In This Issue - Welcome To The National Compadres Network · 1/3/2017 · On June 14-15, 2016, Marcia Rincon-Gallardo, and Xinachtli facilitators Laura Tinajero and Emily Santiago,

National Compadres Network Newsletter View this email in your browser

In This Issue:

Message from the Executive Director

Announcements

Save the Date for Zoot Suit in Los Angeles Wisdom Keepers & Movement Leaders GatheringChicana/Latina Girls in the Juvenile Justice System ConferenceNCN at the White HouseOngoing NCN Research: Women's Health & XinachtliJoven Noble Graduation at Fresno Barrios Unidos

Articles

La Cultura Cura Making an Impact in SantaCommunities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)

Message from the Executive Director

Héctor Sánchez-Flores

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Hello friends and partners,

The National Compadres Network (NCN) devotes its effort to create pathways

to heal and provide support to families and communities throughout the nation.

This newsletter highlights two ways that NCN has partnered with local

communities to accomplish this goal. The Wisdom Keepers convening in

Denver, Colorado where community residents came together to listen, dialogue,

and plan their process of healing was inspiring to witness. Youth, Yelders(young elders), and Elders coming together to work toward a common goal is

what will sustain their healing process.

The Chicana/Latina Girls in the Juvenile Justice System Conference was held

in Salinas, California to highlight ways that the juvenile justice system can

transform itself to meet the complex needs of young women. We were told that

is was the first ever convening dedicated specifically to the healing needs of

Chicana-Latina young women. The network that will result from this meeting will

inform practice and policy well into the future. Although a great deal of work lies

ahead, I am grateful to all who devoted time and energy to plan AND attend this

conference.

Finally, Sara Haskie-Mendoza, our Manager of Women & Girls Programs,

attended the White House convening which examined the intersectionality of


multicultural issues that affect young women of color. Sara and three young

women from Maryland, who are part of La Cultura Cura Network in

Montgomery County, attended this important meeting. It is heartening to see

that the needs of young women in the juvenile justice system are being

highlighted and recognized. NCN has always recognized that all our children,

both sons and daughters, are part of our Circle of Kinship and will require

unique approaches and supports to succeed in life.

As we embark on a new year it is imperative that our collective work in all

realms (policy, practice, and leadership development) include a commitment to

heal and grow. Although the national environment is undetermined, we cannot

forget that we possess the collective teachings from our family, culture, and

ancestors to thrive—not just survive. Let us move forward together.

Con respeto siempre,

Héctor Sánchez-Flores

Executive Director

SAVE THE DATE for Zoot Suit in Los Angeles

Save the date for a special matinee performance of Zoot Suit on March 18 at2:30 pm at the Mark Taper Forum in downtown Los Angeles.

In Zoot Suit, Luis Valdez weaves a story involving the real-life events of


the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial — when a group of young Mexican-Americanswere charged with murder — and the Zoot Suit Riots. In the play, Henry Reyna(inspired by real-life defendant Hank Leyvas) is a pachuco gangster and hisgang, who were unfairly prosecuted, are thrown in jail for a murder they did notcommit. The play is set in the barrios of Los Angeles in the early 1940s againstthe backdrop of the Zoot Suit Riots and World War II.

For ticket information and purchase, please visit thislink: https://squareup.com/store/national-compadres-network-inc Proceeds from this performance will go towards our Flor y Canto José MontoyaMemorial Scholarship.

Elder Wisdom Keepers & Movement Leaders Gathering

The National Compadres Network, Brotherhood of Elders Council, DenverUnity Council and GRASP (Gang Rescue and Support Project) with fundingfrom The Denver Foundation and The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, hosted agathering of Elder Wisdom Keepers and next generation Wisdom Teachers &Movement Leaders on October 17 & 18, 2016 at Su Teatro Cultural &Performing Arts Center, Denver Colorado.

