Ninth grader Ariella was already an ally before attending Take a Stand, but now she feels more empowered than ever to stand up against bullying.
I thought Take a Stand was a really important and impactful Main Event. It was a safe space where people could feel comfortable sharing their experiences about bullying. I actually cried a little bit because it was so touching. While I haven't necessarily experienced all of the things people were sharing, I felt extremely empathetic toward them.
The best part of the Main Event was when after the first person shared to the whole group, other people felt comfortable sharing and saying what they wanted to say. I also loved when we were in the smaller groups and everyone got to share their experiences with bullying — even if it was because they were a bystander.
Events like this are important because you realize who seem so perfect really aren't. It's kind of a reality check where you think to yourself, wow, this person who seems like they have it all is really dealing with some difficult things.
I think this event definitely had an impact on the EXPLO community. People who may be bullying others could see the hurt it causes; maybe they'll think more about the effect before they say or do something next time. I don't think there's a lot of bullying here, but if there is, I think the discussion will have an impact. I feel like I know how to be an even better ally now.
Charlotte Steinberg