Recognizing Bobby Arias for Latino Heritage Month September 15 – October 15 is Latino Heritage Month and offers the opportunity to recognize, celebrate, and uplift all the ways Los Angeles County’s diverse Latino community has contributed to our history and identity as Angelenos. Today, we recognize Robert “Bobby” Arias, an impactful gang intervention leader who is the current President of Champions in Service. Arias’ leadership has had transformative results across greater Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.
It all started after Arias’ lifelong friend, Blinky Rodriguez, lost his son to gang violence in 1990. Together, they turned their pain into action and have since helped many atrisk youth stay in school and away from gang involvement through Champions in Service. They have scaled their intervention work by convening law enforcement, city officials, nonprofit service providers, and school districts to meet youth where they are with education support and job readiness and placement programs. Arias also leads the San Fernando Valley Coalition on Gangs. Through this vital gang intervention work, Arias is addressing the dropout crisis and providing life-changing services to our community.
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