At-Risk Youths Learn How to Avoid Trouble

Like many children her age, 8-year-old Iris Garcia was told by her mother never to talk to strangers and to stay away from gangs.

She once watched a television program in which a young boy was lured into a car by a stranger and she constantly saw the problem of gangs, drugs and violence around her Casa Rita Apartment complex in Huntington Park.

On Tuesday, Iris learned a few defensive karate moves, but more important, she learned the valuable lesson of being in control of her future.

Iris was among 450 at-risk youths from throughout California who participated in “Rap & Chat . . . Not Just Talk,” a daylong youth summit on alternatives to drugs, gangs and violence Tuesday at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport.

The summit, in its fourth year, was presented by the Affordable Housing Management Assn., a nonprofit organization composed of management agents and owners of low- and moderate-income, government-assisted housing. All of the youngsters at the summit, ages 6 to 18, live in HUD-assisted housing and were participants in the association’s “Drug-Free Kid” poster contest.

The carnival-like atmosphere featured 10 workshops, divided by age, that dealt with social issues plaguing young people, including sexually transmitted diseases, gang prevention, dealing with disabilities and building self-esteem.

The workshops were led by a magician, a comedian, a karate expert, musicians and other entertainers. One special guest, who spoke about the choices people make and the consequences that follow, was John Louis, son of former boxing champion Joe Louis.

During one session, Chris Cassamassa, a karate expert who has appeared in the “Mortal Combat” movie and “Walker, Texas Ranger” television show had his class at attention, showing youngsters how to protect themselves by using both karate and a loud, resounding “Stop.”

Iris sat in the front of the class and appeared to be mastering the techniques taught by Cassamassa, while 6-year-old Ruben Murrillo of Azusa, who sat near the back, appeared to have a harder time.

But at the end of the session, Ruben, who said he gets picked on quite a bit because he is small, was chopping, blocking, punching and throwing snap kicks a la Jackie Chan.

Motivational speaker John Alston, the keynoter, said he hopes that the message of the day will get through to most people.

“There are a lot of people who never grasp the idea that life is bittersweet,” he said.

“If you don’t control your mind, somebody else will,” he said, speaking about the many influences affecting young people.

Shiree Portillo, 14, the national winner of the poster contest, admitted that she “messed up in junior high school,” hanging out with “people who did not care about school” and letting her grades drop below a 2.0 grade point average. Shiree, who lives in the Alosta Gardens complex in Azusa, said she also began to disobey her mother’s orders and stayed out until 1 or 2 a.m.

But with the help of friends, Shiree said, she hopes to bring her grades up at Serra High School, a continuation school in Azusa.

One of her friends persuaded her to enter the poster contest. She entered an almost portrait-like drawing showing the ill effects of using drugs.

“All I want to do now is go to college and have a good education,” she said.