"Dance Factory," a junior dance group.

On Saturday, December 9, two hundred young performers — singers, dancers, rappers, and steppers — ranging in age from 5 to 25 years old — dedicated their performances at the All Stars Talent Show at John Adams High School in Ozone Park to the memory of Sean Bell. During the show, which was sponsored by the All Stars Project and performed for an audience of 1,000 family and friends, the young performers made a special presentation/tribute to Bell. John Adams is the school Sean Bell graduated from. Click here to read the Newsday feature story on the talent show/tribute.

The dedication was read on stage by All Stars youth leader, Wil Farris, along with several dozen All Stars youth performers.

Young performers and All Stars youth leader, Wil Farris, gather on stage for tribute to Sean Bell.

Youth Dedication Statement

In Memory Of Sean Bell
A couple of weeks ago, we tragically lost a young person here in Queens. I’m talking about Sean Bell. Sean Bell was a graduate of John Adams High School.

Today, we the youth of the All Stars, have decided to dedicate our show to Sean and his family.

Thousands of young people have participated in All Stars shows in Queens over the years. The All Stars brings development to all corners of our city – and development is the alternative to violence.

The young people who participate in All Stars learn to perform and grow. But the All Stars is not just about individual performances and individual growth. At the All Stars, we stand for community growth and community development. And for a community to grow, it needs to be safe. Everyone needs to feel — and to be — safe. Our communities need to be free of violence of any kind.

The All Stars has been a positive anti-violence program from its earliest days. And when violence does occur, we all feel it very deeply, so today, we dedicate our All Stars show to Sean Bell, who was a victim of violence. And in honoring Sean, All Stars re-dedicates itself to work with all people throughout the city, to end violence and to start-up development.

We, the youth, must lead the way. Thank you.

“The All Stars believes that the only way you can combat violence is by building a positive alternative to it,” said Pamela A. Lewis, Director of Youth programs for the All Star Project. “In producing, performing and building the All Stars, the young people are saying: ‘Our communities are going to be positive and our communities are going to grow.’ That’s the statement they make, and that’s what the All Stars is all about.”