New National UPF President Visits Chicago
Movers and shakers from Chicago recently gathered at the Woo Lae Oak Korean restaurant to meet the new leader of Universal Peace Federation (UPF USA), Ricardo de Sena. Senor de Sena had been to Chicago several weeks earlier to teach a Spanish Divine Principle Seminar.
On the evening of Thursday, June 5, Senor de Sena presented his vision for America to the group of 24 leaders including Dr. Brooks, Mr. Lee Walker—the founder of the New Coalition for Religious and Social Change, Professor Olfat El Mallakh—an Egyptian Coptic Professor of World Religion and Arabic Languages who has addressed our International Leadership Seminar in Korea and spoke in front of the tomb where Jesus was buried in Israel, Mrs. Mary Swopes, whose Mahogany Black Heritage Foundationraises funds through her educational programs and fashion shows to send inner-city students to college, and Mr. Robert Renteria—a Chicago Latino Civic Leader renowned for his work with anti-violence education and youth initiatives as well as the bestselling author of “From the Barrio to the Boardroom.”
The guests enjoyed a classic Korean dinner cooked right at the tables, while Senor de Sena presented True Father’s vision for UPF. The essence of his talk was that each of us must be encouraged to follow our passion in life. The most incredible people in the history of the world have always been those who, regardless of whatever the world might say, faithfully followed their passions. Senor de Sena’s presentation was stimulating and exciting and after a final group photo, many of the guests continued talking well into the night.
Senor de Sena is committed to visiting the UPF regions all across America. Since the conclusion of the dinner program, several of the guests have extended thanks to UPF for a wonderful program and expressing their commitment to working together to “straighten out the scoliosis” in America.
Chicago’s UPF chapter has a long history working with ministers and community activists, and the new president was inspired by many past events in this city. Last fall, Chicago’s new Illinois State UPF director, Mr. John Prevost, had organized an exciting American Leadership Conference in Chicago. The keynote speaker was Reverend Clyde Brooks who had been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s driver when he was in Chicago in the 1960’s. Since that time, Dr. Brooks has become the CEO of the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations, a non-profit organization stressing equality and diversity. He has received many honors and is a dynamic speaker.
This conference was followed up in December when UPF joined with Chicago’s True Family Values Conference to offer a two-day American Leadership Conference in Chicago. Again, Mr. John Prevost was an active organizer along with Dr. Thomas Walsh, Mrs. Tomoko Duggan and Rev. Tom Cutts. The conference brought 75 leaders from as far away as Keneshaw Mountain, Georgia, to suggest methods of how to change the heart and spirit of America in the second decade of the 21st century. Chicago and UPF USA look forward to many new initiatives under Mr. de Sena’s leadership.