One University of Wisconsin Housing staff member is using social media to spread positive messages on campus following recent reports of hate and bias.

Phillip Werman, a UW Residence Life Coordinator, called for an initiative to flood the popular app Yik Yak with positivity starting Thursday night.

Werman said many students do not feel safe or welcome on campus, specifically in residence halls. With#YikYakTakeBack his goal is to use positive messages to support them.

This call for positivity came about after the UW community witnessed a string of hate and bias incidents on campus through another social media phenomenon, #TheRealUW, where many shared their concerns with the campus climate.

“I just think there are a lot of our campus community members who are hurting right now with everything going on,” he said. “My hope is to just shed encouragement and support to those people through a really troubling time on our campus.”

Yik Yak is a platform many people at UW use, but people usually post things that bother, rather than inspire or encourage them, Werman said. He hopes members of the UW community, directly or indirectly affected by these incidents, will feel the power of positivity and support.

“This isn’t intended to solve what’s happening on our campus right now, but I do hope it empowers others to know that their voice matters and acts of hate and bias are not welcome in our community,” Werman said.

While there was not a big turnout for #YikYakTakeBack, a few Badgers still shared several positive messages.

But for the most part, it was business as usual for Yik Yak users: