Homies Unidos programs offer a five-pronged approach towards helping our youth become a not just in making the right decisions in his life but an to become an advocate for other that were in the same situation he was in.
- Rites of Passage
- Academic Achievement
- Policy Advocacy
Epiphany Project curriculum that offers a 12-week life-skills building program for “at-risk” and gang involved youth involved in participating agencies. Using cognitive behavior concepts youth learn the reasons they make the decisions and the thought process that takes place when de they do. Workshops sessions include but are not limited to: leadership skills, gang violence, domestic violence (Relationship Violence), Coping Skills, Alcohol and Drugs, Know Your Rights, HIV/STD’s, Education and Social Culture Awareness. Understanding how decision making takes place helps the youth make informed decisions when dealing with the topics discussed in the curriculum and how they are all inter-related. If youth wants to remove tattoos we can provide tattoo removal treatments at a reduced price. As part of the requirement they must complete the Epiphany Project workshops to receive tattoo removal treatments. We will provide a workshop to help the youth understand the commitment they have taken.
Family Wellness, Parenting Skills component was developed in response to requests by parents and students in the Epipany Project and Joven Noble program. This component helps participants understand the cultural and generational differences that cause most conflicts between parents and their children. It provides parents/youth with the skills and responsibilities they need to meet in order to develop healthy relationships. Setting Rules, Discipline, developing Communication skills is provided.
Libertad con Dignidad, Homies Unidos’ Libertad con Dignidad program engages family members of our immigrant community to advocate for just immigration and criminal justice laws that have affected them or their family members. The policies we have chosen to support are in line with ending violence against immigrants and promoting the humane treatment of marginalized youth and their families. Because Homies Unidos represents a group of people who are often targeted and classified as “criminals” due to their background and prior involvement in “criminal” activity, we support legislation that reinforces due process and gives every person an opportunity to prove their character so as to stay united with their families here in the U.S. During the past four years we have advocated for policies that assist in the prevention of classifying people as criminals. We have continued our advocacy for legislation that would prevent the vicious cycle of violence that traps youth. Such as, taking families this year to two hearings in the California state capitol, on April 23, for SB580 expanding trauma recovery services to victims of crime and October 9th on Solitary Confinement. SB982 and AB1652, which addresses the concerns of solitary confinement in the prisons in California.
We have partner with Families to Abolish Solitary Confinement in their efforts to free their families from this torturous conditions. Elizza Jurado from the Salvadoran Association in Support of People Deprived of Freedom in the Exterior(ASAPLE) and Homies Unidos have been working together with incarcerated people in the prisons of California for the last eight years. Homies Unidos organizes and provides families information about their rights, civic participation, and advocacy. Since 2013 Homies Unidos has taken group of families accompanied by the El Salvadoran consulate to Sacramento to meet with a representative of the Governor’s office and CDCR officials, family members expressed their concerns about their love ones denial of parole for not having their reentry plans from El Salvador they need to gain their liberty, out of it 25 cases that were presented five them gained their freedom this year.
Youth Leadership Training, Based on over a decade of this work, Homies Unidos has developed two cornerstone programs: our Epiphany Project and Libertad con Dignidad (Liberty with Dignity). Together, these two interlinked programs create an opportunity for at-risk or gang-involved youth and their immigrant families to take control of their lives and neighborhoods and influence policy, particularly as regards the criminal justice and immigration systems. Graduates of the Epiphany Project once they are trained through the Youth Leadership course they participated in our Libertad con Dignidad program, which takes the work of our Epiphany Project to the next level of advocacy for social justice.
El Joven Noble (The Noble Youth) is a twelve-session comprehensive indigenous based, youth leadership development program that supports and guides youth through their “rites of passage” process while focusing on the prevention of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, relationship violence, gang violence and school failure. We provide two hour workshops with follow up case management for at-risk or gang exposed youth who have shown behavior issues in school ages 10-24. Youth will develop ways in which to deal with anger, positive living skills, understanding their families and will develop character. Upon successfully completion the program youth will receive a t-shirt with the word “PALABRA” meaning, keeping your word. This program will create a safe environment for youth, their parents, community, and safe school to learning environment.
Today the mission of Homies Unidos continues. Homies Unidos presently has 40 youth awaiting tattoo removal and another 50 ready to begin Homies Unidos’s 12-week Epiphany Project. The staff continue to teach leadership programs, Family Wellness Workshops, and lead Grassroots Political Advocacy on behalf of the various communities in Los Angeles. If you would like to schedule a meeting with us or arrange to have Homies speak at your event please feel free to contact us at email@example.com or call 213-383-7484