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Mr. Owens will co- facilitate the workshop on Gangs and Domestic Violence, scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday, March 20, 2007.
Ben Owens, also known as "Taco," is a product of change and reformation of character. As a former gang member and drug dealer, Mr. Owens has been involved with the gang the culture for more than twenty-five years. Having been shot twice, he knows what it feels like to be incapacitated as a result of gang violence. He has also done his "Tour of Duty," in the California State Prison System as well as The Federal Prison System and now visits and writes to juvenile halls to educate and encourage those who have made bad choices. He believes that part of the solutions can be provided by people who have 'been there, done that.' In his own words: "I want to be as transparent as possible, I want people to know what I've been through so that I could be a resource, or a guide to show someone who is looking for a way out. There are a lot of former gang members, drug dealers, pimps, etc. who just want to forget their past and start a new life. That's cool but, I believe that if God was gracious enough to save us, we should show that same love by helping someone else."
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