City boosters bare all in hopes of bringing about change.
CAMDEN -- Camden knows its woes: The fallout of fleeing industry, families dragged down by the crack cocaine epidemic, a lack of well-paying jobs and the rise of violent gangs to fill the void a paycheck couldn't.
On Monday night, a six-person panel heavily vested in what's best for Camden relayed their decades' worth of experiences to an audience who -- if all goes according to plan -- could use their positions of leadership to bring about real change.
And soon.
"What's the next step," former mayoral candidate, pastor and gathering organizer Amir Khan pondered, railing against the lack of progress he's seen following previous community meetings.
"There's been so many meetings in Camden with officials," lamented Pastor Gwendolyn Ann Cooke. "Here is the time for these state representatives to hear from people ... hearing their voice is the most important thing."
Present in the audience at the Camden County College conference center on Cooper Street -- to just listen, Khan said -- were people representing the FBI, DEA, New Jersey legislature, NAACP, Camden County Police Department as well as local community organizations and concerned residents.
From the comparatively halcyon days of the 1960s and 1970s to the decline that crept up in the late 1980s and the gang violence that still exists today, panelist gave an overview of modern Camden history and the shortcomings they've worked to amend.
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"We're living in a war zone," John Royal, of community organization The Village, said of the city that has witnessed a 2-year-old having his head cut off by his mother high on PCP.
"I look at the children at Camden High and marvel at them. I for the life of me can't understand how they do it ... their childhood and our childhood are night and day," he continued, adding that the post-traumatic stress and mental health issues among city residents must be addressed.
Claudia Cream, a retired educator who spent 36 years teaching Camden's youth, said the current focus on education in Camden is erroneously placed on "charts, not hearts ... don't negate the wisdom and experience we can bring."
"We don't need missionaries," Ronsha Dickerson, a lifelong city resident who raised her six children here, said of those swooping into Camden like its some sort of social experiment.
Addressing the August shooting death of 8-year-old Gabrielle Hill Carter, Khan said his heart "bleeds" and "cries."
"I believe that's going to be a turning point," he said. "It breaks all of our hearts."
And at the heart of Monday's two-part workshop, he said, is that a second follow-up meeting for the fall is in now the works. At that time, those who sat and listened Monday will get their turn at the podium to present possible solutions.
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.