'Broadway Against Bullying' raises awareness of, speak out against bullying
NEW YORK (WABC) -- As part of Disney's Choose Kindness and WABC's #BeKind campaigns, we are working with various groups who are helping all of us become more kind.
One of these organizations, No Bully, has been staging concerts to raise awareness for more than half a dozen years.
The most recent show was at Feinstein's 54 Below in Manhattan.
"I was bullied a lot because I was small for my age, and I looked a little different," actress Abigail Shapiro said.
Sisters and Broadway stars Abigail and Millie Shapiro work with No Bully, and these two young women sing so that others would not have to know the pain they have felt.
"I was always very passionate as a kid," Millie Shapiro said. "I always knew what I wanted to do with my life, and I think that intimidated a lot of people."
As a child, Millie Shapiro starred on Broadway as "Matilda." Today, she and her older sister serve as youth ambassadors for No Bully, which teaches empathy for those who have been tormented but also seeks to understand the tormentors.
"I always felt bad for the people who were bullying because a lot of times people are hurting others when they are hurting themselves," Millie said.
The Shapiro sisters, like the other performers, donated their time and talent for an evening called "Broadway Against Bullying."
"This is an amazing spotlight on the issue of bullying," said Nicholas Carlyle, founder and president of No Bully. "Great people are standing up and saying we are not going to accept this anymore."
Jessica Keenan Wynn comes from a family of famous performers.
Her great grandfather, Ed Wynn, and her grandfather, Keenan Wynn, were legends of 20th century show business, but that didn't prevent her from being bullied.
"To be young and impressionable and wondering how to deal with that," Wynn said. "I didn't have access to things like this where people can share their stories, and I'm so happy I can be part of that."
Wynn likes to tell young people who are hurting, "It's going to get better," and she should know.
She was on the big screen last summer in "Mama Mia, Here We Go Again" and spent four years on Broadway in the Carole King musical "Beautiful."
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