Speakers and
Artists
The Every Youth Speakers and Artists Directory is offered as a resource for churches and groups seeking compelling voices for conferences, events and services. Each speaker has been recommended by one or more Every Youth coalition member organizations.
However, Every Youth does not endorse individual speakers, and the views expressed by speakers are not necessarily those of all Every Youth coalition members or Every Youth as a whole. Diligence is urged in discerning the unique strengths and messaging of individual speakers.
All arrangements must be made between the inviting entity and the speaker.
Speakers
Click on speaker for bio.
Eugene Schneeberg
Director
Every Youth, Every Facility
Scott Larson
President and CEO
Straight Ahead Ministries
Hanne Larson
Vice-President
Straight Ahead Ministries
Amy Williams
Founder
A Hope Dealer
Rev. Dr. Harold Dean Trulear
National Director
Healing Communities
Artists
Click on speaker for bio.
Domingo Guyton
Musician
Seven Johnson
Musician
LongBoi
Musician
KJ-52
Musician
Urban D
Musician
Datin
Musician
Disciple (D.I.)
Musician
Eugene Schneeberg
Director, Every Youth, Every Facility
Eugene Schneeberg is an award winning speaker and trainer. Eugene is an expert at providing staff training in the fields of prisoner reentry, fatherhood, youth violence prevention & faith-based partnerships that result in increased effectiveness of practitioners. Eugene provided strategic advice to the White House Office of Faith Based & Neighborhood Partnerships and senior leadership at the US Department of Justice after being appointed by President Barak Obama as the Director of Faith Based Partnerships for the U.S. Justice Department from 2010-2015.
Before going to the Department of Justice, Eugene served as Director of Operations for the Straight Ahead Ministries’ Boston and Lynn Community-based Re-entry Centers.
Eugene is a results-driven, visionary leader with solid executive level experience in the federal government as well as non-profit management. He possesses an in-depth understanding of strategic planning, performance measurement and has helped implement several multi-million dollar criminal justice initiatives.
Eugene has received numerous awards authored several articles and has addressed hundreds of audiences including leading many trainings and workshops. He has appeared on ABC, CBS and has been quoted or referenced in the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Huffington Post, the Christian Broadcast Network and many other new outlets.
Speaker Location: Washington, DC
Speaker Topics:
- Youth Violence Prevention
- Fatherhood and the Impacts of Fatherlessness
- Youth Re-Entry, Transition from Lock-Up to Community
- Faith-Based Partnerships
Scott Larson
President and CEO, Straight Ahead Ministries
Dr. Scott Larson is the President and CEO of Straight Ahead Ministries, which he co-founded with his wife Hanne in 1987. As a thought leader in the field of juvenile justice ministry, Scott has developed Straight Ahead's innovative engagement model for leading transformational change, authored 13 books on working effectively with high-risk youth, and provided leadership training and resources for hundreds of teachers, social workers and juvenile justice workers.
Scott is also the Founder of the Every Youth, Every Facility initiative, a national movement created to reach justice-involved youth with the hope of Jesus Christ. Scott has a Master of Divinity degree and a doctorate in leadership development. He is also an adjunct professor at Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary's Center for Urban Ministerial Education.
Speaker Location: Worcester, MA
Speaker Topics:
- Reaching the Marginalized and Forgotten
- Effective Ministry with High-Risk & Justice-Involved Youth
- Teaching for Transformation
- Engaging Conflict in Ways that Transform Character
- Action Methods & Experiential Teaching Models
Hanne Larson
Vice-President, Straight Ahead Ministries
In 1987, Straight Ahead Ministries began with a single Bible study led by Hanne Larson in a juvenile detention center. For the past 39 years, Hanne has served high-risk and incarcerated youth with a passion to see their lives transformed by Jesus Christ.
Hanne is the author of the book 9 Charles Street: Remembering the Power of the Lord, which details the early years of ministry with youth who lived in the Straight Ahead Ministries discipleship home as they transitioned out of the juvenile justice system. Most recently, Hanne developed and oversees the Youth Internship Program, equipping youth who have transitioned out of the juvenile justice system for services to others impacted by poverty, crime, violence and incarceration.
Hanne holds a degree in Social Work from Bethel University.
