My Block, My Hood, My City planning to bring 1,000 youth to Loop on Saturday for "Downtown Day"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- My Block, My Hood, My City, a non-profit that mentors underprivileged youth, is planning to bring 1,000 teens to downtown Chicago on Saturday, but organizers say they're getting pushback after viral videos of teen takeovers.
CBS 2's Sara Machi found out they're not postponing their trip, and say those videos are exactly why they need to hold this event.
Organizing a pile of baby blue t-shirts on Friday, participants with My Block, My Hood, My City looked at a list of more than 50 partners signed on ahead of their first Downtown Day.
Hundreds of the shirts have already been handed out, to be worn by 1,000 teens and young adults as they fill the streets around downtown Chicago on Saturday; some, like Ashanti Marshall, signing up to see some of Chicago's attractions for the first time.
"We're about to do Chicago Skydeck, we're going to the Shedd Aquarium, we're going to the Riverwalk. I never did these things before," Marshall said.
Organizers said they have fielded some concerns about bringing so many teens downtown, after viral videos of teen takeovers, like one in April, but the videos only further make My Block, My Hood, My City's point that this event is necessary.
"Questions about youth safety, I mean we were talking about that for decades, right? And what we often do is we isolate young people from spaces. Right? We push them from downtown. We push them away from businesses. That doesn't show them how to operate in those spaces," said Nathaniel Viets-VanLear, director of engagement and outreach at My Block, My Hood, My City.
Participants agree. They've seen the videos.
"I don't really know how to explain it, but I really feel like, yeah, we are being charged for the wrong stuff sometimes," said Laronda Embry, 17.
The group acknowledges this could be a learning experience for them, and build trust across ages.
"Maybe if we change perspectives, and they network with us, actually talk to us, and give us a chance and let us come into their space, then they will see that we just need something to do," Marshall said.
Organizers said they hope this becomes their inaugural event. If it goes well, they will bring it back each year, hoping to grow not just the number of teens participating, but also the number of businesses that sign on. Their goal is to have every child in Chicago visit downtown by 2025.
Downtown Day is being thrown in partnership with the Chicago Loop Alliance and the Magnificent Mile Association, two prominent downtown business groups.
Participants were vetted when they signed up through youth organizations. Each of them is getting a $50 Visa gift card to spend money to keep them active and engaged.