The Gathering supported transformational healing among young leaders andbolstered the collective rooted leadership of social justice activists. The eventacknowledged our collective struggle, the importance of our familial and social


relationships, and the willingness to work on a collective strategy. Close to 90

people attended the Gathering, ranging in age from 14 to 70 years, with

approximately 51 men and 36 women representing diverse communities across

12 cities and five states including Colorado, Florida, South Dakota, Texas and

all parts of California.

The opening ceremony set the stage for what was to come:

· A drumming ceremony set a rhythm and cadence to ground those

gathered, reminding participants of our ancestral connections

· A water blessing reminded the Gathering of the sacredness of water, not

taking our basic resources for granted, and always giving gratitude for that

which replenishes us

· A teaching on the healing process reminded those gathered that it is often

painful to face each other when we are disconnected but that it is necessary for

our healing

The Gathering offered youth the opportunity to voice their concerns; identify

cultural teachings we need to share, protect, and strengthen; show how we can

blend intergenerational medicine; support transformational healing; and

effective ways of passing down teachings. The Gathering ended with

commitments from the elders, yelders (young elders) and youth. The hostorganizations committed to producing a Gathering video for distribution, sharing

and disseminating information through various media, developing strategies for

continued engagement of the Wisdom Keeper Network, and the development

of an intergenerational training program.

For more information, please contact Osvaldo “Ozzie” Cruz at [email protected]

The Wisdom Keeper logo is designed as a Chimalli (Shield).

The three symbols are the Hummingbird, the Sun, and the symbols for Palabra (word). The

Hummingbird (which is used by indigenous cultures in the Americas as well as in Africa)

represents a messenger spreading the wisdom of transformational healing. The Sun represents

the light of Love. The Palabra symbols are used so we may spread this message with integrity.

Chicana/Latina Girls in the Juvenile Justice System


Conference

The National Compadres Network (NCN) and NOXTIN: Equal Justice for All,

partnered with the NoVo Foundation and OJJDP's National Girls Initiative (NGI)

to hold the first "Chicana/Latina Girls in the Juvenile Justice System"

conference at the National Steinbeck Center, on November 2, 2016 in Salinas,

California.


Speakers focused on increasing awareness of the trauma and obstacles thatresearch shows drive Chicana/Latina girls into the juvenile justice system. Theyspoke of alternatives to detention such as girl centered programs that areculturally rooted and healing informed which can better intervene to decreasethe number of girls in detention and their re-arrest. Local leaders reportedpromising efforts around systems change using a racial equity strategy knownas Governing for Racial Equity.

National leaders from the Office of Juvenile Justice and DelinquencyPrevention's National Girls Initiative, along with regional juvenile justice leaders,advocates, community and girls, focused attention on systems improvements tobetter meet the needs of Chicana/Latina girls in and at risk of entering thejuvenile justice system. “The latest research on girls in the juvenile justice system supports qualitativeevidence that Chicana/Latinx girls in the system are highly likely to haveexperienced past physical and sexual abuse, trauma, and mental healthchallenges,” said Sara Haskie-Mendoza, Manager of Girls and Women'sPrograms, National Compadres Network. “The behavior that results in girlsbeing detained is often related to trying to survive, cope or escape theextensive abuse,” she added. "Such drivers are considered todisproportionately lead to detention of girls of color, LBTQ girls, and girls whoare gender non-conforming. In the most extreme circumstances, girls areactually criminalized because of their victimization", said Marcia Rincon-Gallardo of Noxtin, Equal Justice for All. Conference highlights included a keynote address by the Honorable JudgeKatherine Lucero of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, along with eightworkshops, and three plenary panels. Chief Probation officers from fourcounties attended the conference along with a total of 100 participants, amongthem, approximately 20 previously system impacted young women.

