Boys II Men shedding light on dark places

• Reprints

During the 5th annual Phenomenal Man celebration at the Prisco Center in Aurora, Cameron Thierry, Matthew Vega, Diego Perez and Rev. Theodore Matthews were honored on Thursday, Jan.26, 2012. | Donnell Collins~For Sun-Times Media

Article Extras

Updated: February 28, 2012 8:14AM

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a decade since 12 young men came together on a cold, late fall afternoon in Aurora, and unknowingly created what would become their legacy.

On Thursday evening, the mayor of Aurora, local politicians, school board members and more than 650 other Boys II Men supporters showed up at the Prisco Center to honor the still-growing mission.

This Nov. 27, which has been named Boys II Men Day in Aurora by Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, marks the organization’s 10th anniversary. Thursday night was a celebration of that feat and of academic success throughout Aurora.

The Boys II Men hosted the Phenomenal Men of the Year awards to showcase some of Aurora’s finest students, and the organization’s brightest members. Theodore Matthews, Cameron Thierry, Diego Perez and Matthew Vega were honored as Men of the Year for their success in overcoming adversity.

“We are here to honor young men who are doing right — young men who are staying on the right path — young men who are phenomenal,” said Boys II Men founder Clayton Muhammad.

More than 200 young Boys II Men have gone on to graduate study at colleges around the country since 2002 when the mission began, Muhammad said.

Mayor Weisner, a longtime supporter of the Boys II Men, congratulated the families and friends of all the students who have strived for success.

“As I look around at audience tonight, I think we have a roomful of phenomenal men and women alike,” Weisner said, addressing the rows of supporters. “Thank all of you for all you do. Any child, in order to succeed, needs a support system. Obviously, the young people in this room have that.”

Man of the Year Matthew Vega is living proof that surrounding oneself with support can lead to greatness.

“Identify your gifts and how they are tied to the good of humanity,” said Vega, an Oswego East High School graduate. “(Boys II Men) was a service, and my mission since then is to model that service.”

He wasn’t meant to gang-bang or bend under the pressure of his peers, Vega said. Instead, he’s finishing up his undergraduate degree at Wheaton College, where he is studying biblical and theological studies. “I was a learner, teacher and servant. Those intangibles were important for me to identify.”

When he began the Boys II Men organization, Muhammad’s mission was to bring together black and Latino men in the midst of a deadly time in Aurora. He wanted to prove that the men had more commonalities than differences.

“Little did we know when we began this group, that we would grow in not only quantity but quality,” Muhammad said. “We’ve watched these men prove it can be done and that we do have students to lead us into the next generation.”

The Rev. Theodore Matthews, who was honored with his Phenomenal Man distinction on Thursday, has made a personal commitment to restoring hope, revitalizing vision and rebuilding his community, Muhammad said. He is becoming a prime role model to the next generation.

“All that this award means to me is to never give up,” he said.

Award winner Cameron Thierry also never gave up. Described as a “true scholar, always seeking knowledge and understanding,” this first-generation college student graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2011 with a degree in accounting.

“Don’t let circumstances overshadow opportunity — some of your darkest moments can turn out to be some of your brightest,” Thierry told the young students in the audience. “It is our mission to bring light to the darker places.”

One man bringing light to dark places is West Aurora High School graduate and Northern Illinois University finance major Diego Perez. There is one quote this Phenomenal Man of the Year lives by, and he’s turned the words into actions.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “to know one life has breathed easier because I have lived, that is to have succeeded,” Perez quoted.

In that case, he isn’t short on success. Perez has founded his own youth soccer team and serves as chief of staff of Boys II Men. He is now a Class E licensed volunteer youth soccer coach and mentor to many.

“In order to move forward, you have to give back,” he said. “Not everybody can be famous, but everyone can be great, because greatness is determined by service. I ask you to make that decision to be great.”