The youth organization Leaders of Tomorrow last Friday met with police officers for a conversation intended to benefit both groups.
The discussion took place at Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association, 900 E. Howell St.
Leaders of Tomorrow was founded in 2018 by Juan Adames, now a freshman at Salisbury University (Maryland). Adames drove home from college for Friday’s event.
Arianna Cabrera, a senior at Nazareth Academy, serves as president of Leaders of Tomorrow. Zach Anderson, a Temple freshman, is vice president.
The young people and police officers broke into four groups to get to know each other better.
The police contingent included Deputy Commissioner Joel Dales, 2nd Police District community relations officer Mark Mroz and Upper Dublin Township Chief Fran Wheatley.
The young people included members of Leaders of Tomorrow and the Police Explorer Cadets.
State Rep. Jared Solomon, who works closely with Leaders of Tomorrow, was also in attendance.
In the last couple of years, Leaders of Tomorrow has held a Silence the Violence day at Houseman Playground, coordinated a Thanksgiving food drive that benefited more than 200 families and donated care packages to families during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. The group is planning a Christmas toy drive, dressing as elves to make the deliveries with Solomon as Santa Claus.
Mroz suggested that the young people consider joining a Junior Police District Advisory Council, taking part in Police Athletic League activities or attending the Civilian Police Academy.
The Philadelphia Police Department is forming a youth advisory council that Leaders of Tomorrow members will be able to apply to join.
For more information, go to leadersoftomorrowllc on Instagram and leadersoftomor8 on Twitter. ••
