Bullying is an important issue for all of us at Disney, including some of our biggest stars.
As part of its Friends for Change program, Disney Channel stars serve as Ambassadors, encouraging kids and families to stand up for what they believe in and to make a lasting, positive change by helping people, communities and the planet.
Premiering on Disney Channel today, Bella Thorne and Zendaya, stars of the hit Disney Channel series Shake It Up, host the first of two on-air segments that chronicle the time they spent at a leadership academy outside of Tucson, Arizona, and show their efforts to spread a message that champions individuality.
You get the first look at the spot right here:
In addition to the on-air interstitials, Friends for Change offers online tools and resources to help kids and families stand up to bullies. Actions include starting a club with new friends, learning about different cultures and sharing positive messages.
To date, Disney Friends for Change kids in 55 countries around the world have championed almost five million initiatives, including nearly 600,000 cleanup events protecting oceans and waterways, recycling projects involving two million participants and 200,000 projects specifically focused on bringing families together to volunteer.
While I wasn’t directly involved in the creation of these videos, I couldn’t be prouder to help spread this message.
In my role in Corporate Citizenship at Disney, I get to be a part of some amazing programs like Friends for Change, Magic of Healthy Living and many of our philanthropy initiatives. Check back often to find out more about these programs.