Yakima forum will lay out ways to fight gangs

Jessie Garza didn't want to use the term "gang" in the title of a parent and community training and forum scheduled for Saturday.

But with gang shootings a regular occurrence in the Yakima Valley, he couldn't avoid it.

"I don't like to give any more publicity to gangs, but unfortunately that's the language everyone understands," said Garza, who is director of parent and community involvement for the Yakima School District.

Garza hopes that when parents, kids and community members leave the five-hour "Stop Our Gang Violence Parent & Community Forum," they'll have new tools to tackle the problem.

Conducting the training will be Dora E. Treviño and Christina Pelayo, Yakima mothers who lost their children to gang violence and founded a group called "Stop the Violence"; Daniel Garza, vice principal of Lewis & Clark Middle School; and David Cortez, gang prevention and intervention specialist with the Yakima Police Department.

The program is free and there will be activities such as soccer, dodgeball and dancing for children while the parents are in training, which will be conducted in both Spanish and English.

Lunch will be provided, and there will be door prizes.

Garza said the purpose of the child-care activities is to give kids "a really fun time so they will be able to tell their parents of the alternatives out there."

A Sunnyside teacher who races pigeons will also be on hand to demonstrate the hobby, which is credited with building discipline and self-confidence.

The idea for the forum came out of Garza's popular parent groups for the Yakima schools, seminars that teach parents how to get more involved in their children's education.

He wanted to extend the opportunity to parents outside the Yakima School District and came up with the idea of partnering with Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital and the Yakima Police Department.

Garza knows there is no quick solution to the gang problem, but said the answer lies in repeating the message to parents and children over and over that gangs are a dead-end street.

"I keep hearing parents say we need help to keep our kids on the right path. Our goal is about keeping kids in a safe environment and giving them positive behaviors to model because what children see, children do."

If you go ...

What: Community forum and training on stopping gang violence

Where: Lewis & Clark Middle School, 1114 W. Pierce St., Yakima

When: Saturday

Registration: On site between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Forum lasts until 2:30 p.m.

Cost: Free and lunch and child care provided