My name is Michael I am 19 years old.Bullying for me started at the age of 10 and mostly in the grades 5th & 6th.I would constantly get teased about my hair being nappy and not having the best clothes.I have been in and out of shelters most of my childhood so I didn't have the resources other kids had.Being teased and beat up constantly at different schools because I was quiet and did and acted differently was very hard to swallow.People would pretend to not like me so the bullies wouldn't beat them up for that reason.During the school years I have been beaten up by groups at a time in small bathrooms for not being associated with a gang.Taunted and called names everyday all day ruined my pride and made me even cry at times to myself.Girls mostly took my side but even then some of them were in on it .In the 6th grade these group of guys would constantly jump me every time we went to the restroom and I let them thinking that they would stop for some reason.One day after school I was walking and left early to avoid these guys and i was tackled to the ground and kicked in the face by several guys at a time and trying to fight back but was very out numbered.After this continued I was constantly fighting and seemed to be the only one who got in trouble or suspended.People would constantly bother me in class because they knew I would re act and get in trouble and I always tried to tell the person in charge but they never believed me.My mom didn't understand until she saw that I wanted to stop going to school.Growing up in shelters,losing my brother,trying to take care of my sisters because my dad left and our home burning to the ground and on top of those things my big brothers / sisters were scattered all over the city living by themselves and my dad was not around.There was a lot on my plate as it was and the constant fear of being bullied made me worse and almost paranoid I couldn't focus in class enough to do work because of thinking of what they were going to do today.I couldn't wash my clothes or even take showers sometimes because bills would get cut off.We needed government assistance and my own family would tease us for that reason.I found myself very depressed and it has been there since.People would fake being my friend daily so I had no one to trust and when I did find some friends we all got bullied well mostly me because they would sell me out every chance they got to keep from getting beat up.Later on I would find myself bullying others because of the pain that I felt and looking back I even cried a few times for that because that made me feel less of a man like the people who did it to me.Years later I can tell my story because I used to be scared too and felt that it would make me look like a punk to everyone around me.Now being grown I am doing things for myself and once I stuck to myself and kept striving with my own independence I was respected by people and even by those who bullied me .Bullying is a disease and It should be unheard of it can go very far even causing people to take their own life like I have witnessed.I sat up so many nights crying because of what people did to me and I had no protection.Was just a little frail kid who loved to draw and make people smile and for some reason people wanted to see me sad and cry.It hurt so bad to accept that along with everything that was going on in my life.I have apologized to God for bullying people because of what  had endured and never made that mistake since.People bullying you can make you have a very bad attitude for life because you never really escape it its here everyday and right in front of you.My message is NEVER BULLY ANYONE AND DON'T ACCEPT IT LIKE MYSELF GO GET HELP BECAUSE NO PERSON SHOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.I let it take things from me and ut me through depression don't let that happen...I'm here for everyone not just to help myself..Find love and Peace within yourself

Special Thanks to

The bully project

Alex Libby

& Everyone who stands against bullying

and have been through it

Good people period

a d those who took their lives

WE STILL HAVE YOU IN OUR HEARTS 

AND TO THE BULLIES FOR HELPING US 

ALL STAND TOGETHER AND KNOW WHAT YOU DID

WAS WRONG