Hearts and Hands: Making Peace in a Violent Time

Luis Rodriguez's life was once in the grip of gang brotherhood and rivalries, but unlike many who enter that world, he was able to turn himself...more

Luis Rodriguez's life was once in the grip of gang brotherhood and rivalries, but unlike many who enter that world, he was able to turn himself around. Informed by Rodriguez's work as a peacemaker with gangs in Los Angeles and Chicago, Hearts and Hands suggests concrete approaches to the issue of youth and violence. Rodriguez warns that sacrificing community values to material gain by incarcerating or marginalizing people is rending the social fabric. In his comprehensive approach, he includes real-life examples of the young people he has met on his path, incorporates specific strategies for change, and draws inspiration from Joseph Campbell, Lao-tzu, and Buddhist thinkers. Rodriguez's grassroots perspective gives his writing both weight and an optimism rarely encountered in the literature of life on the streets.   less