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STOCKTON—

One week later, the crime scene tape is gone; Jaime Ramos, 19, is in custody, and two other suspects are dead.

But the community is still in Stockton, and the city’s future is a blank canvas.

Right now, there is only one gang intervention program in Stockton, called The Peace Keepers.

“Our staff is great but it doesn’t work for everyone,” said Ken Praegitzer, director of the city funded program and a former sergeant with the Stockton Police Department.

With 1,000 clients who are all documented gang members, the mentoring program is aimed at helping Stockton’s youth.

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Courtesy:
Reinvent Southside

“It needs to start somewhere. Change needs to start somewhere. Leaving is gonna make you a coward,” said Areli Baraza, 20, of Stockton.

Fed up with the violence, Baraza and a friend started a group called Wave of Change this week. They’re hoping a bake sale on August 16th will help them donate money to local charities and improve the quality of life for Stockton’s youth.

“No one cares until it’s their family. But, what are we going to do? Wait until it’s one of our family members? No,” Baraza told FOX40.

“I think the community has been ready for change. This isn’t something that happened overnight,” said Jerron Jordan, another Stockton resident. Jordan is gearing up to knock on 1,000 doors this weekend, asking residents in each home how Stockton can change.

“It’s just not paying attention to certain issues such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of education,” said Jordan.

Jordan will record people’s feedback and hand it over to legislators with the hopes of changing Stockton’s path one person at a time.

Jerron Jordan will be working with Reinvent Southside Stockton. They will be meeting Saturday, July 26th at 9 a.m. at the Dorothy L. Jones Family Resource Center on 2044 Fair Street, in Stockton (map). If you want to volunteer with him, you can sign up by clicking here.

The No Kid Hungry Bake Sale put on by Wave of Change to raise money for will be on August 16th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at an undetermined location, but you can check back here later for updates.