Kings Feast Looks to Empower New Leaders

Homicides in Indianapolis this yea have topped 100. 

In response, the city launched the Your Life Matters initiative as a way to get young men, specifically African American young men, on the right track.

This weekend, another effort looks to have a similar impact on the same demographic.

The 4th annual Kings Feast Symposium is Saturday and the goal is to inspire a new group of leaders to move the city in a better direction.

Brandon Randall sees young leaders all around Indianapolis; the problem he says is that most of them don’t know it.

Randall is one of the coordinators of the Symposium and he hopes it empowers these young men to stand up and use their voice to create change.

"As the adults, we don't always have to be the ones to talk.  We need to let these young people talk because they have a lot of great things to say," said Randall.  "The more they talk and the more they are seen as a leader then the mentality can change that young people simply can't lead and two, that young people are actually the next generation of leaders."

Randall says there is a perception that young people are turning more quickly to violence to solve problems. 

But, he thinks reality is that the majority wants to express their anger and frustration through art, community engagement, and volunteerism, but need direction to connect with these options.

And he says the symposium will help steer them down those positive paths.

"There is a shortage of consistent programming.  But, what you are seeing is those pop ups of all of these non-profits that are youth oriented and youth based and so it's really helping the cause and it's really pushing the fact that there are some many people who are focused young people," he said.  "Because of that, we know that the young people in this city have positive opportunities to take a part of."

The Kings Feast Symposium is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Indiana Government Center. Randall expects about 150 young men to attend, up from 100 last year.