Speaker Location: Worcester, MA
Speaker Topics:
- Effective Ministry with High-Risk & Justice-Involved Youth
- One-on-one discipleship with High Risk Youth
- Teaching Effective Bible studies in Juvenile Detention Centers
Amy Williams
Founder, A Hope Dealer
25-year youth ministry veteran, Amy L. Williams follows her passion to minister to teens involved in gangs, youth on probation/parole and those lost in the criminal justice system – at the core of which life-on-life mentoring is her key strategy. As a certified Gang Intervention Specialist, her journey of youth ministry continued as she heard God’s call to move into a Latino gang neighborhood in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community to be a “Hope Dealer to the dope dealer," doing street outreach and walking life with young people on her block.
Amy is currently the Project Coordinator for the Illinois Youth Center (IYC) for New Life Centers Chicagoland. Her role coordinates and brings restorative justice programming and peace circles into the St Charles Juvenile Detention Center. She is also organizing and leading the North Park Seminary Juvenile Justice Co-hort for leaders working with youth in the criminal justice system.
Speaker Location: Chicago, IL
Speaker Topics:
- Working with High Risk Youth
- Understanding Mass Incarceration
- Gangs and Gang Culture
- Transformational Mentoring Approaches
- Mentoring Youth in Gangs and Behind Bars
- Navigating the Justice System
- Understanding the School to Prison Pipeline
- The Power of Hope in the Lives of Youth
Rev. Dr. Harold Dean Trulear
National Director, Healing Communities
Harold Dean Trulear is an ordained American Baptist minister and serves as Associate Professor of Applied Theology at Howard University, where he is also immediate past president of the Gamma of DC chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
He is also Director of the Healing Communities Prison Ministry and Prisoner Reentry Project of the Philadelphia Leadership Foundation. Designed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Healing Communities has been implemented in over 25 sites nationally, in partnership with such organizations as the Progressive National Baptist Convention, The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church and the D-Free Ministry.
Dr. Trulear is on the pastoral staff of Praise and Glory Tabernacle in Southwest Philadelphia, and also serves as a Fellow at the Center for Public Justice in Washington, DC. He has taught religion, public policy and community studies in several institutions, including Yale University, the University of Southern California, Hartford Seminary, Eastern University and Vanderbilt University. Dr. Trulear is a graduate of Morehouse College (BA) and Drew University (PhD).
Domingo Guyton
Musician
Domingo Guyton was born and raised in Boston, MA where he developed a profound understanding of urban culture from his every day encounters. The early years of his life are documented in two books: Teens With The Courage To Give (featured on the Oprah Show in 2000) by Jackie Waldman and Passionaries by Barbara Metzler. Domingo is a Husband, Fathers, Artist, Producer, Writer, Actor, Teacher, Man of God.
Artist Location: Atlanta, GA
See More:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ncjGgQWwxA&list=PLY1oHvk0cF9Kd-FX_AYiGVW6lI7oW03K2&index=1
https://open.spotify.com/artist/19Srmrw9ZxRlc2NhF4Ug80?autoplay=true&v=A
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/domingo-guyton/501061529?ign-gact=3&ls=1
Seven Johnson
Musician
Seven J has seemingly had a way with words since birth. He has provided mentorship for troubled youth for over a decade in Jacksonville, Florida. Seven also is an award winning rapper with a heart to inspire, motivate, and bring truth with every lyric he pens. Sure to motivate & entertain!
Artist Location: Jacksonville, FL
See More:
LongBoi
Musician
LongBoi was born and raised in Tampa Florida. He grew up on the eastside of Tampa with his older brother, his mother was a single parent. At the age of 12 LongBoi hit the streets and started to get into a life of crime. He experienced a lot of bad things at such a young age but at the same time had good in his heart. LongBoi is now on a mission to bring change to the streets and other individuals that share some of the same struggles he went through.
Artist Location: Tampa, FL
See More:
https://www.instagram.com/23longboi/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRNDV7DzNF9Xpo8wVC1vgrA
KJ-52
Musician
Jonah Kirsten Sorrentino better known by his stage name KJ-52, is a Christian rapper from Tampa, Florida. The "KJ" part of his name refers to his old rap alias, "King J. Mac," a name which he later described in one of his podcasts as "horribly cheesy. "52", which is pronounced "five two", not "fifty-two", is a reference to the Biblical story of Jesus feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish.
KJ-52 was awarded the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Never Look Away" and Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards of 2007. On July 28, 2009, KJ-52 released "End of My Rope", which is the first single for his album Five-Two Television. Since then he has released several noted singles, an independent album "Jonah"(2017) and a joint album "What Happened Was" (2019).
KJ-52 rapped in the Newsboys cover of Jesus Freak and the tobyMac remix of "One World" on the album Hip Hope, which contains a remix of his song "What You Want".
