MW ABC Featured Presentation at “Attendance Today for Success Tomorrow: Combating Bullying and Harassment”
Examining the critical importance of collaborative, community-driven approaches to addressing identity-based bullying and hate speech.
By Spark Kindness Team
The MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition (MW ABC) was honored to present “Community Based Interventions to Address Identity-Based Bullying” at Attendance Today for Success Tomorrow: Combating Bullying and Harassment, an important regional convening sponsored by the Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY) on October 1, 2024 at Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School in Lexington, MA. The event brought together educators, school leaders and community partners committed to building safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments where all young people can thrive.
Co-leaders Christine Fortune Guthery, J.D., Founder & Executive Director of Spark Kindness, and Alyndra B. Canty, M.Ed., Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coordinator at Spark Kindness, represented the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition (MW ABC) and shared strategies, tools, and findings from the coalition’s community-centered work addressing identity-based bullying across the MetroWest region.
About the Presentation
Christine and Alyndra underscored the critical importance of collaborative, community-driven approaches to addressing identity-based bullying—forms of harm rooted in race, ethnicity, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other aspects of a young person’s identity.
Their session highlighted how MW ABC:
- Cultivates cross-sector partnerships with schools, families, youth, mental-health providers, medical professionals, DEI leaders, community organizations, faith groups, and local municipalities
- Centers youth and caregiver perspectives, ensuring lived experience informs all planning and action
- Uses listening sessions and community-informed data to identify challenges, needs, and opportunities
- Promotes equitable, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practices across youth-serving environments
Key Themes Shared
- Identity-Based Bullying Is a Community-Wide Issue: Effective responses require shared responsibility, strong partnerships, and unified action.
- Belonging Drives Attendance and Student Success: When students feel safe, connected, and valued, they are more likely to attend school consistently and thrive academically and socially.
- Coalition Partnership Amplifies Impact: Aligning expertise and resources across sectors strengthens prevention and response efforts.
- Sustainable Change Takes Time: MW ABC prioritizes long-term, strategic collaboration rather than short-term fixes.
About the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition
MW ABC is a collaborative network of educators, caregivers, students, mental-health teams, DEI practitioners, medical partners, community leaders, and local organizations working to prevent identity-based bullying and strengthen belonging across the MetroWest region. The coalition leads:
- Listening sessions and community engagement
- School and organizational support
- Cross-agency collaboration
- Annual regional forums and public events
Our Commitment
Through this MPY-sponsored event, MW ABC reinforced its commitment to creating communities where every young person feels seen, respected, and supported. Christine and Alyndra emphasized that addressing bullying and harassment—especially identity-based harm—requires compassion, partnership, and a shared commitment to meaningful, lasting change.