Don't Be A Bully Conference 2013 - San Diego City College

Granger Middle School Presentation

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San Diego City College Don't Be A Bully Conference

This Saturday, December 8th I had the honor to give the keynote address at the 2nd Annual San Diego City College Don't Be A Bully Conference.  The standing room only crowd of students of all ages filled the room with anticipation as I was introduced as their keynote speaker.  After an akward moment of silence I introduced myself by saying "Hello everyone and welcome, my name is Doug Luffborough and I was bullied in the first grade but now I speak across the country empowering others to take a stand against bullying of any kind.  If it wasn't for my crazy mother chasing my bully down the street with a broom, the emotional scars of being picked on every day for my lunch money would still carry a soft spot in reclaiming my self esteem.  One powerful lesson that I learned the hard way was that hurt people...hurt people.  Did you know that most bullies were bullied at one point or another in their lives?  When I got in to high school I got involved with a break dance crew that turned into a gang and then I was a bully and inflicted pain on those who could not defend themselves.  You would think that after everything I went through being bullied that I would have compassion and the conviction to not want to hurt others but because I still carried that hurt with me it just came natural for me to transfer that pain on to others.

Everyone can play a role in taking a stand against bullying in their schools and community and it starts by doing three things:

1.  Speaking up

2.  Building partnerships and

3. Telling your story

If you know someone who is being bullied or someone who is a bully please share this with them: 

You are a wonderful and worthy person, appreciate that about yourself.  No one has ever been, or ever will be quite like you.  You are an individual, an original and all those things that make you uniquely you are deserving of love and praise, so rise up and be recognized because today is your day to shine!                

- Doug Luffborough

In the Voice of One High School Drop Out!

Thanks to a Craigslist ad my Mom had given me, I’ve discovered a new path to getting my act together.

Turning the Hearts Center has presented me the opportunity to acquire my GED or high school diploma. Of course, there is a sort of preliminary elimination test before I can even step foot into the program.

Starting Monday, if we are serious, those who showed up at the orientation yesterday are to be at the program site before 9AM where we will then face two weeks of what I assume to be intensive work outs. The woman who mentioned this threw out the word “insanity” as she informed us of PT, physical training. I first thought of the Insanity work-out programs.

My stomach basically fell down into my legs after hearing this.

I don’t work out. At all. Last time I had major physical exercise was in high school PE. Since then, my bed has been so very comfy as I watched TV, played video games, read favorite books, and typed away at my ancient laptop.

She said that this PT requires a life-style change, and that slackers need not even bother with the program. I am indefinitely a slacker with a sever lack of motivation.

Last week, my Mom gave me a severe reality check that concerned me greatly. I can hope that, with my family’s rising financial insecurity, will be enough motivation to get me through two weeks of PT and then the eventual road to my GED/diploma. The center even offers, after GED completion, help to those seeking a job. They can provide clothes, transportation and such for interviews and even better: they pay the $145 for the GED exam stuff.

I need more than luck. I need will.

I’m only hoping that those whom I call my friends will be there to support me. My family is automatically in my corner, for they've been waiting for me to do something productive.

I’ll need it all the support I can get, because for the first time in a long while, I’m taking a stand for myself. For my family. This is the right thing to do.

Fear, self-doubt, quitting, and slacking are not options!