An evening black tie event at Confluence Park, a celebrity auction and brunch and a Saturday evening concert at Value City Arena have been postponed---indefinitely.
To bring the event to Columbus, Gibson worked with the city's Community Relations Commission. Commission Director Jim Stowe says in spite of the postponement the anti violence message stays the same.
Stowe says he spoke with Gibson's management today and plans are in the works to bring the concert back to Columbus next year.
Despite the cancellations of the celebrity events, a scheduled panel discussion on youth violence will still be held at City Hall Saturday morning.
The concert cancellation didn't curb the enthusiasm of hundreds of teenagers who gathered at Westland Mall today to talk about violence, in their homes, in the media, in their neighborhoods.... The youth summit was the first of several event set to take place this weekend...Teens split into groups and discussed gangs, domestic violence, music and violence and violence in the media. David Allen, who heads the group, says it is time for young people to take control and responsibility for their communities.
The twenty year old says as the homicide rate rose in the city that same violence reached close to home
14 year old Dulce Serano thinks boosting her peers confidence and self esteem would make a difference.
Serano believes the summit is a small step that will go a long way in changing the attitudes and behavior of her peers.