NCN at the White House


In 2016, both Sara Haskie-Mendoza and Marcia Rincon-Gallardo were invitedto the White House to speak on behalf of women and girls. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) invitedSara Haskie-Mendoza to attend a White House Conference and conduct aworkshop on gender responsiveness on September 16, 2016. Over 200attended the conference with approximately 40 attending her workshop. With30 school superintendents in attendance, Ms. Haskie-Mendoza’s workshoplooked at school discipline and how gender responsiveness and healing-informed approaches can lead to better discipline policies and practices,including campus policing. On November 17, 2016, Ms. Haskie-Mendoza accompanied three girls(pictured above) to a White House meeting on girl leadership development toexamine the intersectionality of multicultural issues. The three girls came fromMaryland and New Mexico, ranged in age between 13 and 14, and all weregraduates of a Xinachtli group in their hometown. The meeting asked girls fromacross the nation to discuss various intersecting issues they face in their liveslike education, gender identity, the juvenile justice system, neighborhoodpolicing, and sexism. The girls spoke from experience and eventually offeredtheir solutions. Listening and learning from this meeting were White House staffand other members of the White House Council on Women & Girls. On June 14-15, 2016, Marcia Rincon-Gallardo, and Xinachtli facilitators LauraTinajero and Emily Santiago, attended the United State of Women: Girls at theCenter: Understanding Obstacles and Exploring Solutions gathering at theWhite House. In addition, in March, Ms. Rincon-Gallardo attended a WhiteHouse roundtable sponsored by the National Girls Initiative titled "UnintendedConsequences: Addressing the Impact of DV Mandatory/Pro-Arrest Policies


and Practices on Girls and Young Women".

Ongoing NCN Research: Women's Health & Xinachtli

As part of our ongoing effort to better understand and serve, NCN conducts

research along several lines, including Healing-Informed Practice, Fatherhood,

Youth Development and most recently Women’s Health. In a recent survey

administered to 42 service providers, we asked participants to identify the top

three health needs of young women. The service providers, which were mostly

Latina/Chicanas (85.7%), working at non-profit community-based organizations

(47.6%) or public schools (23.8%) identified the needs presented in the graph

below.

A second area of research is the development of a culture-based assessment

instrument for the Xinachtli curriculum, a youth development/rites of passageprogram for young women. As we establish the instrument’s psychometric

properties, we can appreciate the effectiveness of the program at changing a

few selected indicators.

Pre-Post Comparison of Selected Indicators


(N = 21) * ANOVA F Value Sig. P < .05 ** Sig. P < .01 *** P. < .001

Joven Noble Graduation at Fresno Barrios Unidos

Joven Noble principle #1: Be a man of your word.

A seemingly simple teaching, however, one that’s practiced by few. We’d like to

congratulate the Joven Noble graduates from Fresno Barrios Unidos for

keeping their word, working hard, and being willing to learn! Five young men

graduated from their latest group, exhibiting responsibility, leadership skills, and

striving to use the four principles of a Noble Man that they learned during the

twelve-session curriculum. During group sessions, the young men connected

with their cultures, learned how to make healthy decisions, set goals,

developed leadership skills and more, all while building strong friendships in the

process. There’s beauty to be seen in youth coming together from all corners of

the city to share positive energy. These five young men are now considered

Hombres con Palabra, Men of their Word!

La Cultura Cura Making an Impact in Santa Cruz By Frank de Jesus Acosta


Cara y Corazon Graduating Class, December 2016

The shift from clearly failed state and national policy of mass incarceration of

adults or detention of juvenile offenders is beginning to see progressive change

towards Restorative Justice. A critical policy strategy shift is the investment of

resources by local counties in creating community based alternatives to

punitive driven corrections. For Latino, indigenous, and other young men and

boys, the adoption of comprehensive evidence based culturally rooted

approaches as building blocks to a restorative justice system is critical.

Thanks to Compadres such as Jaime Molina, NCN is making a profound impact

of policy and systems change in communities across the country. Jaime is a

LCC master trainer presently serving as a Program Coordinator for the Mental

Health and Substance Abuse Services of Santa Cruz County, working for the

past 17 years with adolescents who use drugs and/or alcohol, have mental

health issues, and possible gang affiliation. His work and partnership with NCN

has helped LCC cut across County family services, youth development,

workforce education, prevention and early-intervention, re-entry, and inter-

disciplinary Cultural Competence.

