February 12, 2008

University Of Miami To Hold Panel On The Violence Of Maras, The Central American Gangs

Coral Gables, FL. (February 12, 2008) – Activists, former gang members, journalists and scholars will discuss the current situation of the Central American gangs “Maras” and the violence surrounding them, at a forum at the University of Miami on Tuesday, February 19.

The event is sponsored by the School of Communications, Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), Department of International Studies and the Degree Programs in Latin American Studies, and the Urban Studies Program and will take place at the Cosford Theatre on the second floor of the Memorial classroom building on UM’s Coral Gables campus from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

The Maras are street gangs that originated in Los Angeles in the ‘80s and spread to Central America. The gangs engage in organized violence and have become quite powerful in gaining control of neighborhoods.  Members are often identified by the heavy use of tattoos on their body often including the face and head. They engage in robbery, abductions, drug dealing and even murder.

This social phenomenon will be the focus of the discussion during the UM forum. The panelists are Jose Miguel Cruz, of the Universidad Centro Americana “Jose Simeon Cañas, in El Salvador; Donna Cesare, assistant professor of the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin; Louis Herns Marcelin, director of research at the Family and Youth Community Research Center at the University of Miami and Magadaleno ”Leno” Rose-Avila, executive director of South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice.

Alex Sanchez, director of Homies Unidos, a non-profit gang violence prevention and intervention group with projects in San Salvador, El Salvador and Los Angeles, California will also participate in the discussion.  

For more information, please call CLAS at 305- 284-1854 or e-mail jflores@miami.edu.

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