Photos by BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Javier Ramirez speaks with the 'Alitas' musical group from Eagle Valley Middle School after Ramirez discussed gang issues at Mark Twain Elementary School on Friday evening. Pictured clockwise from left is Erica Ramirez, 14, Dallana Medina, 14, Kassandra Galarza, 14, and Maria Chavez, 16. BELOW: Ramirez speaks to a group of parents and students about gang issues at Mark Twain Elementary School on Friday. Ramirez serves as an outreach coordinator for Carson City.
Jorge Ibarra says he belongs to Jesus now, and he says his pain is gone.
"The Lord is my shepherd," a plaque in his house says in Spanish, "I shall not want."
He thinks a bad childhood made him join a gang when he was a teenager, but he says he doesn't want to blame anyone.
He's just happy he's out and can help others leave.
Ibarra, 32, says gang members don't stop him when he tells them about God.
"They listen because there's too much suffering in their hearts," he said.
But Ibarra isn't the only one in Carson City's Hispanic community who is concerned about what many say is increasing number of teenagers joining gangs.
School, government and community groups led by Hispanics say it is a a problem and they're trying to teach Hispanics, who make up about a fourth of the city's population, and the rest of the city what to do.
Some people, however, don't understand how much the Hispanic community is doing to stop gangs, said Javier Ramirez, the city's outreach coordinator.
Hispanics are involved with groups such as the Carson City Community Coalition, which Ramirez leads, that talk directly with the Hispanic teens who might be tempted to join gangs.
Ramirez pointed out, too, that only a small number of Hispanics in Carson City are in gangs.
"Most Hispanics are hard working," he said. "Most Hispanics are just trying to make a living."
The Hispanic teens that do join gangs do it mostly for the parties and popularity, said John Aguilar, who has worked with city gang members through his Bible study, Victory Outreach, for five years.
Most that do join gangs are not violent, he said - but they are in a situation that can encourage it.
This is a problem, he said, especially because more and younger teens have started to join gangs.
Tony Urrutia, a city juvenile probation officer, agreed that most gang members in the city aren't violent, but the number of members is rising.
He estimated that out of 3,000 teens, about 50 are in gangs, and not all of them are Hispanic.
The best way to deal with gang problem, Urrutia said, is more education for teens, parents and law enforcement.
He said miscommunication, for instance, is a problem because Hispanics are often reluctant to cooperate with police investigations. This is not always out of disrespect, however, because in many Spanish-speaking countries, people who report gang crimes suffer retaliation, he said.
Leticia Servin, of the Carson City parent group Comite de Padres Latinos, said some parents also are frustrated that Hispanic culture is sometimes confused as gang behavior by teachers or police.
The kind of cars they drive, the kind of jewelry they wear and how teens don't make eye contact with authority out of respect needs to be better understood, she said.
Servin and other parents in the group, such as Patricia Godinez and Maria Lucia Zendejas, agreed that parents' role educating their children and the community is one of the most important things in stopping gangs.
Servin herself has two boys she said she will help keep out of gangs.
"They're proud of being Hispanic," she said, "but not sure how to show it."
Students themselves also need to set a good example, said Evelyn Wakeling, who runs a Hispanic leadership group at Carson High School.
She said gangs have become "an epidemic" in Carson City during the last few years, but also said she thinks people understand it is not only a Hispanic issue.
Peer pressure and the glorification of gangs through hip-hop music, she said, hurt all students.
But parents remain the most important authority for children, Ibarra said.
He has an 11-year-old son he doesn't want to see have the same problems he left more than 10 years ago.
"I don't want him to suffer like I did," Ibarra said.
• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.
Get Involved
• For more information on how to get involved with Hispanic groups organizing against gangs, contact Javier Ramirez, city outreach coordinator, at 887-2190 ext. 1039 or jramirez@ci.carson-city.nv.us.
• Watch Ramirez's interviews about gang issues at www.acctv.org and click on "Quienes Somos - Who We Are." Guests include John Aguilar of Victory Outreach, Sheriff Kenny Furlong, The Carson City Community Coalition and District Attorney Neil Rombardo.
Gang activity
Complaints to police related to gang activity
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
• Shots fired 33 43 34 34 28
• Fights 316 351 353 326 359
• Homicides 1 2 2 2 0
• Attempted 3 3 6 3 6
Homicides
• Graffiti 210 142 257 543 779
Source: 2008 study by Carson City citizens ad hoc committee