Artist Location: Cape Coral, FL
See More:
Urban D
Musician
Tommy “Urban D.” Kyllonen has been in ministry for over 20 years at Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida. He holds a BA in pastoral theology from Southeastern University and attended their masters level church leadership cohort.
He has been the lead pastor at Crossover for over 15 years. Under his leadership the church has grown from 40 to over 1,000. This multi-ethnic, multi-generational, multi-class church has become a model. As they grew they relocated into a 43,000 square foot retail building that was a former Toys R’ Us in the heart of Tampa’s urban community. Outreach Magazine recognized Crossover as one of America’s Most Innovative Churches. Crossover has also been featured in USA Today, Newsweek, CBS News, BET News, and several regional media outlets. Tommy has also been featured on TBN, 700 Club, JUCE TV Networks.
Urban D. is an internationally known hip-hop artist that has released 9 full length albums and several remix projects. He has performed and spoken at concerts and conferences across the U.S. as well as overseas in Japan, Australia, The UK, Germany, and Nigeria. He has also authored four books and is the publisher of S.O.U.L. MAG Magazine.
Tommy is also the founder of the Flavor Fest Urban Leadership Conference which has trained close to 5,000 leaders at Crossover since it’s inception.
Artist Location: Tampa, FL
See more:
Datin
Musician
Edward Berrios better known by the stage name Datin, is a Christian hip hop musician of Puerto Rican decent. He has released several projects including his hit mixtape "Turn It Off Vol 1", "The ROAR", "The Menace Mixtape", "Hell In The Hallway", as well as featured on many other popular artist albums. On February 12, 2016, he released his first studio album The Roar under God Over Money Records. This album was his breakthrough release and landed at the top of several Billboard magazine charts.
Datin began his career as an underground battle rapper and although he was unsigned he was still pretty well known. Datin, having many wins under his belt (including earning the title of 106 and Park freestyle Friday champion) started to catch the attention of several record labels. He nearly signed with Shady Records before giving his life to the Lord. In 2014 Datin signed with God Over Money Records.
His first studio album The Roar was released on February 12, 2016. This album was his breakthrough and landed upon the Billboard magazine chart, where it placed and peaked on the Christian Albums at No. 11, Independent Albums at No. 18, Rap Albums at No. 18, and Heatseekers Albums at No. 6.
Artist Location: Newark, NJ
See More:
https://www.themenacemovement.com/
https://www.facebook.com/datin.berrios/about?lst=1395537412%3A1419860176%3A1582976491
Disciple (D.I.)
Musician
Born Marc Auguste in Port-A-Prince, Haiti, Disciple (D.I) grew up in church and was raised in a Christian environment. Most of his family members knew Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, but Marc spent most of his life questioning if there really was a God. At the age of three, Marc and his family moved from Haiti and came to the United States of America. His mother worked as a secretary and was also a women's seamstress at the time. Marc's father was a DJ of traditional Haitian music and worked full time as a taxi driver. Together, they provided a stable environment for him and his younger sister Gesphania to grow up in. Marc spent most of his childhood years going to school and having fun. He was also in church with the rest of his family almost every Sunday. Even though he grew up in church, he never really had a real relationship with Jesus Christ as a child.
Marc has been into music for as long as he can remember. It didn't matter what kind of music it was, music fascinated him. He quickly developed a talent for percussion and by the age of 10 he was playing the drums. That same year, he was introduced to and fell in love with rap music. He loved rap music so much that he would buy entire albums and memorize them, from beginning to end. By the age of 14, Marc was going to Boston Latin School, one of the top middle/high schools in the country. The school's way of teaching was more than what Marc was used to and as a result, he gave up on school. He stopped doing his work and turned to the street. Half the time, he wasn't even in school that year.
It was that same year that Marc went to a youth retreat in New Hampshire and accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. Two weeks after his encounter with Christ, he prayed for a unique gift that would allow him to minister to others. The next day Marc wrote his first verse and realized that it was rapping. His cousin and best friend Jean Daniel was a Christian rapper at the time so Marc told him about his new found desire to preach the Gospel through rap music. When Jean heard Marc rhyme for the first time, he was so impressed that he allowed Marc to rap at some events that he had coming up. The first time that Marc rapped on stage God used him to minister and the crowd loved it and that same night Jean gave him his stage name: Disciple (the D.I. part came later). Ever since, Marc has been honing his skills through prayer, practice and plenty of ministry opportunities.
Artist Location: Boston, MA
See More:
