ENGLEWOOD — A group known as the "Army of Moms" is holding a special prom Saturday for neighborhood teens and young adults who never attended their own.
“There are some kids who were incarcerated, or dropped out, or never got to go to prom for one reason or another,” said Tamar Manasseh, the organizer of Mothers Against Senseless Killings.
But she said going to such events is really important. Prom "is a rite of passage,” she said.
The event is serving as a fundraiser for the group and is open to anyone who buys a ticket. Donors can sponsor tickets for teens or young adults to attend.
Fundraiser proceeds will go toward securing a building that the mothers group wants to turn into a community center this winter.
Manasseh formed the group in June to patrol the neighborhood where she grew up after the slaying of Lucille Barnes, 34, in the 7500 block of South Stewart. The Bronzeville resident said that her roots will always be in Englewood, which is why she cares so much about the welfare of the community.
She and other mothers hoped to stop any retaliatory violence on Stewart and nearby streets. They recently expanded to a new block after a resident on Facebook reached out to them for help.
Manasseh said the idea to host a prom came about when she realized that many of the teens and young adults in the area had never attended a black-tie affair.
“Sometimes if you look different, you feel different. So we’re going to put them in tuxes, instead of white T's and blue jeans. Maybe if they look like gentlemen, they’ll feel like it.”
Some of the attendees recently were fitted for tuxedos at the Men's Wearhouse, which provided the formalwear at discount.
Rabbi Capers Funnye, an Englewood native, is the leader at Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, 6601 S. Kedzie Ave., which Manasseh has attended since she was a child.
Funnye said he supports the work she has been doing and plans to go to the prom.
"I really and deeply respect her taking her Judaism, her faith, to the streets to make a difference in the lives of people, to help stop and end the violence that is plaguing our city," he said.
Although he attended his prom in 1970 and his wife's in 1972, he's excited to attend a third one.
"It was a fantastic time," he said. "Prom was very special moment in time for me. I want to attend because I want to support the work of MASK and Tamar."
The group is expecting 75 attendees. The prom will be at an undisclosed location on the South Side from 8 p.m.- 2 a.m. Saturday.
The location will be provided to anyone who buys a ticket for $75 at Eventbrite. There will be an open bar for adults and silent auction.
Those who can’t attend are encouraged to sponsor a ticket or make a donation, also on the Eventbrite site, to help pay for the teens and young adults from the neighborhood.
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