Teen Madea returns to his elementary school where he was bullied to spread message of kindness

Friday, Nov. 14, 2019

News 12 at 6 O'Clock

AUGUSTA, GA (WRDW/WAGT) -- Genesis Williams, also known as Teen Madea, took his talents back on the road on Friday at his former school, Copeland Elementary.

"It's a very serious topic, and somebody needs to step up and talk about it," said Genesis Williams as Madea.

"I used to get bullied a long time ago," Williams said.

He was bullied in 5th grade at Copeland in the same lunchroom that he performed in on Friday

"We used to be having financial problems, and so the stuff I used to wear, I didn't have any school supplies, stuff like that," Williams said.

He said some of the kids overheard him asking a teacher for school supplies, and the teasing and rumors spiraled from there.

It's something Copeland Principal Laurie Taylor still sees going on today.

"I see a lot of just, unkind behavior," Taylor said. "I identified it as an issue that I wanted to address, and what greater way than doing it this way."

Now as a senior in high school, having made it out on the other side of bullying, Williams said his goal is to help other kids going through the same things he did.

"It means a lot to me that I could stop something, that I could start something new," Williams said.

While this was William's first stop at a Richmond County school, he said it certainly won't be his last.

Principal Taylor said he'll be invited back to Copeland soon, next time to speak to the younger grades.