Gang violence has been reduced in Santa Rosa over the last twenty years — that’s according to police crime statistics and the city’s violence prevention partnership. The reduction in violence is partly due to the formation of this partnership — which pairs youth with services to keep them out of trouble. Reporter Adia White talked with the partnership's community outreach specialist, Salvador Sanchez Strawbridge, about why he joined a gang in Santa Rosa during his youth and how he’s been able to turn his life around.

 

On Sept. 22, Sonoma County's Community Action Partnership gave Salvador Sanchez Strawbridge a community engagement award for his work with youth. This report is part of our ongoing partnership with radio station KBBF. It's supported by a grant from the USC-Annenberg Center for Health Journalism Impact Fund.