- This and more coming up on the "Whitney Reynolds Show."

- And then you start looking and you're like, this is happening all over the place.

Kids are being bullied online, kids are being bullied in person.

- Baked into the show is these issues, and we just think that we're just, we're taking the torch and continuing on with it.

- I'm Janet Singer Applefield, a Holocaust survivor.

I'm the voice for all those voices that were so tragically silenced.

- [Announcer] The "Whitney Reynolds Show" is supported by BMO, boldly grow the good in business in life.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Kevin Kelly, serving your real estate needs in Florida and Illinois at KevinKelly.realestate.

Together at Peace, a foundation with a mission to generate financial support for hospitals, schools, and many charities that provide compassionate bereavement care and foster spiritual resilience.

We are here to inspire tangible moments and share the light of loved ones who have passed away, always doing good in their honor, and the Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs and clean air for all.

Special thanks to Lifeway Kefir, Kid Friendly Venues App, GIRLSTRONG Empowerment Apparel, Mike Dyer with Edward Jones, JoePerillo.com, Hi-Five Sports Chicago, CenterforBeautifulLiving.com, Deluxe Cleaning Services and by these sponsors.

(gentle music) - Hello and welcome to the "Whitney Reynolds Show."

Today we are meeting people who are all for change.

Join us as we learn what they are doing to leave the world better than they found it.

Here we believe your story matters.

(audience cheering) - I think the resilience started like when my family said, this is really bad.

When you wake up you have to like keep going.

- I was that story, the one that needed a safe space.

- The key to success is taking risks.

- So we created it.

- Everybody fails, everybody takes that one big hit.

What's important is standing back up and keep going.

- You are watching the "Whitney Reynolds Show."

Be careful.

(audience cheering) - I'm Janet Singer Applefield, a Holocaust survivor.

I was born in Kraków, Poland.

When the Nazis invaded Poland, my parents made desperate attempts to escape, and many, many times they tried, but they were unsuccessful.

My identity was changed several times because it was safer not to be Jewish obviously.

I didn't quite understand why I had to keep changing my names and why I had to become another person.

I felt that some very dangerous thing was happening because I saw my parents crying and people whispering 'cause they didn't want me to know what was going on.

They made this agonizing decision to give me away to strangers.

So for the next three and a half years I was with different people and in very different situations.

And some of the people were kind and good to me, and others were not so good.

My life was very difficult.

I had to hide in plain sight.

At one point I was left on the street, abandoned.

Miraculously my father found me in an orphanage.

Courageous people picked me off the street and saved me.

I was reluctant to ask my father questions because I knew I didn't wanna upset him because I knew that he had gone through such a horrific time.

So I didn't ask questions, and I wish I had.

And but I remember when the war ended, and I was reunited with my father, he insisted that I tell him what happened, and he wrote it down.

And years later when I decided to make the first trip back to Poland, just very accidentally, I found these papers that he had scribbled on.

And I think that was the beginning of my desire to write my memoir.

You know, I felt it was something that I needed to do.

It's so important to be mindful of the types of choices and decisions that we make because even the smallest act of kindness is a ripple effect.

I am a witness of history.

I'm the voice for all those voices that were so tragically silenced.

All these stories are so important for the world to know.

And I know when I'm no longer here, I know that my legacy will continue because my children, my grandchildren, and people who have heard my story will continue to tell it.

(gentle music) - The loss of life impacted by bullying.

That's the headline that helped this author find purpose and start a healing process for the Cincinnati community.

- There was a time I was watching the news one morning, and there was a program about a boy, a local boy, who was bullied at school and he was only eight years old, and he took his own life.

And in that moment, you know, I'm sure as a parent you think, well, what can I do?

What little things could I do?

Or what big things can I do to help this problem?

And I love to write.

And so I thought, okay, well maybe I can turn this into something educational, a teaching moment to help kids be kinder.

- [Whitney] Tracy is an author I got to know through my nightly readings with my own twins.

Her books shared messages, something as a mom helped introduce big concepts to my littles, never knowing the "One Big Bully" book was inspired by a real life tragedy.

- There once was a creature named Bully the Bull, who made fun of others to try and be cool.

He made fun of their horns.

He made fun of their walk.

He even made fun of how they would talk.

But each time his words brought tears to their eyes, his average bull horns would grow larger in size.

- The headline came on about an 8-year-old taking his life because of being bullied.

- Yeah, and then you're like, well, what happened?

What happened to this boy?

And then you start looking, and you're like, this is happening all over the place.

Kids are being bullied online, kids are being bullied in person.

They're being bullied even once they get home.

There's cyber bullying.

So it's very important to notice it when it happens.

There was just a lot of emotion with it where I was like, God, what could have been done to do something about it beforehand?

- [Whitney] How long did it take you from being triggered of all this emotion of I'm watching this story, and this is horrible.

- [Tracy] Yeah.

- To how can I use my gift to help the world?

- I journal a lot, so I am one of those people who keeps a journal by the bed, and I get a lot of ideas when I sleep.

And so I kept having this dream about a bull whose horns were growing bigger every time he was mean.

And I was like, okay, little light bulb, bull, bullying.

This kid was bullied, and it was just like, okay, I need to sit down and see what I can create from these two ideas.

And then I had, I don't know if you ever do like imposter syndrome, but I was like, who am I to write on this topic?

I haven't been bullied.

You know, I'm not a mother.

I don't have that pain like that mother had.

Anybody can change the world with kindness.

- [Whitney] After watching the tragic news piece on the 8-year-old who died and was bullied, Tracy took to writing and then reached out to the mourning family.

- You little bull are much stronger than me.

And as he said sorry, his horns shrunk once more, allowing big bully to fit through the door.

I waited until I had a solid draft of the book in like a first print.

And I reached out to the mother, and I was like, I just wanna see if there's a way that I can give you a copy or maybe I can help you and maybe I can stand behind you or beside you and help you.

So she has her own foundation, and we met for coffee, and we talked for probably an hour, hour and a half.

And back then it just was so nice.

I mean, she cried.

I cried and it was, you know, I felt like even though I wasn't really connected to her, I was.

- Her story, that's tragic.

- Yes.

- The loss of life.

The fact bullying goes too far.

- Yeah.

- But your book is not tragic.

- Right.

- [Whitney] The story teaches children and adults alike about the consequences of bullying and promotes lessons of self-acceptance, forgiveness, and embracing our differences, something that the whole community impacted by this child's life is trying to work on, including the school district.

- My name's Meg Burrows.

I'm a school social worker in Cincinnati Public Schools, and I'm the bullying prevention, one of two bullying prevention school social workers.

It was about eight years ago when it was, we decided as a district that we needed somebody to really focus on bullying prevention.

And my entire role is bullying prevention.

So I provide support for our 65 schools as well as all our 35,000 families.

The first thing we do is we listen to the kids.

I wanna know what's going on.

Talk to me about what's happening.

Adults, when adults intervene, research shows that bullying is more likely to stop.

So we also teach our teachers, our administrators, how do you intervene?

What do you look for?

What's a key word?

If you hear somebody in the hallway, saying, hey, stop.

I don't like that, then our ears need to perk up and say what's going on down at the end of the hallway.

We have full-time, school social workers in all our buildings, which is amazing.

So really I'm gonna give credit to our school social workers, our administrators, our other support staff because they are the ones, they're the ones listening to the kids, they're taking the calls.

Not only do we have school social workers, we also have school psychologists, school counselors.

And then we've got also mental health partners in all of our buildings as well.

- [Whitney] This school district has also added a bully button to their website.

They take every submission serious.

- So in the story, there's all these different bulls, and they have all these different looks.

And the bull, of course, he's a bully, and he makes fun of them for all these different things.

And as he's making fun, his horns grow, and then he gets stuck.

And so these bulls actually use what they were made fun of for as their gift to come and save him.

- Wow.

- So it's kind of like, you know, teaching about using your differences as gifts, celebrating uniqueness and helping others, forgiveness, all of the things.

- Forgiveness is key.

- Yeah.

- So often we hear bullying, we see these headlines and it's horrible.

But your book is really helping bridge the students together.

- Both and parents just say that their kids are acting a little bit nicer.

And even when people buy the book, they're like my kid loves this book.

And I kind of bought it for them because I thought they were being mean or I thought they were kind of being pushy with another kid.

And I think just a little bit of a shift.

It doesn't have to be this monumental thing, but just every little kid, if they're acting a little bit more kind to their friends or if they're maybe reaching out to the other kid at school that's different, the book has been a success in that way.

(gentle music) - And now we have Vince Kelly, an actor playing the part of Blanche in the musical production of the Golden Girls.

A play that takes advantage of its platform to address the issues that the nostalgic show did and elevate new ones.

(upbeat music) This is such an iconic set.

I was sitting in the audience watching people who've been following the show for years.

- These are people that people have welcomed in their home for years, decades, 30 plus years.

So it's a little scary at first.

You're like, okay, I have to honor this person.

I don't want to offend anybody who is a Blanche or a Rose, or a Sophia or a Dorothy, as so many people identify.

So you really gotta do your homework.

You gotta get that voice down, the mannerisms.

And then when you're ready with the confidence to go out, it's like, all right, now no one can touch me 'cause it's such a well written role.

- Vince Kelly plays Blanche.

- So I'll be glad once your trial gets started, and some of this media tension dies down.

- It's an all male cast, and these golden guys are shifting the script while still bringing the nostalgia to every scene.

- I was just given a script and a costume, and I'm, and I did my research, and I prepared, and we're putting on a little play.

