Morgan was a victim of bullying at just 8 years old. Her mother told her that when hard things happen in life, one can choose to ignore it, blame others, or contribute to the solution. Morgan's choice? Ensuring that 1,233 public schools in Kentucky became protected by a formal anti-bullying bill through Kentucky legislation.
At first, Morgan endured bullying silently, which progressed into stomach spasms, and panic attacks, and eventually, her pediatrician diagnosed her with clinical depression. This led to Morgan and her mother, Susan, starting the Guess Anti-Bullying Foundation to turn Morgan's suffering into a solution for Kentucky’s youth.
Morgan stood before the Kentucky legislature as the only student among a 26-member panel to help initiate a statewide task force that studied bullying in Kentucky. She acted as a spokesperson, and successfully lobbied the Kentucky legislature to pass a bill formally defining bullying in the state.
She continued her advocacy by accepting calls and pictures from students struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, which prompted Morgan to open mental health drop-in centers for young people to receive mental health services. She also hosted annual Kindness Color Walks so that her community could start the school year off committed to kindness and on Christmas Eve, started a tradition known as Scarf in the Park, where volunteers hung hats, scarves, gloves, and socks on trees and bushes for unhoused individuals and families in need.
Today, Morgan is a third-year student at Duke University, majoring in Computer and Political Science, and the Guess Anti-Bullying Foundation eagerly anticipates the release of “Be Kind” Kentucky license plates in 2024 to raise 1.7 million in 10 years for youth mental health services.
Morgan received a National Jefferson Award for an Individual 25 and Under for her grassroots anti-bullying activism and continues to spread kindness and mental health support throughout Kentucky and the nation.
