Thomas James (TJ) Leyden has spoken on campuses and in communities nationwide and is the author of "Skinhead Confessions: From Hate to Hope."

His presentation "Turning Away from Hate" is a critical study of the white supremacist crusade in America as well as an inspiring story of a man's profound change of heart and way of life.

Leyden's speech is developed for students, parents, educators and law enforcement personnel. "The more violent I became, the more power I had. Violence equals power!"

This was the formula that TJ Leyden lived by for some 15 years; a trajectory that saw his rise from skinhead street-thug in southern California to leader in a national, neo-Nazi movement that sought to ignite a race war and overthrow the government of the United States by force.

That was more than a dozen years ago. TJ Leyden, now 43, renounced the culture of hatred with which he'd been so intimately allied, became a civil rights volunteer at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, and emerged as a leading advocate for non-violence and racial tolerance through education, activism and community service.

Of his former life, Leyden admitted, "I liked to fight. It started with kicking and punching and then evolved into stabbings and shootings." He said, "Law enforcement was beginning to take notice of me."

Leyden saw his options diminishing quickly: go to jail, or get away. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, advanced rapidly in rank, learned organizational and leadership skills. He elected to use his newly honed skills to further advance the white power movement. "When I got out of the military I came back to California. I became a regional recruiter for Hammerskin Nation, the largest neo-Nazi group in the world."

Leyden's leap from dangerous, bitter extremist to champion of non-violence evolved from a seemingly ordinary family moment. He describes this powerful awakening in his presentation. TJ Leyden has served as a consultant to the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Pentagon and several U.S. military bases.

He was a keynote speaker at President Clinton's White House Conference on Hate. He's conferred with former President G.W. Bush; served on former Gov. Gray Davis' Assessment Panel on Hate Groups in California, and advised law enforcement organizations throughout the U.S.

The Paradise Center for Tolerance and Nonviolence (PCTN) hosts TJ Leyden as the guest speaker at a Community Forum on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Elks Club Charter Room, Elk Lane at 6309 Clark Rd., Paradise.

Teens and adults are encouraged to attend. There is no charge for admission.

The forum is co-sponsored by the California Endowment and by the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California. For more information, contact PCTN at 877-1856.