Making the right choices is what dreams are made of.

That's the lesson the Rev. Anthony Pelham said he wanted young people to learn during Saturday's youth forum presented by Rosa T. Beard Debutante Club and RHEMA Connections Inc.

Referring to the youth as "dream chasers" throughout his speech, he told them to make the right choices by surrounding themselves with positive people and that making good decisions means getting rid of negative influences in their lives.

"In order to catch your dream, sometimes you have to risk losing everything," he said. "Not everyone is going to like that you are trying to go somewhere."

The "dream chasers" listened attentively, laughing occasionally, as he used his grandmother's proverbial sayings and lessons he had learned in life to reach out to the audience.

"I learned as you will learn, life doesn't owe you anything," he said.

A person's circumstances don't excuse them from dreaming, either, the Rev. Pelham said.

"No matter how much good you do, there's going to be someone who will remind you of the bad you did. But when you know who you are and whose you are, you won't allow anyone to mold you to their will," he said.

Although the forum focused on a younger audience, the Rev. Pelham had a message for the parents, too.

"It still takes a village to raise a successful child and someday into a successful adult," he said. "It takes a lot to be a parent today. No one can do it alone."

He encouraged parents to be someone their child can talk to, and not the child's friend.

"This generation is relationship driven. We have to know how to build a relationship with them," the Rev. Pelham said.

He said adults have to become more open and encouraging so that youths can make the right decisions.

"They are under so much pressure and there (are) not many safe houses where they can go to be themselves. We have to create those safe houses," he said.

The Rev. Pelham is an author, community activist and the pastor of Faith, Hope and Victory Christian Church in Lancaster, S.C.

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3904, or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.