CHICAGO YOUTH EXPLOSION 2000
Local Leaders & National Celebrities Rally For Our Youth

  ~  by Ernie Thomas  ~


     It's no great secret that America as a nation is losing it's children in
greater numbers everyday to gangs, violence and drugs.  Each day newspaper
headlines and news broadcasts greet us with a growing number of reports about
children who have become statistics. Clearly something is wrong!  

   Finally, some local leaders are pulling their heads out of the sand. They
are realizing that the problems and dangers, killing our young people and
tearing apart our families will not just go away?

    Several Chicago leaders have come together to try and make a difference. 
They know that each passing day, more young people get pulled down by the sea
of negative forces they face on a daily basis.  

    "Save the children!" - is a battle cry that has started ringing loudly
throughout Chicagoland communities.  In response, many of Chicago's religious
and civic leaders have rallied together to fight the good fight for the sake
of the kids in a program local ministers have named J.A.M. (short for Jesus
And the Millennium Child). 

   The first giant step of this city-wide collective venture is the
presentation of "Chicago Youth Explosion 2000", a massive two day,
multi-media conference to be held at the McCormick Convention Center (East
Building) on April 20th and 21st. 

    The conference host of "Chicago Youth Explosion 2000" is the world renown
Dr. Noel Jones, the Pastor of the Greater Bethany Church of Los Angeles and
the brother of film and music star Grace Jones. 

   Dr. Jones was quick to respond to a call for help from Chicago's Dr.
Marcenia Richards, who for over 15 years has been a youth counselor for the
city and a youth pastor for her church, Bethlehem Healing Temple Church. 
Richards was the impetus in assembling Chicago's religious leaders into an
inter-faith coalition to protect and educate the youth of Chicago. 

    "This is the first time in Chicago's history that churches - black white,
and Hispanic - are coming together regardless of their racial make up or
denominations, to work side by side to break down the stigma that churches
have with today's young people," said Dr. Richards.  "Sometimes church
leaders tend to focus too much on what goes on within the four walls and not
enough on what happens outside those walls.  In doing that, we often fail to
meet the needs of the young people.  We want to change that."

    J.A.M.'s message to the youth is -  "You are our future!"  - according to
Dr. Richards.  "We know that young people often have no place to turn when
they need help. What better place is there than the church," she said.  "It's
a positive alternative to turning to gangs or turning to drugs."

    The goal of "Chicago Youth Explosion 2000" is to deliver that message
loud and clear to Chicagoland youth.  Through a virtually non-stop
multi-media agenda that includes everything from poetry readings to rappers
to high steppers,  J.A.M. hopes to open the eyes and ears of young people to
the positive alternatives to the negative forces which challenge them.

   This will be done through two jam-packed days of educational, motivational
and inspirational workshops and seminars featuring such topic headings as:
"I'm Caught Up And I Can't Get Out", "My Parents Are Not K-O-O-L", "Violence
In School", "Choosing A Career" and more than a dozen others. 
 
   There will be an abundance of 'star power' to help fuel the fires of
interest.  Joining the many religious and civic leaders at the various
seminars, giving motivational speeches and performing, will be a host of
international celebrities from the sports and entertainment world.

    Among those already committed to lending their time and talent on behalf
of Chicago's youth are - Deon Sanders of the Dallas Cowboys, Terry Cummings
of the Golden State Warriors, Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles,
Chicago's R&B superstar Robert "R" Kelly, gospel group, Tonex, gospel singer
and radio broadcaster, Vickie Winnans, comedian/film star Chris Tucker
("Saturday Night Live"), film stars Larenz Tate ("Dead Presidents", "Menace
II Society", etc.) and Clifton Davis ("Amen"), and BET talk show host, Tavis
Smiley.  

    Many other athletes and actors/actresses are expected to join in on the
cause and will be announced in the coming weeks.

   "The kids of today are very much a sight and sound generation," said Steve
Munsey, Pastor of the Family Christian Center of Munster, Indiana.  "In our
society, our children are bombarded daily with movies, television, music,
videos and the internet, all showing them the bad things of the world. 
Church leaders today are beginning to realize that we have use those same
means to bring God's Word to people if we are to succeed.  Through
entertainment we can level the playing field a little.  Why should Satan have
all the good gimmicks?"

    A highlight of the many Christian entertainment events, will be a Power
106 Radio-sponsored presentation of the critically-acclaimed, original stage
production, "Heartbreak Hotel/Hotel Hallelujah" at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April
20 at the Arie Crown Theatre.  The musical drama was written and directed by
Munsey, who is also host of the nationally syndicated Christian television
program, "Yes, You Can!"

   Among the dozen or so key Chicago religious leaders joining Jones,
Richards and Munsey in putting on "Chicago Youth 2000" is Father Michael
Pfleger of  St. Sabina Catholic Church, who is well known for his stance
against billboard advertising by alcohol and tobacco companies that targets
young people.  Pfleger is the priest who took on Smokin' Joe Camel and won.  

    Speaking to young people about both the Blood of Christ and the blood
running in the streets of Chicago, will be Rev. Claudel Ervin, a local
minister who is also the recently retired Police District Commander of the
city's 11th District, which for the last three years led in Chicago
homicides.  "Rev. Ervin has seen a lot of death and sadly, most of the
homicide victims he saw were young people," said Dr. Richards.

    Others to take part in various seminars and panel discussions include
such civic leaders as: Paul Vallas (CEO, Chicago Public Schools), Alderwoman
Emma Mitts (37th Ward), Alderman Walter Burnett (27th Ward), Superintendent
Terry G. Hillard (Chicago Police Department), Scott Lassar (U.S. Attorney's
Office), Dr. Gary Slutkin (Chicago Project For Violence Prevention), Bobbie
Steele (Cook County Commissioner), Michael Scott (Chairman of Chicago Park
Dept.), Taft Harris (General Manager of WYBA, WYCA and WYAA radio stations),
Elroy R.C. Smith (Program Director of WGCI radio), Dr. Mary Nelson (President
and CEO/Bethal New Life) and George Daniels (George's Music Room). Others
will be announced.

    "I want to see our kids stay in school, stay off drugs and stay out of
gangs.  I want to see these young men and women rise above the problems and
the temptations that face them as adolescents and become well-educated and
morally-sound adults who will become contributing members of the community
where they live," concludes Dr. Richards. "I think 'Chicago Youth Explosion
2000' is a great way to start down the path we need to travel in order to
making those things happen!"