THE PROPONENTS of the Pastel Project painted their arms with colors that represented their views of social injustice.

EVERYONE has a story to tell. Whether newsworthy or not, all stories deserve to be told.

Angela Romero, an incoming freshman at De La Salle University Manila, convened a group of teenagers to help her establish a way to end bullying and discrimination on campus.

Experience is one thing; the way we apply it to our lives is another. The idea for the Lionheart Movement came from Romero’s own experience of being bullied. It led to the pressing of charges and the filing of court cases.

A day before Romero’s high school graduation, she and a group of 36 students expressed the sadness of having to part ways; they wrote their sentiments on their uniforms.

Little did they know that this act would lead to a seven-hour detention. Threatened with not being allowed to march on stage on graduation day, they were forced to issue a public apology before the student body.

Although traumatized by the experience, Romero stood up for her rights and for those of everybody else. She thought of a way to protect people who have been abused and discriminated against.

She used social media to tell her story, and it went viral.

Anonymous

Then the idea hit her—other people can share their stories of bullying while keeping their identities anonymous.

Romero thought of making a “secret files” page because she believed that voicing out would be a form of release and would give the victim of bullying a sense of relief and newfound confidence.

But she was also worried that she wouldn’t be able to pursue the idea on her own.

Charles Calma, a friend and comember of an organization, Youth Leaders of Tarlac, encouraged Romero. Inviting more people who came up with more ideas, the secret files page was launched last July 6 on Facebook.

Soon the page gained wide attention. “Voiceless” people from around the world began sending their stories without hesitation.

The page eventually added an advice corner. The page administrators also used pseudonyms just like those who submitted their stories.

The group is planning to give seminars in Tarlac about bullying, to sell merchandise to raise funds for more antibullying projects and to give schools blank tarpaulins so that the students can write their thoughts and feelings on how to confront their fears and stand up for their own good.

The group also launched last July 28 the Pastel Project, which aims to use art to build awareness about the effects of bullying. The proponents painted their arms with colors that represented their views of social injustice.

They posed for photos to enlighten people on what a colorful world looks like. It symbolizes the effort of lighting up amid the darkness of the psychological effect of bullying.

The group members vowed to listen to people’s stories, to give advice and to think of other creative ways to make the world a better place.

People go through life getting hurt and suffering anguish. But wounds heal and turn into scars. People overcome trials and predicaments. They learn to fear less and have the heart of a lion.