With a passion for the performing arts and a heart for teaching, Philadelphia native Erica Brown stumbled upon the opportunity of a lifetime, or so she thought.

Brown, an actress, was trained at Temple University, Freedom Theater's Intensive Training Program and The University of the Arts. Having worked for an arts non-profit program in the past, she was eager to begin working with at-risk students again, teaching them interactive theater games, elocution techniques and the like. This time it would be in Brooklyn, New York and for a faith-based non-profit.

"I always wanted to move to New York and I was sure the transition would be a smooth one," said Brown, 26.

The pros of moving from Philadelphia to New York were tremendous: lower cost of living, being able to work among Christians and the use of her God-given talents.

Not soon after starting her new job at Revelation Performing Arts and Athletics Urban Youth Ministry, she realized that faith-based did not equate to honest business practice.

Brown would end up working without pay for an entire ten weeks - all the while developing curriculum based off of a New York State arts and education model as well as teaching daily classes on character development and biblical scripture.

She was responsible for rent in both Philadelphia and New York, which became nearly impossible to pay.

In addition to wages, there were other necessary legal steps that Brown claimed were not followed.

Bibi Chapman, one of the organization's founders and its executive director, promised to pay instructors monthly beginning in October 2009, Brown said.

The date was pushed back to the first week of November, then was ultimately promised to be paid no later than November 30, 2009. None of the projected dates were honored.

In addition to not paying employees, the instructors themselves were in violation of state and federal regulations which require persons working with youth to be fingerprinted and cleared by FBI background check.

According to the New York Administrative Code, Title 21, 21 119 (derived from Local Law 60/1984), individuals who work for entities that are under contract with the City of New York to provide child care services, home care services and family shelter services must be screened for criminal convictions and/or pending criminal actions. All prospective hires must have their fingerprints checked against New York State and federal criminal records databases.

"Fingerprints and background checks were never done on me or any of the other instructors working with the youth," said Brown.

Hoping to investigate the situation further, Brown contacted Pastor Clarence Williams from Southern Baptist Church, who is listed on the organization's website as a board member. She later received an email stating that Williams was not a board member of the organization and suggested that Brown resolve the issue with Chapman herself.

Brown then requested a written statement requesting the date and amount of payment she should expect. This would be sent to Brown's rent management company to justify her inability to pay. Chapman failed to include an amount.

To date, the Chapmans have refused to answer calls or give direct responses as to when instructors would be paid.

NEWD Magazine contacted Chapman for her story. She responded with an email stating:

"Touch NOT God's Anointed!" . . . WOE to SHE who falls in the hands of an ANGRY GOD! Erica's fight is with the LORD HIMSELF; for I NO LONGER FIGHT MY BATTLES! Slander is a COSTLY THING!!!!!!!! There is already one law suit pending and I am more than happy to add NEWD and its interest to the suit!"

Brown has since taken legal action to receive the $5,200 owed to her by Revelation Performing Arts and its owners.

Unfortunately, she is not the only individual who has fallen victim to Chapman.

Dina-Verley Sabb-Mills is a former dance instructor for Revelation Performing Arts and Athletics Urban Youth Ministry. She was hired on September 11, 2009 and remained with the organization until November 30, 2009.

"I have never received payment for the work I did at John Wilson for the Revelations Program," said Sabb-Mills, 26.

To date, Chapman owes Sabb-Mills roughly $5,400, which she has still not received. She has also taken legal action.

Sabb-Mills counts her time at Revelation Performing Arts to be a learning experience. She believes making decisions should come from a gut feeling.

"Follow your heart always. Your instincts will always let you know when the latter outweighs the former," she said.

This entire experience has left Brown with distaste for faith-based non-profit organizations, but she still uses her abilities to instruct youth and believes that not all faith-based operations have to operate at that level.

She is currently completing her master's degree in urban studies with a focus in youth leadership and arts in transformation and continues to use the performing arts as a means to promote personal growth and development in the old and young alike locally and abroad.