Jason Hamza Perez calls the time he spent at the Worcester Youth Center “The Golden Years.” “We had lots of fun, but did some serious work helping at-risk youth, especially at 27 Chandler St.,” he said. Through the Worcester Youth Center, Jason learned it’s possible to help youth turn their lives around.

“The Youth Center allowed me to see that we can take difficult and perhaps negative situations and turn them into beautiful learning experiences to help change peoples’ lives,” he said.

He believes youth empowerment saves lives. “A friend of mine said, ‘Youth need elders to show them the way, but not get in the way.’”

Youth need elders to show them the way, but not get in the way.

Jason, who now lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the director and founder of the YA-NE youth center (Youth Alliance for Networking and Empowerment). He also oversees a drug dealing-prevention program for youth in Pittsburgh Public Schools who sell and use drugs, called the Diversion Program.

His success with youth has drawn global attention. A co-founder of the Light of the Age Mosque in Pittsburgh, Jason was ranked as one of the top 500 most influential Muslims in the world in 2010 by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre for his work. In 2009, PBS released an award-winning film, “New Muslim Cool,” about his life, his music and his community.