We're actors.

We're just portraying these, you know, amazing women.

I think that Golden Girls, I mean, just to tie those things together is such a great, I like to say it's like the spoonful of sugar here.

If you're somebody who's like, I don't like drag, but oh, I really like the Golden Girls, please give us a try.

Like, we are a great marriage.

It's a great way, it's a great, you know, entry level world of what we do and the way that all of the actors in our show identify.

To be able to say that like our little LGBTQ company is here on such an amazing stage and such a great platform and with such an iconic, you know, IP that we're dealing with, I think it goes to show like how far we've all come.

- Yes, and speaking of how far we've all come, one thing that people kept saying about the Golden Girls is they were one of the first to really like tackle some bigger things, but in a non-discreet way.

- Absolutely.

- So it was like, they weren't necessarily like cussing on TV, but they would insinuate what the viewers were hearing.

- Yeah, yeah they were.

- What do you want people to walk away with with this play?

Is it breaking other barriers?

- Yeah, I mean definitely.

Golden Girls was always ahead of the curve.

They were talking about LGBTQ issues, you know, AIDS issues and cross-dressing and lesbians and gays and all that stuff way before everybody else was talking about it on television.

In the pilot episode of Golden Girls, there was a gay character originally part of the crew.

- [Whitney] Wow.

- A little house boy named Coco who was kinda like a little like a maid or something like that.

And the network was like, okay, well it's '85.

We're not ready for that.

But like baked into the show is these issues, and we just think that we're just, we're taking the torch and continuing on with it.

- I love it.

Well, thank you so much.

- Yeah.

- For welcoming me to your home.

- Oh my gosh, thank you so much.

- Yeah, lemme give you a hug.

- Oh, so nice to meet you.

(upbeat music) - We wanted to invite you into our world.

And just like today's guest, we are also on a mission.

Our CINECITY Studio is located in the North Lawndale community.

There is so much good in this neighborhood, yet sometimes the news highlights the violence.

We wanted to show you a different side.

We went into a local high school and chatted with a student who is writing a new narrative all about peace.

- I became a peace warrior last year, and ever since then, it has helped me grown into a more kind person, more kind than I already was.

It helped me grow.

- [Whitney] He is talking about the Peace Warrior program, which was developed to diffuse the violence that has impacted his neighborhood.

A training that focuses on peace.

- I try to avoid any altercations, you know, like, I don't know what it is inside me.

Like I just have a feel, like if I have a feeling that something is like bad about to happen, you know, I just pray to God.

You know, I honestly just pray to him to give me the strength and the knowledge to stay far away from it.

- To the little kid watching that sees themself in you right now, what would you tell 'em?

- I would tell them to always follow your dreams.

Don't be a follower, be your own leader.

- How do you expand that out in the community?

- Yeah, I try to, you know, be a shoulder to lean on, with the adult, the youth, teenagers my age.

I promote peace.

We as peace warriors, we interrupt nonsense.

We interject love and kindness, and we're also Ambassadors of Peace as well.

- [Whitney] Students who successfully complete the training commit to living Nonviolently and teaching others to do the same.

They also help support fellow students who have experienced trauma.

- Peace means to me is being there for everyone.

You know, everyone just showing love and kindness.

You know, there isn't no violence or anything that most people aim for.

- When you see the younger kids or somebody that could be falling into a bad place, and you being this leader in this peace organization, how do you take those kids with you and say there's another way?

- Honestly, I try to, you know, actually I don't try.

I do.

I talk to them, you know, I pull them to the side.

You know, I get to know them, and I try to, you know, keep in contact with them to set an example and lead them through a better path.

- [Whitney] He's not only setting an example for others, he is proof there is power in peace and goodness can be found in any zip code.

- I've been getting accepted like a lot or like honestly, most of the colleges that I've gotten accepted into were my dream colleges.

- You've got accepted into colleges.

- Yeah.

- How many?

- About 15.

It's a lot, it's a lot.

- Just 15.

You know, I only got accepted into one, and that's the one I went to.

(upbeat music) On our season premiere, we chatted with NASCAR's, Brad Keselowski on being a driver-owned racer.

And today in our part two interview, we learned more about how he's not just owning his lane, yet he's also opening it up for others.

- [Announcer] Three years of trying since Talladega April '21, Brad Keselowski wins the Goodyear 400.

- But then, you know, I just got to a spot in my life, I think Whitney, where you're, you know, I kind of felt like I was in a spot of maturity beyond just driving the car and showing up.

And I needed something more.

- You know, you had this, I don't wanna say low.

I don't know what you would call it, where you weren't winning for consecutive races.

How do you mentally get back in and say I can do it.

- When I left a really established team with Penske Racing, Team Penske at NASCAR, I had all kinds of wins and championships and took on a new challenge of, all right, I'm gonna, you know, keep driving, but I'm also gonna own part of the team.

