Rachel Ashley knows what it's like to be bullied, and she knows how difficult it can be when kids feel as though nobody understands what they are going through. The country-pop singer has been touring schools for the past two years with her "No Time for That" anti-bullying campaign, and made a stop at Yorkdale School.
Ashley's school tours started when she was in high school herself, and she says that it was something she did because she realized that her experiences with bullying in school were not unique, and she felt as though she needed to make something positive happen from her experiences.
"For me school was really tough, and I went through a lot of horrible experiences with bullying. It was things like getting my hair cut, being left out, being called names, being made fun of, rumors were awful and I even got punched in the face. It was things like that, and I felt so alone and hurt and misunderstood, so I started to turn to music."
While music was her outlet while going through the pain of bullying, Ashley says she realized that she was not alone, and she felt that she could use her music to help students like her.
"I realized so many other people out there feel the same way I did, and nobody deserves to feel that way. So I got my songs together, I got my stories together and started emailing local schools, and it grew from there."
Her goal is to focus on the positive in her life and her music, and she wants to give kids the message that they're not alone and that things can get better in their lives. Living through bullying means she knows what it is like for kids going through the same message, and she says she wants to make sure kids know that it can get better and that they need to focus on the positive in their lives.
Since beginning the tours in November 2012, Ashley says she has visited over 300 schools, and she says it's rewarding to see that she is helping kids get through their own experiences with bullying.
"For me, it's such a great feeling knowing that from my own stories and my songs I can reach out to so many people."
