BUILD BRIDGES!
2012 - The Laramie Project
The Laramie Project is presented by Breaking Boundaries.
The Laramie Project is a play about the 1998 murder of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.
The Laramie Project was October 19, 2012 at 1pm for school groups and October 20 at 7pm for the general public. Both performances were free.
Matthew Shepard’s story is an extreme example of unimaginable brutality. It’s what happens when human beings allow fear, ignorance and hate to overcome compassion, understanding and respect. Breaking Boundaries is proud to sponsor The Laramie Project in service of our mission to build and celebrate more welcoming communities, and to spark a community conversation that bridges Matthew’s shocking story to a related but much more commonplace local trend: rising rates of bullying, suicide and violence among our young people based on difference. Consider:
56% of children and youth have personally felt some sort of bullying. It’s worst between 4th and 8th grade, when 90% of students are victims of bullying.
The most common reasons for bullying? Difference.
Physical appearance and body size
Socioeconomic status (inability to afford what kids consider “cool”)
Sexual orientation
Weakness or inability to defend themselves (less popular, few friends)
Cyber-bullying via texting and social media sites is growing exponentially, and increases the reach and insidiousness of this culture of cruelty.
The majority of bullied students never report it to an adult.
A victim of bullying is twice as likely to take his/her own life compared to someone who is not bullied.
One out of 10 students quits school because of being bullied.
Bullying can no longer be treated as a normal part of growing up, or shrugged off as “kids will be kids.”
Breaking Boundaries raises our shared voices with schools, law enforcement, youth groups, suicide prevention agencies and other interested citizens on the subject of local bullying to insist, “Enough.” Bring your family; then have a conversation.
Join us. Unite against bullying.
To learn more about bullying:
http://www.stopbullying.gov/
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html
http://www.pacer.org/bullying/
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/bullies/
