Everyone is aware of it, whether or not they acknowledge it. Gang behavior and youth violence are on the rise across Long Island. Not many communities are brave enough, or honest enough, to address the problem head on, pro-actively, but Glen Cove, a unique city within a suburb, has decided to take just that tack, and on Feb. 2 held the second Community Violence Prevention Forum for parents and students to learn steps to take to keep the community's youth safe and productive. The day was sponsored by the Glen Cove Youth Bureau, the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club and La Fuerza Unida, in collaboration with the office of Mayor Mary Ann Holzkamp.

The guest speaker at the program was Sergio Argueta, director of STRONG (Struggling to Reunite our New Generation) Youth, Inc. Mr. Argueta holds an associate's degree in criminal justice, a bachelor's in sociology with a minor in political science, and was awarded the Turner Fellowship at Stony Brook University where he is pursuing a master's degree in social work. He has achieved this after spending his younger years as gang member and leader. The man knows of what he speaks, or in the jargon of the youth, the dude talks the talk and walks the walk.

Lou Medina, director of the GCYB, escorted Mr. Argueta around Glen Cove for a few days, allowing the city's guest to get a sense of the community he was to address. Then, on Feb. 2, the group had a marathon day, speaking to middle school students in the morning, high schoolers in the afternoon, and an audience of adults (and some students who just had to hear the presentation again) who packed the high school auditorium at night...elected officials, including Mayor Mary Ann Holzkamp and City Council members, police officers, civic leaders, clergy and community activists. But the largest segment of the audience, by far, consisted of concerned parents, grandparents and caregivers of youngsters of varied ethnic backgrounds: predominately African-American, Caucasian and Hispanic, who, through the volunteer efforts of two interpreters, heard Mr. Argueta's speech in Spanish through headsets, kind of like at the UN, supplied by Deasy School Principal Richard Tracey. Mr. Medina estimates that 1200 people of all ages got to hear and experience the eloquent and earthy speaker in that one day.

Mr. Argueta had great praise for the city that was ready to open its communal mind and roll up its sleeves to learn why kids join gangs and to acknowledge how important it is to work on prevention with younger children and intervention with those already involved. His seemingly unorthodox, yet highly successful directive is to "declare peace on our youth. Politicians come in shouting about declaring war on gangs, but that doesn't work. It's when I heard that that I knew another solution was needed. So I declared peace on our youth."

Mr. Argueta feels that in his youth he had no direction, growing up poor and Latino in Hempstead, and the role models he found were gang members. "They said they were my brothers, that they'd always be there for me...that was not true." It took the loss of two friends, and the incarceration of another, for Mr. Argueta to finally feel strong enough to "put down my colors." The alluring litany of gangs doesn't address violence; it speaks of love, power, unity and knowledge, "a very addictive lifestyle, but in truth, gang life is three things: hospitals, prisons and cemeteries...and I've had friends in all three."

Young men and women join gangs for the recognition and acceptance they might not be getting at home or in school. A solution? "You must give them something to live for, or they will die for nothing," he said. Gang members are not the intractable, failing students they are sometimes believed to be. "I know kids who fail out of school, but can read a 30 page manual on rules of the gang they want to join, and repeat it back to you." As for gang leaders... "These guys can call up gang members, tell them to meet on a cold, snowy night, and 30 members will stand for two hours in two feet of snow waiting. Look at the power these men project. Aren't these the kind of people we need on our side? Wouldn't you want these guys bringing 30 members into our programs?"

Glen Cove is already a step ahead of many neighborhoods, according to Mr. Argueta, with its Youth Bureau, Boys & Girls Club, programs such as mentoring in place, others in the works, and perhaps, most importantly of all, involved adults. "When a youth is caught in between two worlds, sometimes a pat on the back or a few words of encouragement can direct him or her on the right path. If I had someone coming into my school, as I did here today, telling me what I can accomplish in life, maybe I would have gotten here quicker. But I'm not complaining...at least I got here," he smiled.

Open dialogue and inclusion, respect and acceptance...sometimes one youth at a time. "If I talk to 10 inmates in county jail, I tell them all to come see me when they get out. If just one comes, that's good...but I'd better have something to give him, to teach him, to encourage him...or he'll be back out on the street," Mr. Argueta said. It's a daunting job, requiring unrelenting support and unconditional love. "Jail doesn't scare them, death doesn't scare them... you've got to give them something to live for," he reiterated.

It is up to the community to see that the young people are given the guidance and encouragement they need, he explained. And Glen Cove seems to be heading in the right direction, Mr. Argueta feels, with its community organizations and programs, even something as basic as "legislators and elected officials who stay through my whole presentation and listen. Usually they shake my hand, take a picture and leave," he said, "but you've all stayed." He smiled at Mayor Holzkamp, the City Council members and Legislator Diane Yatauro, all in the front rows.

Mayor Holzkamp presented Mr. Argueta with a proclamation, thanking him for his assistance to the city "in fulfilling our mission to empower our youth with positive alternatives to violence and negative behavior [by] beginning a journey of education, reconciliation and trust between the community's adults and youth." Mayor Holzkamp declared Feb. 1 through Feb. 8 "Declare Peace on Youth Week" and ended her citation with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, "Permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence."

However, permanent good can very well be the outcome of Feb. 2, 2005 in the City of Glen Cove. It's hard work, but there are many in the city willing to do it.

Mr. Medina promises this is only the start of a new mindset, and is working on programs to further the principles and ideas, equipment and tools, presented by a man who is spreading his declaration of peace to anyone who will listen, and listen Glen Cove did.