Story Archive

Revenge of the Nerd

Alex Hart-Upendo understands what it’s like to be bullied. “I was once voiceless. I, too, thought about committing suicide,” he said. “Thinking back to that time in my life makes me very sad, because there still are kids out there feeling this way.” So he became an anti-bullying champion, supporting an anti-bullying ordinance that was passed in his hometown of Racine, Wisc. He also speaks at local events, including giving a TEDx talk. He also learned to make his own bow ties and has turned that into a business model to raise awareness of bullying. “Bow ties gave me confidence,” he said. “They’re different, and I wanted to do something different.” Now, his Build-a-Bow workshops and website have earned him a place in the national spotlight, appearing with his mother on national talk shows like Harry Connick Jr. His mother, who taught him to make bow ties, also appears with him because of his age — Hart-Upendo is 11. (MS/Kenosha News) ...His legacy is just getting started.