Star Trek actors get behind Chase Masterson’s Be Kind

Star Trek actors embrace Chase Masterson’s call for help

Chase Masterson, known for playing Leeta on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has a heart for kids and is dedicated to preventing bullying with her non-profit organization, Pop Culture Hero Coalition. She and her team raise money to support the organization through the sale of merchandise through its Be Kind store. And the sales fuel their programs for anti-bullying as it’s very difficult to get grants for an educational initiative unless it’s been researched.

Masterson is passionate about teaching kids healthy identity, and her passion has turned into a calling, if you will. When I spoke with her, she had a lot to say about the importance of the tools and strategies Pop Culture Hero can provide and why they can make a difference in kids’ lives.

"If we teach healthy identity, we can really solve a lot of issues. Hurt people hurt people, and healed people heal people. It’s about who are you on the inside and what do you want to give to the world. How they feel inside is so important. We have lesson plans on inclusion and everyone’s right to be who they are. It takes all of us to create a beautiful world."

Masterson went on to say that she believes Gene Roddenberry would have been behind the Be Kind message as Star Trek was the first inclusive show.  And not surprisingly, Star Trek actors have come out in droves to support her mission, sharing and wearing the t-shirts, which are just one of the many items offered by the store.

Star Trek is all about IDIC

If there’s one thing every Star Trek fan knows it’s Gene Roddenberry’s belief in IDIC or  “infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” IDIC celebrates the diversity offered by the universe, and that is one message the team behind Pop Culture Hero Coalition is working hard to spread.

But being kind is more than just a message. It’s a necessity, and even though Star Trek has had its ups and downs over the years, one thing has remained crystal clear in its presentation. There is hope for a better future. Thankfully, Star Trek actors like Chase Masterson are working toward that goal.

"Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. […] If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there. GENE RODDENBERRY"