When I first met Eberardo I was surprised by the gentleness of his demeanor. He offered his left hand. His handshake was not the firm handshake that my father taught me. It was a gentle, non-threatening, noncompetitive touch. It put me at ease.

The reason he shook hands with his left is that his right arm is impaired—the result of a stab wound four inches long and three deep to his neck that didn’t succeed in killing him, but did cut nerves.

It was a typical Friday night on the boulevard in San Fernando. Cruising, flirting, posing, hanging out. Words are exchanged between carloads of proud young men. It quickly escalates to a point where only the craziest or the most violent will prevail in this test of status, pride and determination.

The gun belonged to Eberardo’s friend, so he didn’t know it was loaded with only one bullet. Murder was his intent, and murder would have been the result if there had been any more bullets in that gun. Instead, he nearly lost his life and did lose the use of his right arm.

Eberardo is left handed. If he had been right handed, or if the gun had been fully loaded, or if his assailant had been left handed, I would not have met him. I was referred to Eberardo by Sue Bartlett of Community Youth Gang Services because he is a talented artist. Eberardo no longer “gangbangs.” Either he found God, or God found him, but Christianity is what led him out.

The Street Artist’s Workshop is forming on the principle that art is an effective and productive vehicle to examine the social ills that have an impact on all of our lives.

In the ranks of those who are identified as part of “the problem,” there are some very bright and talented people. We can learn from these people if we listen to them. We can learn from these people if they are allowed to express themselves. This process of expression and listening will not only help to identify solutions, but will also function as a part of the solution.

Jeremiah Moms, Artistic Director of Actors Alley at the El Portal Theatre has offered an outside wall for the first project of the Workshop. On May 14, we met. I introduced Jeremiah to Eberardo.

Prior to the meeting I had some trepidation. I have witnessed bigotry and prejudice and if this thing was going to work, ignorance, fear and hatred must not be present. I told Eberardo before hand to be honest and candid, and if he was shown any disrespect, he did not have to tolerate it. I didn’t have to tell him to be honest and candid, but I wanted him to know I would support him if the attitude wasn’t right.

The meeting went very well. My concerns were completely unfounded. I was very much impressed with the ease with which Jeremiah and Eberardo interacted. They are both talented and eloquent in their own ways and it is on the basis of mutual respect that they are able to communicate. When honest communication occurs, crossing tremendous cultural distances, it is exciting and beautiful It is this kind of communication that will prevent us from seeing our future in places like Bosnia.

Bigotry is alive and well in our community. It amazes me that it exists here in the waning years of the Twentieth Century. Actually it saddens and worries me.

It is very easy to adopt racist views. I have to constantly examine my own attitudes and opinions, and it is only with this constant internal vigil that I am able to deal with the issue within myself. It is very easy to look at the statistics and make the associations with race, but direct contact and interaction puts racism to the lie.