Homies Unidos: Negotiating Peace on the Street Date: March 28, 2008 The Forum;
Length: 46 min.
Internationally renowned peace negotiator Alex Sanchez, who has been
integral in the development of peace treaties between South Los Angeles
gang members, was once a gang member himself. Due in part to his
background, his mediations were often suppressed by the notorious
Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, which refused to
believe that his brand of rehabilitation, education and compassion
could be more effective at prevention than incarceration. In 2000,
Sanchez was arrested and prepared for deportation to his native El
Salvador because of LAPD claims that his peace organization, Homies
Unidos, was a ruse for gang activity. Community activists, including
Senator Tom Hayden, appealed and eventually won his release. Today,
Sanchez is one of the luminaries of peace on the war-torn streets of
South L.A. and an inspiration to urban peacemakers across America. Join
Sanchez and local community organizers for a frank discussion on Santa
Fe's — and America's — growing gang problem
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