Unfortunately bullying has grown to a highly visible and very real negative trend in society. This is not another casual “Oh my, kids will be kids” approach, because actual suffering is going on. Ten-year-old Dutchess Shelvin and her 14-year-old brother, Sir-Domonique Cooper, are the multi-talented, academically smart children of Dr. Stephanie Cooper, a single parent.
The emotional agony caused by bullying is very real, and the time wasted at school addressing the ‘latest attack’ is senseless. Dutchess has had to undergo undue stress for being a victim of mean, spiteful and unnecessary bullying.
“I get my hair pulled because of my proud heritage crocheted braids and called mean names while being picked at for no reason,” said the soft spoken Dutchess. “I want it to stop, and all I ever wanted was to make kind friends and to do my best in school.”
Her mother and family wishes for the same, and surely it hurts them to see and to hear of their precious baby girl being battered. Mom Cooper is so proud of both her successful children and really proud of Dutchess for how she has handled the physical and psychologically abusive attacks on her daughter. Fortunately Dutchess has already begun the healing process and before it’s over with, her voice will be heard nationwide and throughout the world via a productive fight against bullying.
Dr. Cooper and Dutchess have started media interviews and hired a publicist to help them carry out this work. It’s not clear at this time what role her brother will play in this plan, but he certainly supports his sister and mom in this fight for justice. To keep the big reveal and launch close to their proverbial chest, they would only say very little. The academically smart and savvy 10-year-old will be launching a full scale anti-bullying movement which will include her first book conveying a snippet about her being taunted, teased and bullied by some of her peers. To make matters worse she and her mom have had to be subjected to occasional indecision and not treated well as victims. She has felt like she is the one under microscope scrutiny for calling attention to these real life horrors.
The family resides in the Houston, Texas area but they have strong ties to Tennessee and other parts of the country. It shouldn’t be difficult at all for Dutchess and her family to sweep the nation with a wave of projected positivity soon to be forthcoming. The bright 10-year-old with the beautiful rounded, dimpled face and authentic crocheted braids is indeed another ray of hope in the ongoing fight against the violence of bullying.
Both she and her brother currently attend schools that other noted (or famous) students have attended. She now attends Benfer Elementary and Sir-Domonique attends Strack Jar High School. Audiences have been advised to ‘stay tuned’ for the forthcoming announcements about what Dutchess will soon present. As for her proud mom, Dr. Cooper, she not only makes women’s history month more spectacular, but she has also demonstrated that a combination of prayer, staying seriously grounded, and a myriad of hard work pays off in raising good kids. It will pay off for everyone to the greater good.
