PRESS RELEASE: IZOTE Project Brings Paul Flores and Alex Sanchez to Discuss Issues Facing Immigrant Youth with Detained Youth
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—February 10, 2009—To start the morning off with a bang, City Youth Now's sponsored guest speakers, Alex Sanchez and Paul Flores, whom entertained and enlightened the young men detained at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center with their life stories, cultural awareness exercises and knowledgeable advice on how to keep the hope alive while detained at the Juvenile Justice Center. Paul Flores began the bilingual presentation with exercises that illustrated Central America's influence on the United States' culture. As an accomplished writer, playwright and performer, Paul's activities were extremely engaging and eloquently executed. The young men actively listened and participated in the conversation that included a geographical review of the Americas, which lead to exercises that encouraged cultural exploration.
Alex Sanchez facilitated the second part of the presentation, with stories of his experience as an immigrant from El Salvador, resident of South LA, incarcerated youth, and former gang member. Alex is Executive Director of Homies Unidos, an organization promoting peace and justice in Los Angeles. As a former gang member, Alex intrigued the boys with his explanation of why he joined a gang and advice on how to stay out of the Juvenile Justice Center once released. Alex provided the boys a wonderful example of how they can truly transform their lives by making changes from within.
To wrap up the discussion, Paul distributed a writing exercise to the boys that encouraged them to reflect on their feelings when they entered the Juvenile Justice Center. The writing worksheet also asked questions about their hopes and dreams, and suggested they reflect on ways they might change without "selling out" who they are, the "hood" they come from or their "homies."
About Alex Sanchez:
Alex Sanchez is an ex-MS-13 member who was deported back to El Salvador. Like many of his compadres he returned to the U.S. across the Mexican border but, unlike many of the others who went on to grow the gang across the country, he realized he was through with gangs and turned his life around. Sanchez founded Homies Unidos in Los Angeles, a non-profit gang violence prevention, mediation and intervention program that works to get young people out of gangs. He works as a youth advocate and gang consultant all over the nation and is the Executive Director of Homies Unidos in Los Angeles, CA.
About Paul Flores:
Paul S. Flores is a published poet, novelist, playwright, international spoken word performer and University of San Francisco Performing Arts and Social Justice instructor. Raised on the Tijuana/San Diego border, issues of immigration, border experience, and Latino identity are central to his work. He is primarily recognized as a trailblazer in new Latino performance arts as both an artist and producer. a featured artist on Season Four of Russell Simmons Presents: Def Poetry on HBO. Flores currently facilitates and develops curriculum for Oakland public schools on gang and violence prevention through the Spanish Speaking Unity Council and the City of Oakland's Measure Y Anti-Violence Campaign. This latter assignment has led Flores into working directly with incarcerated youth at Alameda Juvenile Hall where he has adapted the program to emphasize alternatives to gang membership.
About City Youth Now:
City Youth Now supports youth in the San Francisco foster care and juvenile justice systems by providing funds for services and programs that promote stability and personal growth. www.cityyouthnow.org
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Press Contact:
Elizabeth Fairbanks
Executive Director
City Youth Now
elizabeth@cityyouthnow.org
