By Keith Loria
Growing up in Princeton, John Bailey learned early in life the importance of community and helping others, and found a strong mentor in Pete Young Sr. And that’s what led him to starting the Joint Effort-Princeton Pete Young Sr. Memorial Safe Streets Weekend nearly 10 years ago.
”He was a businessman, role model, a father figurehead in the community, and was important to me personally,” Mr. Bailey said of Mr. Young. “This event recognizes those who have made significant impacts in the Princeton community.”
This year’s Safe Streets Project will take place Aug. 13-16, beginning at 6 p.m., Thursday with a “John Witherspoon Community Historical Reflections” photo exhibit and collages by Romus Broadway at the Arts Council of Princeton’s Paul Robeson Center for the Arts. This will be immediately followed by a reception of the Princeton Men of Purpose.
On Friday, the program continues at 9 a.m. with a three-hour free Youth Basketball Clinic and a reception at 5:30 p.m., where the Joint Effort Safe Streets honors black women of Princeton at the First Baptist Church.
Mr. Bailey started the event with just a basketball game, but over time it’s evolved into a series of events that focus on community and making the streets a safer place to live and play. Past years have seen as many as 4,000 people come out, and Mr. Bailey believes that number could grow even higher.
”I have a particular skill set,” he said. “A lot of what I’ve learned comes from what I experience as a young adult and this is my way of brining some of that experience and background to the folks who helped me grow. This has grown into something great and so many people in the community are now a part of it.”
Today, Mr. Bailey is a political consultant in Denver, Colorado, but he makes sure to come back to Princeton each year to do his part in making the community a better place to live.
”This is a labor of love for me and a commitment to the community at the same time,” he said. “Every year I come home for a few weeks to develop programing and work in the community and instruct and construct anyway I can to try and make a difference.”
Mr. Bailey is a former director of the Weed and Seed program, which focuses on improving public safety through “weeding” out crime and “seeding” in youth recreational and education programs. He’s also served as national director of leniency for an anti-gang and anti-drug program for the Department of Administration.
”There’s going to be a lot of people recognized, a lot of people acknowledged and a lot of people participating this year,” Mr. Bailey said. “We think it’s going to be one of the best events yet.”
On Saturday, Aug. 15, events include a workout/condition class, a community discussion on the future of the John Witherspoon community, a community block festival and a meet and greet.
”The meet and greet is for folks who haven’t seen each other in a long time to just come and say hello,” he said. “Everyone’s not going to be able to make every event, and we wanted to give people the chance to get together and talk to old friends and associates.”
As it does every year, the weekend concludes on Sunday with the Pete Young Sr. Memorial Basketball Games and Joint Effort Community Award presentation of the Jim Floyd Lifetime Achievement Award and the Mildred Trotman Community Service Award at Community Park.
”I think it’s always important for people to support programs for young people in the community and this is just one more thing,” Mr. Bailey said. “A lot of times people can’t afford vacations, can’t afford to take their kids to camp, and this is an opportunity to put a lot of activities together, supported by corporations in the community, to help those who don’t have the chance to get away and enjoy some positive activities in the summer.”
For more information on the Princeton Safe Streets Weekend, call 609-647-2297.
