As the city heads into summer, some Chicagoans are working to give young people more safe and productive options.
Mayor Brandon Johnson issued the following statement Friday afternoon:
"As we enter the weekend, I am urging parents, guardians and trusted adults to help prevent unsanctioned teen gatherings. Know where your children are and talk with them about the risks of attending these events.
"To Chicago's young people: do not attend these gatherings. They can escalate quickly and carry serious consequences. The Chicago Police Department will enforce curfew and applicable laws, and community violence intervention partners will be on the ground to help keep young people safe.
"Chicago is investing in its youth. Today is the final day to apply for Chicago Youth Works, the city's summer jobs program. I encourage young people to apply and download the My CHI. My Future. app to connect with summer opportunities.
"Stay safe, look out for one another and choose opportunities that invest in your future."
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Outreach worker James Mitchell prepared with his team to find out where kids might be gathering Friday evening. They like to be in the space first to get to know the teens and set the tone for a drama-free zone.
"Wanting to be social is what we want for our young people we want them to be come out and be safe and we want the residents to be able to enjoy the city it belongs to all of us," Mitchell said.
Mitchell was at 57th Street Beach Monday, where the crowd of young people grew and got out of hand. He is the Field Manager of the Crisis Intervention and Response Unit at Metropolitan Peace Initiative. The outreach team tries to stay ahead of trends and make sure teens understand the consequences of bad decisions and connect them to other options.
"The goal is to collaborate with park districts and a lot of entities in the city and find out what would be the best fit for our young people," Mitchell said.
Diane Latiker with Kids Off The Block has worked with thousands of young people in the Pullman Roseland area. She makes sure they feel genuine care and guidance. She saw they needed a safe space, so she took over a vacant lot across the street.
"I want them to feel better I want them to feel better in their community so they don't feel like they have to go downtown to do anything," Latiker said.
They will be working out Saturday at Mollison Elementary school. Trainers from Phenomenal Fitness are volunteering for a Restore the Youth Field Take Over.
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Trainer Sunny Akhigbe also founded A Boy and His Dream. His experience of being abandoned as an infant motivated him to make sure young people feel valued, so he created the free teen event Saturday.
"We will show them respect while encouraging to behave and behave right and be a good citizen," Akhigbe said. "I think is what the community desperately needs now and the best way to do that is to demonstration they are loved."
Akhigbe urges young people to use their phone to register for Saturday's field day instead of tracking the next teen meetup. He says parents are welcome too.
More information can be found here.