Free Workshop Addresses Surge in Bullying and AI-Driven Cyberbullying Threats Facing Local Youth Military Veteran and Bullying Prevention Expert Dāli Rivera to Lead Workshop on Identifying Bullying and Protecting Kids Online

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD - February 15, 2026 - As bullying and cyberbullying incidents continue to surge nationwide, amplified by increased AI integration and digital platform use, the Havre de Grace Youth Commission is taking action to protect local children. The Commission is hosting a free workshop for parents and caregivers on February 25, 2026, at 6:45 p.m., led by nationally recognized bullying prevention educator Dāli Rivera.

The workshop responds to parents' growing concerns about the nationwide increase in bullying and online dangers affecting their children, reflecting a broader national crisis intensified by artificial intelligence tools that enable new forms of cyberbullying, deepfakes, and anonymous harassment.

The workshop, "What is Bullying and How to Report It & Cyberbullying and Online Safety Practices," is part of the Stop Bullying Series: A Parent's Guide to Identification & Intervention. It addresses a gap that Rivera has witnessed throughout her eight years in bullying prevention: parents and educators rarely receive in-depth training on school bullying policies or effective advocacy strategies, especially as threats evolve with technology.

"Empowering parents and teachers to raise confident, bully-proof kids," said Rivera, founder of the Diversity & Anti-Bullying Academy (DABA) and DaliTalks LLC. "Parents will walk away knowing they have the tools to prevent their children from being bullied or becoming victims of online dangers, and they'll feel empowered to use their school's policies effectively to collaborate and create solutions that keep their kids safe."

Why This Workshop Matters Now
The Havre de Grace Youth Commission initiated this three-part series to support parents' mission with bullying prevention and online dangers affecting children. With cyberbullying incidents increasing as AI tools become more accessible to young people, the need for parent education has never been more critical. This workshop represents the first time DABA programming has been offered in Havre de Grace, bringing expert-level training that is typically unavailable to parents and educators.

Attendees will gain clarity on what legally constitutes bullying, learn where to find their child's school bullying prevention program, understand how incidents are investigated and handled, and master effective advocacy methods. The session also covers types of cyberbullying and online dangers - including AI-enabled threats -providing parents with concrete measures to keep children safe in digital spaces.

DaliTalks LLC
Dali@DaliTalks.com
POC: Dali Rivera

Havre de Grace Youth Commission
youth@havredegracemd.com
POC: President of the Youth Commission
711 Pennington Avenue, Havre de Grace, Maryland 21078

About Dāli Rivera
Dāli Rivera is a U.S. Army veteran, speaker, author, podcaster, and bullying awareness and prevention educator with a master's degree and over eight years of specialized experience. Her passion for bullying prevention stems from her own experiences as a bullied child and from advocating for her own children when they faced similar challenges.

What makes Rivera's approach unique is her dual perspective as both a military veteran and a mother who discovered the difficult truth: most parents learn about school bullying investigation procedures only after their child has already been harmed, if at all.

Through DaliTalks LLC, which she incorporated in 2017, Rivera has delivered workshops, keynote speeches, curriculum development, and consultation services to school districts, universities, private businesses, nonprofits, homeowner associations, libraries, and recreation centers across the United States, Canada, and Guatemala.

Rivera provides all content in both English and Spanish and hosts The DaliTalks Podcast, which creates conversations that educate and empower parents, educators, and leaders to take action against bullying and social inequities.

This release was published on openPR.