Defeat The Label

05/16/2026

One of the most powerful moments from our final Upstander lesson this year came from students.

We were talking about what happens if you are the one who messed up.
If you hurt someone.
Bullied someone.
Handled a friendship badly.

So I asked the students, “What do you do?”

One student said:
“You realize what you did hurt somebody.”

Another said:
“You apologize and mean it.”

A third said:
“You learn from it and don’t do it again.”

And honestly, I thought those were pretty great answers.

Then a quieter student raised his hand and said:

“And you forgive yourself. Because it’s easy to keep beating yourself up and wondering if they accepted your apology or if things are okay or to keep apologizing. But eventually you have to forgive yourself. Because you can’t just focus on the one thing you did wrong when there were so many other times you did things right. That’s not fair either.”

And I just kind of sat there for a second.

Because that’s such a deeply human thing to understand at that age.

We talk so much about accountability, and that matters. But these kids also understand something else a lot of adults struggle with: there’s a difference between learning from a mistake and defining yourself by it forever.

These are the moments that remind us why these conversations matter so much. Sometimes the kids surprise you in the best possible way.

05/13/2026

Still not over Bullying is No Illusion with .
A packed house, an incredible show, and a whole lot of conversations about bullying that mattered.

05/10/2026

Here’s to the moms raising Upstanders.

The moms teaching their children not to follow the “mean girls,” not to exclude others to fit in, and not to mistake cruelty for confidence.

The moms raising kids who speak up, include others, show empathy, and understand that character matters more than popularity.

The world doesn’t need more bystanders.
It needs more Upstanders.

Happy Mother’s Day to the women raising them.

05/08/2026

Today’s Upstander visit to Larson Middle School was pretty incredible. 💙

The halls were filled with student-run bake sales, handmade items, robotics teams, nature projects, and fundraisers supporting causes that matter to the students themselves. One group was raising money for su***de awareness through Common Ground, others were supporting animal shelters and different community causes close to their hearts.

What stood out most was how naturally it connected to Larson’s 4 R’s — Respect, Responsibility, Relationships, and Resilience.

This is what creating Upstanders looks like.
Students using their voices, creativity, leadership, and compassion to make a difference for other people.

05/08/2026

Nothing better than walking back into a school and seeing hallways full of reminders that kindness, support, and appreciation matter 💛

Today we’re back for Upstander … and the timing couldn’t be more perfect because it’s also Teacher Appreciation Week.

The teachers, counselors, staff, and administrators who show up for kids every single day are helping students grow into kinder, stronger, more connected humans. That matters more than they probably realize.

05/04/2026

Upstander isn’t *just* an anti-bullying program.

It’s students learning to think differently, see each other differently, and actually show up for one another.

When you hear students say it helped them understand others, find their voice, and feel like they belong… that’s the impact.

Every school needs a program.
More importantly—every school needs to hear from their students.

We’re now accepting schools for the 2025–2026 school year.
Learn more at defeatthelabel.org

05/04/2026

05/04/2026

Huge thank you to everyone who came out and supported Bullying is NO ILLUSION featuring Oz Pearlman—we truly appreciate you!

05/02/2026

We are so grateful to our sponsors and partners who believed in this event and in the work behind it. Your support makes everything we do possible.

To —thank you for bringing the energy and helping set the tone for the night.

To Ken Gutman—your continued support of students and this work means more than you know.

To Dr. Julie McDaniel-Muldoon—it was an honor to recognize you with the Defeat the Label Upstander Educator Award. The impact you have is real and lasting.

To Lisa & Patrick North, and Evan Krasnick—keeping up with is no small task. Thank you for being right there every step of the way and helping make the experience what it was.

And to every partner and supporter who played a role in bringing this night together—thank you. Truly.

This work takes a community. And last night proved we have a strong one.