The escalating problems of violence, crime and social breakdown among young people cry out for meaningful and sound policies and programs. The current response in the media and among policy makers is overwhelmingly oriented to punishment strategies, even though the United States already has the highest rate of incarceration in the developed world.
Offering a different model is the National Coalition to End Barrio Warfare/Barrios Unidos, acknowledged as one of the nation's most impressive grassroots organizations addressing issues of youth, violence and gangs. Its Director, Daniel "Nane" Alejandrez, is a veteran activist in California's Latino communities, struggling to stop what he calls "the madness that destroys our youth."
From the Barrio to the United Nations, Alejandrez has spread his message which combines analysis of the root causes of crime with concrete programs that offer youth positive alternatives. He is also Co-Chair of the Urban Peace and Justice Summit, the national organization that works to forge truces between African American and Latino gangs.
Alejandrez has been recognized for his inspiring efforts and is the recipient of numerous awards including the National Fellowship of Reconciliation Martin Luther King Jr. Award and a fellowship from the California Wellness Foundation.
