Turning Awareness Into Action: Why Our Communities Can’t Wait

Across Massachusetts and the country, communities continue to experience acts of bullying, harassment, and hate that target individuals for who they are — their race, religion, sexual orientation, or identity.

Awareness alone is not enough. It’s time to turn compassion into collaboration and awareness into action.

Recent Incidents That Underscore the Need for Action

These stories — all from right here in Massachusetts — remind us that identity-based harm continues to deeply affect our schools and neighborhoods. Each incident highlights why prevention, education, and community partnership are essential.

• “Mom of 16-year-old Wayland High student targeted in alleged racist incident speaks out” – Boston 25 News
• “‘Vile’: 6 Massachusetts eighth graders charged after setting up mock slave auction on Snapchat” – Boston 25 News
• “Wellesley parents raise alarm on racist bullying” – GBH News
• "Racial bullying in schools is on the rise — including here in Mass." - WBUR Cognoscenti by Alexis Rickmers & Oren Sellstrom
• “Mass. saw a nearly 190% rise in antisemitic incidents last year, new report finds” – WBUR News
• “Education Department opens probes into alleged antisemitism and Islamophobia in schools” – NPR / WBUR
• “Swastika drawn on Jewish student’s vehicle at Dover-Sherborn High School” – WCVB
• “Budgets, staffing, and social media can all impact violence in schools, administrators say” – NBC Boston
• “Two Natick churches targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ vandalism, pastors say” – Boston.com
• White teen pleads guilty trying to drown black youth Chatham pond
• "Israeli flag vandalism, swastikas drawn at Concord school under investigation" - WCVB

Why Turning Awareness Into Action Matters

Awareness opens eyes. Action opens doors. These stories demonstrate the urgency of moving from empathy to engagement:

• Education and prevention efforts help schools and communities identify bias early and respond with empathy and accountability.
• Policy and data-driven collaboration allow us to build systems that protect and empower every student.
• Storytelling and lived experiences remind us that behind each headline is a real person — a child, a family, a neighbor.
• Community partnerships amplify our impact, bringing together families, educators, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and local leaders to create a united front against hate.

Our Shared Responsibility

The MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition (MW ABC) believes:

• Every child — and every person — deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Though issues of bullying and bias have been politicized, they are not political — they are human.
• Across differences, most people share a commitment to kindness and inclusion.
• Building a safe, supportive community takes effort and collaboration.
• We all have a role to play — from schools and families to faith leaders, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and neighbors.

Together, we can ensure that awareness leads to understanding, understanding leads to change, and change leads to belonging.

Call to Action - Join the Movement

Here are concrete ways to help right now:

• Join the Coalition - Click HERE to become a MW ABC member.
• Volunteer - Either with MW ABC and Spark Kindness, other community-based organizations, or at local schools.
• Request a Training or Talk - Spark Kindness and MW ABC offers staff professional development, family workshops, student assemblies, or community forums. Learn more here.
• Share Resources - Have a great tool, curriculum, or policy? Help grow the regional library.
• Stay Informed - Get updates on events, resources, and action opportunities. 

Share Your Story

Your experience matters — and can spark change. MW ABC is collecting stories of impact to better understand how bullying, harassment, or hate affects people to continue to help guide solutions.

What to share (a few sentences is fine):

• What happened (bullying/harassment/hate incident)
• Where it occurred (school, online, community space)
• How it affected you or your family/community
• What support helped — or what support was missing
• What change you want to see

How to submit:

• Click HERE to submit your story.

Privacy & care:

• MW ABC will not share your name or identifying details publicly without your explicit consent.
• If your story involves immediate safety concerns, please call 911. For crisis support, consider contacting local hotlines or national resources (e.g., 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).