And you know, there was a big conversion there.

It's kinda like, all right, we're starting over as an entirely different team and trying to rebuild really almost from the ground up in some ways.

You know, when you have a 38 week season, and you travel all over the country, you find yourself naturally gravitating to certain weeks where you're like, oh, I can really win that race or run well, or whatever that might be.

Or ones that might be fun to go to like here in Chicago.

And I think balancing those things, you know, with big work ethic, right?

There's no way to run around it.

It's a seven day a week job between being a dad, you know, having a position as a race car driver, owning part of a race team.

- Owning part of it, yeah.

- Owning companies outside of motor sports and then being a, you know, a leader of a charitable foundation as well.

- Where did your heart for all this come from?

- Yeah, you know, a couple different places, and I would say it was an aggregate of different positions throughout my life.

I had the opportunity to work with the United States Navy on a recruiting campaign for NASCAR, which was an eye-opening experience to one, get to meet a lot of the sailors.

And two get to see a lot of the equipment and probably three, be a part of, you know, some of the mourning and loss when someone was injured or unfortunately killed.

That was like I said, an eye-opening experience.

I had some family that served as well, and that is serving so that, you know, there's some pride that comes with it.

And third, I had, you know, a friend who served and was injured in battle.

And I think I kind of got to a spot in my life where, you know, I just maybe had a moment or a day of reckoning where I realized that, hey, you know, I'm getting to do all these things like drive a race car and live a really a great life compared to most of the world.

And recognizing that that comes with a freedom that we have in the United States that isn't shared.

And so it's a really unique point in time within humanity.

And, you know, with respect to that, I think it's so important to have gratitude towards it, but have gratitude not just in words or thoughts but in action, - Right.

- And gratitude in action is doing things for people.

It's helping them.

And so the foundation's goal is, it's a 501c3 foundation, is to help those who've made great sacrifices for the community with focus on military and first responders.

So I'm honored to be a part of it, and I think it's a really important part of who I am.

- Thank you so much for coming on.

- Thank you, Whitney.

Appreciate you.

- We've heard the words be the change.

Today we saw that in action.

A reminder that we can all make the world a better place, one small change at a time.

Remember, your story matters.

(uplifting music) - [Announcer] The "Whitney Reynolds Show" is supported by BMO, boldly grow the good in business and life.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Kevin Kelly, serving your real estate needs in Florida and Illinois at KevinKelly.RealEstate, Together at Peace, a foundation with a mission to generate financial support for hospitals, schools, and many charities that provide compassionate bereavement care and foster spiritual resilience.

We are here to inspire tangible moments and share the light of loved ones who have passed away, always doing good in their honor, and the Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs and clean air for all.

Special thanks to Lifeway Kefir, Kid Friendly Venues App, GIRLSTRONG Empowerment Apparel, Mike Dyer with Edward Jones, JoePerillo.com, Hi-Five Sports Chicago, CenterForBeautifulLiving.com.

Deluxe Cleaning Services, and by these sponsors - [Whitney] Coming up on the Whitney Reynolds Show's current season.

- You know, I'd grown up knowing about Cabrini Green, knowing about the public housing projects in Chicago, but by the time I graduated, it was, the last of the high rises had been demolished.

And I was interested in exploring this relationship that this community has to a place that they called home that also no longer exists.

- Well, first of all, Jason is a single father, right?

Living in Cabrini Green.

And I haven't seen that really displayed a lot as far as African American dad in that particular situation in a housing project.

- You know, as time went on, my father became very possessive with my mother.

They were going through a divorce, and, you know, one day decided that it was time for it all to end.

And he took his life and my mother's life.

And I think obtaining that first job, working in a kitchen, washing dishes, it gave me a light of, you know, being able to obtain something almost immediately.

- So most of my life really, the first half, was lived as somebody else in a very different way.

And, you know, you get programmed, and you get taught, and you learn how to be what people want you to be.

The biggest thing for me was am I more important than my connections?

So yeah, I helped a lot of people.

I learned so much about trauma, and it felt good to help people while I was doing my own healing.

- And my research was the Black tradition in American dance, African American history.

And so my thesis was on Black dance in Chicago.

- [Whitney] Wow.

- Yes, and for years, I've been trying to figure out how to get back here to preserve and really work on that.

And in most cultural training, there's meaning behind everything.

So if you're doing Bharatanatyam in India, this movement means something.

The eye movement means something.

And so in our traditions, every song, every word, every gesture means something.

And so we're learning that.

And even if you're training in ballet, ballet is to tell a story through dance.

- [Announcer] Want to stay connected to all things Whitney Reynolds.

Well, follow us on social media, and you'll get exclusive content and updates from the show.

All episodes are available for streaming anytime.

- [Kids] Hi, Mommy!

(upbeat music)