DCHA Youth Lead Anti-Bull...

DCHA Youth Lead Anti-Bullying Peace Rally

Dozens of DCHA youth gathered early on an October morning to spread awareness and promote peace as part of Bullying Prevention Month.

The Anti-Bullying Peace Rally began at 10 a.m. Oct. 26 at the EnVision Center at 203 N St SW. As kids arrived, they were welcomed with a "Stop Bullying" goodie bag filled with a t-shirt and a water bottle.

During the first hour, attendees took advantage of an arts and crafts station to make peace and anti-bullying signs - all while a DJ played music. Kids could also indulge in festival treats such as popcorn, funnel cake and fried Oreos or enter a raffle for a chance to win prizes, like a Halloween costume or a $25 gift card.

The day-long event also include a Peace Panel, which served as a safe space to discuss personal experiences related to bullying.

According to National Education Association, PACER Center, and StopBullying.gov:

• Bullying is a pervasive issue with about 20% of students between the ages of 12 and 18 experiencing bullying nationwide, according to StopBullying.gov.
• Every day, more than 160,000 students skip school because of the fear of being bullied.
• Currently, less than half of 12-18-year-old students who were bullied during the school year notified an adult at school about the issue tudies have shown that adults can help prevent bullying by seeking help, talking openly about the topic, encouraging children to do what they love, and modeling kindness and respect.

The latter part of the panel focused on brainstorming ideas on how to prevent bullying, followed by an anti-bullying video, and a de-escalation talk that gave kids a chance to reflect and share their feelings.

The remainder of the event, which concluded at 2:30 p.m., featured a dance contest, games, food and refreshments, and the raffle winners were announced. In total, staff gave away 10 costumes and three $25 gift cards.

Corner Water provided the hydration station, ONSE tabled the event, and Alpha Phi-Omega provided volunteers. Participants of the Peace Panel included a kid-entrepreneur, author, and model Eris Aubrey Busie; model and pageant winner Dave Valeriano also known as Mr.U.S. Duke 2024; and Ernest Shepard from the DC Office of Bullying Prevention.

Thank you to the agencies and organizations that supported this event. DCHA is grateful for the advocacy of the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety (ONSE), Alpha Phi Omega - Zeta Phi, DC, DC Youth Bullying Prevention Program, Corner Water, and Tiera Brown - Licensed Clinical Social Workers DC/MD.