic, and political threat that artificial intelligence poses and how we can insist on accountability from big tech,while also considering how AI might be used as a tool to combat hate and encourage compassion.
Replacing Polarization and Hate with Compassion
Polarization is a ubiquitous and toxic presence in politics, media, and popular culture in the U.S. It discourages meaningful interactions and connections across social, political, and ideological divides. This panel will consider compassion-guided and prosocial-driven initiatives to reduce polarization and increase people’s sense of shared reality and community across differences.
Fortifying Practices of Compassion and Community
A growing trend in research suggests that practices informed by altruism, prosocial behavior, and acts of compassion and kindness have a significantly positive impact on our mental and physical well being. This panel will discuss the effects of such acts and initiatives on both the individual and community level, ultimately exploring how they might benefit our collective humanity.
**At the culmination of 4 years of research, the Initiative to Study Hate, a community of almost 130 multi-disciplinary researchers, has supported 107 projects to understand and mitigate hate. During the 2025-2026 academic year, BKI has welcomed over 40 researchers on 18 projects seeking to create a more kind and compassionate world.
Date and Time: Wednesday, June 3rd from 1-4pm
A reception will follow from 4-5pm
RSVP HERE
Location details will be sent upon rsvp.
