San Antonio – A new area outreach group plans to stop violent crimes in the are by getting in front of it.
The group, Stand Up SA, is made up of about two dozen staff members—including eight women.
Leslie Balderas is one of the newest members of the outreach team, who has spent a month with the team. She said she joined the team to honor her sister Celia Lopez who was killed in 2015.
“I do it for her, in order for her death not to go in vain, I wanted to make a change,” Balderas said.
Amanda Robles, another volunteer, said violence was normal growing up. Now, she wants to try to reach people in similar situations.
“Fighting was the solution to everything,” Robles said. “I never belonged to any gangs or anything. I was just very short-tempered throughout school.”
Another volunteer, Schree Foster, spent some time in jail and battled through drug-related issues. Fifteen years later, she says she’s trying to get those on the streets to cross over too.
“I know the difference on different sides, you know, and now and I’m walking the right way, I ask them to come with me,” Foster said.
The group’s job is to reach people of all ages and stages of life in a variety of situations— whether It be domestic violence, drugs or gangs.
The group is trained and knows how to direct people to additional resources. Additionally, their caseworker helps connect people with jobs.
Community members know the group, because they show up at crime scenes and scheduled fights to prevent guns from being introduced.
“Just because the gang violence is only on one side of town doesn’t mean that it doesn’t go to another side,” Balderas says.
The team works independently from law enforcement so the “rawness of street life” doesn’t matter to them, only the end results.
“I show up to the scenes hoping that we can stop retaliation if it’s already been done and if not hoping that we can stop any beef shootings, murders,” Foster said.
They have an edge when it comes to handling issues in the streets. The group says their experience and also the soft touch of a woman allow folks to open up.
“We’re not afraid to show our compassion. We can be your mother, your sister, your aunt, your cousin, your daughter,” Robles said. “And we really just care for the outcome.”
Anyone who wants to be a partner with the Stand Up SA team can reach out to them. They say they are always looking for people to join in their effort.
“If this program is already making a difference without you, can you imagine how much more difference they’ll make with you,” Balderas said.