Positive Vibes Only Brings Message of Leadership and Prevention to Peoria Youth at “Don’t Start at the Park” Event
Positive Vibes Only continued its mission of uplifting youth and promoting positive decision-making by partnering with local leaders for the annual Don’t Start at the Park event on Saturday, June 28 at the RiverPlex in Peoria. The community-centered gathering honored real-life heroes including Peoria firefighters and public school resource officers, while encouraging young people to be leaders and make healthy, impactful choices.
The “Don’t Start” initiative stands for “Don’t start gangs, guns, drugs, bullying, or vaping.” Throughout the afternoon, youth and families heard powerful messages reinforcing the importance of staying in school, leading with kindness, and choosing a path that creates positive change in their communities.
The event was hosted by Joe Couri and War Muhammad, both of whom performed and delivered motivational speeches to the crowd. Positive Vibes Only founder, singer-songwriter and actor RJ Griffith, also took the stage to perform and speak to the youth about the value of making wise decisions, surrounding themselves with the right influences, and believing in their ability to shape their own future.
“Our mission with Positive Vibes Only is to meet young people where they are and show them what’s possible when they lead with purpose,” said Griffith. “This event is exactly the kind of environment where those messages come to life.”
Positive Vibes Only is a nonprofit organization that provides mentorship, music-driven programming, and safe spaces for young people to explore their creativity, build confidence, and develop leadership skills. The organization believes that consistent exposure to positive role models and empowering experiences can inspire lasting change.
In partnership with passionate community leaders like Joe Couri and War Muhammad, Positive Vibes Only continues to build bridges between art, advocacy, and education.
To learn more about Positive Vibes Only or to support upcoming youth programming, visit www.positivevibesonly.org.