In 2005, a Santa Cruz County Assessment found LCC curricula such as JóvenNoble, Cara y Corazon, and Xinachtli to be among the most effective modelsengaging community and family. The result has been the adoption of the LCC


framework and annual training of approximately 600 staff and local leaders in

the curricula. Today, in excess of 500-600 boys, young men, girls, young

women, and adults receive a 10-week cycle curricula in schools, conferences,

community organizations, and various other venues. The LCC curricula has

been in area schools for over ten years, currently with 12 schools engaged with

all three NCN curricula. Moreover, the curricula are being offered in a growing

number of venues including Residential Housing sites, Juvenile Justice

facilities, County Jail, and a cultural adjustment model for hard to reach

immigrant communities (e.g., the Day Laborers Project called Centro

Jarneleros). Jaime points out that it is truly monumental that the LCC model

has been embraced across disciplines, departments, and systems as a

legitimate medicine or solution to healing, restoring, and building up resiliency

of culturally diverse individuals, families, and communities. Given this reach,

Jaime has represented NCN as a consultant working to effect change across

the “School-to-Prison-Pipeline.”

La Cultura Cura has been embraced as a highly successful evidence based

best practice in improving the status of boys and young men of color and the

greater Santa Cruz County, thanks in large part to the sustained work of Jaime

Molina. See www.santacruzhealth.org..

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)By Frank de Jesus Acosta


It was in the early 1990’s, when as a young man he faced the specter of

spending years in California Youth Authority detention, that George Galvis

faced the trajectory of his own woundedness. While attending College of San

Mateo, George met a circle of people who shared his experiences with gangs,

streets, and violence. It was while attending a community peace conference

sponsored by Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos that he was exposed to street

organizing strategies guided by cultural awareness, education, and community

involvement to promote justice, peace, and real social change. As George

states, “I immediately realized it was exactly this path of healing culture that our

young people needed to understand. In fact, it was this healing culture that

changed my own life forever and became my calling. La Cultura Cura, theguiding philosophy and strategy upon which I co-founded the Barrio Outreach

Committee in 1994 and now guides my present work with Communities United

for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ) in Oakland.”

“Returning to the old ways and virtues of LCC heals, keeps us whole, and

restores balance. The LCC framework is central to the work of CURYJ. What

we are doing now is deliberately working to amplify and apply LCC framework,

values, principles, curricula, and strategies to Restorative Justice modalities. In

addition to changing individual lives, the goal is to build local capacity to change


the system and policy’s approach to restorative justice from punitive to one of

healing and wholeness, thus creating an agency for change.”

CURYJ has partnered with Jerry Tello and NCN to introduce the LCC

framework and Healing Circles as cornerstone practices of Restorative Justice

in numerous communities including Coachella Valley, Salinas, and other areas

in the Central Valley. As George points out, “it is progress to be addressing

disparity-related and inter-generational trauma for boys and young men of

color. LCC Restorative Justice requires moving beyond trauma to heal, critically

reflect, learn, and establish new understanding; helping people, families, and

communities find true self, belonging, inter-connectedness, voice, and agency.

Restorative Justice basically means returning balance.”

CURYJ intends to continue its partnership with NCN to provide support to

communities across the state to build local infrastructure on the strengths of

LCC Restorative Justice. CURYJ is first and foremost a movement building

organization. Enabling our young ones and adults in community to reclaim

cultura and spirituality to journey from Conocimiento to Movimiento is central toour mission. See www.curyj.org.

To learn more about the National Compadres Network, please visit our website at nationalcompadresnetwork.org

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In This Issue - Welcome To The National Compadres Network · 1/3/2017 · On June 14-15, 2016, Marcia Rincon-Gallardo, and Xinachtli facilitators Laura Tinajero and Emily Santiago,