Jun 13, 2008 5:39 pm US/Central
Healing The Hood: Anti-Gang Street Festival
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Little Village, a neighborhood that was home to two of the 24 Chicago Public School students murdered in the last year is having a street festival as part of an anti-gang strategy.
As CBS 2's Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, before painting murals, former street gang member Efrain Gonzalez was convicted of felony drug dealing and nearly died when rival gangsters shot him.
"I looked at myself and that was the first time I ever scared myself," said Anti-Gang Counselor Gonzalez. "Because I seen in my eyes, they were very dark."
Gonzalez will deliver his anti-gang message at a weekend festival.
"We're taking back the streets and we're healing the hood," said Violence Prevention Director Mike Rodriguez.
Four blocks along this stretch of 28th street will be closed in Little Village from noon until 5 p.m. on Saturday for "Healing the Hood", an event that will feature a two-story high water slide, and thousands of people are expected to attend. Violence prevention will be one big focus of the festival.
"We'll have some food, let the kids get active," Gonzalez said. "There's a lot of activities going on: poetry, art… It's going to be very enjoyable I think."
Kids eat for free at Saturday's festival. CBS 2 is also a sponsor of the event.
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