KCRG-TV9 and Wartburg College Television are teaming up to fight bullying in Eastern Iowa with a one-hour special Sunday, May 5.

“The Bullied: Stand Up and Speak Up” is designed to educate families about bullying and what can be done to stop it, while providing a forum for open discussion. It will air at 6 p.m. on KCRG Channel 9.2 and online at www.wartburgcircuit.org/bullied.

KCRG-TV9’s Ashley Hinson and Wartburg Television’s Danny Housholder will host the program with stories from victims of bullying, including persons with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths, and schoolchildren.

Guests include Jeremiah Anthony and Ben Nelson from West High in Iowa City who started the “West High Bros” Twitter feed as a response to bullying online and were featured on the “Today Show” in 2012.

“There are a lot of problems in the world, a lot of problems that you and I probably can’t solve,” Anthony and Nelson said, “but bullying is a problem that anyone and everyone can solve.”

Wartburg student Andrew Tubbs, a first-year student from Des Moines, will talk about how bullying in regard to disabilities. He was born without the radius bone in his arms, causing them to be very short, and has low-blood platelets.

“Educating the public about bullying is important because we can no longer think of bullying as a kid occasionally being picked on in school,” Tubbs said. “Bullying has evolved into a multifaceted problem where the effects have become difficult to see.”

A panel of experts will offer advice to families and youth affected on how to stand up to bullying and stop it.