The History of Barrios Unidos: Healing Community ViolenceThis is the compelling story of Barrios Unidos, the Santa Cruz-based organization founded to prevent gang violence amongst inner-city ethnic youth. An evolving grass-roots organization that grew out of the Mexican-American civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s and 1970s, Barrios Unidos harnessed the power of culture and spirituality to rescue at-risk young people, provide avenues to quell gang warfare, and offer a promising model for building healthy and vibrant multicultural communities. Co-founder Daniel ñNaneî Alejandrez spent his childhood following the crops from state to state with his family. His earliest recollection of ñhomeî was a tent in a labor camp. Later, he was drafted in to the Army and sent to Vietnam. ñFlying bullets, cries of anguish and being surrounded by death have a way of giving fuel to epiphany. This war made as little sense to me as the war raging on the streets of the barrios back home.î He decided that when he returned home, he would dedicate himself to peace. Nane AlejandrezÍs story of personal transformation, from heroin-addicted gang banger to social activist and youth advocate, is closely tied to that of Barrios Unidos. Through interviews, written testimonies, and documents, Frank de Jesus Acosta re-constructs the development of Barrios Unidos or literally, united neighborhoods from its early influences and guiding principles to its larger connection to the on-going struggle to achieve civil rights in America. Today, Barrios Unidos chapters exist in several cities around the country, including San Francisco; Venice-Los Angeles; Salinas; San Diego; Washington, DC; Yakima; San Antonio; Phoenix; and Chicago. With a foreword by Luis Rodriguez, former gang member and author of La Vida Loca: Always Running, the book also includes historical photos and commentaries by leading civil rights activists Harry Belafonte, Dolores Huerta, Tom Hayden, Manuel Pastor, and Constance Rice. Mandatory reading for anyone interested in peace and social justice, The History of Barrios Unidos gives voice to contemporary inter-generational leaders of color and will lead to the continuation of necessary public dialogue about racism, poverty, and violence. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Building an Organization Sustaining a Movement | 41 |
The Barrios Unidos Theory of Change and Strategies in Action | 63 |
Essential Voices on Civil Rights and Community Peace | 139 |
Dolores Huerta | 141 |
Harry Belafonte | 153 |
Tom Hayden | 164 |
Constance Connie Rice | 175 |
Manuel Pastor | 187 |
Authors Observations Conclusions and Thoughts About the Future | 201 |
Palabras de amor justicia ypaz | 237 |
Other editions - View all
The History of Barrios Unidos: Healing Community Violence Frank de Jesús Acosta No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
achieve activists activities advance advocacy African American agenda Angeles Barrios Unidos Barrios Unidos leaders BU's building California CCSSC Center ceremony César Chávez César Chávez School challenges Chicano Chicano movement civic civil rights movement Coalition to End community peace movement community violence community-building core create Cruz Barrios Unidos cultural and spiritual D-Q University Dolores Huerta early efforts elders End Barrio Warfare establish families Foundation founders García grassroots groups Harry Belafonte healing helped Henry Domínguez human important incarceration indigenous institutional issues juvenile Latino leadership learning lives ment multicultural munity Nane Alejandrez Nane's nation Native American nonprofit nonviolence organization organization's organizational participants partnership peace warriors political poor poverty prison programs promote rios Unidos root Santa Cruz Barrios Simba Circle social change social justice staff strategies street struggle summit Sureños sweat lodge tion traditions Unidos's United Farm Workers violence prevention vision young
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