Community Leaders Unite to Address Hate and Bullying at 3rd Annual MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition Forum
Forum highlights growing demand for Active Bystander and Restorative Justice Training to build safer, more inclusive communities.
By Spark Kindness Team
Annual MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition Forum Brings Community Leaders Together
More than 100 educators, school leaders, and community partners gathered on May 21, 2026 at The Verve in Natick, Massachusetts for the 3rd Annual MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition Forum, marking another milestone in the region's ongoing effort to prevent identity-based bullying in schools, workplaces, and communities.
The event was organized by the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition, a key initiative convened by Spark Kindness. The Coalition brings together law enforcement, school administrators and educators, faith leaders, healthcare professionals, public officials, attorneys, and parents. While these leaders represent diverse backgrounds, they share a single mission: building communities where every person is treated with respect and every child has the chance to thrive.
This year’s theme—From Awareness to Action: Addressing Identity-Based Bullying—feels especially timely with seeing concerning trends across communities, including increases in bullying, hate speech, and online harassment. Bringing together leaders across sectors to focus on practical, solution-oriented approaches has never been more important, and taking actionable steps is a critical part of that work.
Today is not just about conversation. It's about building and sustaining communities of practice. Communities that don't just talk about change, but model it. Communities that operate from a fundamental belief that every human being is capable of learning, growing, and making different choices.
— Alyndra Canty (Spark Kindness/MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition)
Featured Video: Inspiration From Keynote Speakers
Listen to the keynote presentations in the video below from Christine Fortune Guthery, Executive Director, Spark Kindness, Alyndra Canty, Special Projects Coordinator, Spark Kindness and MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition, Emily Caille, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and Dr. Art Fergusson, Natick Public Schools.
Inspiration for Personal and Collective Reflection
Alyndra Canty, Special Projects Coordinator for Spark Kindness and the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition, asked two questions for participants to reflect upon throughout the forum including:
- How do we build and sustain communities of belonging simply because it's the right thing to do?
- And at the same time, how do we support ourselves so that we can continue to do this work and support those that we serve?
Emily Caille of the Office of Student and Family Support with DESE discussed the state's collective responsibility to prevent identity-based bullying, citing data showing one in ten Massachusetts high schoolers avoid school due to safety concerns, and students' comfort seeking help from teachers dropping sharply from 93% in fourth grade to 58% by eighth grade.
Caille highlighted real-world systems change in districts like Fitchburg and North Adams, which overhauled discipline policies and strengthened family and student engagement. She closed with a message of hope from a recent DESE student summit where young people proposed their own solutions to improve school climate — a reminder that students themselves are powerful partners in this work.
Dr. Art Fergusson of the Natick Public Schools opened with the Zulu greeting "Sawubona" — meaning "I see you" — to frame the deeper purpose of the work: helping every young person feel seen, valued, and connected. Drawing on both personal experience and community observations, Dr. Fergusson described how bullying today follows students far beyond the school day through social media and group chats, often targeting who they are based on their race, religion, identity, or culture.
He emphasized that schools were never meant to address this crisis alone, and that as communities have grown more disconnected, young people need trusted adults who will actively intervene, model courage, and support both accountability and healing.
"Research tells us that the strongest protective factor for young people is trusted relationships. Young people must feel that 'there is at least one adult who sees me.' 'One adult who will not stay silent when they see me being harmed.' Because silence normalizes cruelty and perpetuates harm! This is why active-bystander training matters, why restorative practices matter. Students need adults who can interrupt hate, repair harm, restore trust, and model courage."
— Dr. Art Fergusson (Natick Public Schools)
Break-Out Sessions Featuring Active Bystander and Restorative Justice Training
All forum participants had the opportunity to engage in two interactive workshops led by highly recommended, leading practitioners from the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition network.
Stephanie Hsu and Jack Jaillet of Quabbin Mediation held an abbreviated version of their Training Active Bystanders program designed to help participants build confidence, recognize when and how to step in safely, and support those impacted. This session provided both personal skill-building and insight into how these strategies can be applied to empower community members with practical tools to respond to bullying and harm in real time.
Rachel King of RK Resolution guided participants through core principles of restorative practices: approaches that build connection, repair harm, and strengthen communities. Participants learned practical strategies that can be applied in their own lives and also gained insight into how restorative practices can support schools, organizations, and community settings.
Participants left with concrete tools for prevention, response, and healing, along with strengthened connections across schools, community organizations, and public safety. Participants generated particular enthusiasm for these important topics, and in response to this demand, the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition and Spark Kindness will work together to expand access to these trainings for Coalition members moving forward with exploring future programming opportunities.
Remarks For Next Steps and Collaborative Action
Christine Fortune Guthrey, Founder and Executive Director of Spark Kindness, concluded the forum with the core message: "we need each other." She shared that consistent feedback from educators, families, and community partners over the past several years pointed to a clear need for practical tools, collaborative approaches, and sustained support in the fight against bullying, bias, and hate.
Guthery highlighted the Coalition's progress over the past three years, including free multilingual resources, tip sheets, and programming built directly from community input. She closed with a message of hope and gratitude, emphasizing that gathering as a community, even amid difficult and polarized times, is itself a powerful act of resilience, and that Spark Kindness remains committed to supporting this work year-round through training, resources, and coordinated action.
95% Participant Approval Rate
The forum drew strong raise praise with 95% of participants rating the event as helpful or very helpful. Participants reported feeling more hopeful and inspired, more connected to community allies, better equipped with practical resources, and part of a growing movement for change.
Resources to Share With Your Communities
- Training Active Bystander (TAB) Program provided by Quabbin Mediation. Website | Contact information: director@quabbinmediation.org
- Restorative Justice Training provided by RK Resolution. Website | Contact information: rking@rkresolution.com
- Turning Awareness Into Action: Why Our Communities Can't Wait - featuring recent stories of incidents in Massachusetts that remind us how identity-based bullying continues to affect our communities
- Addressing Bullying and Harassment In The Commonwealth - featuring resources from the AG's office
- Tip Sheets and additional resources for parents/caregivers, educators, and community members from the MetroWest Anti-Bullying Coalition available here.
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