The Workbook for Group Leaders is a companion book to the bestselling Latanya: A Story of Gangs, Girls and Guns. The story is about Latanya, a newly released ex-convict, hustler, and former gang banger. She was a teenage, single parent who enjoyed the fast life until she "caught" one too many charges. The story of Latanya looks at gang violence from the perspective of women: the sisters, girlfriends and mothers of gang members. The workbook provides numerous situations young women face and is designed to help facilitate discussions among participants between the ages of 12 - 24 on topics that are very real for young females in urban environments. The book takes scenarios from the Latanya story and provides questions for group or individual discussions. The discussion questions cover such topics as domestic violence, "snitching," various types of criminal activity and the corresponding legal consequences, grief and trauma, among others. The goal is through guided discussion to help young women critically evaluate their own beliefs, increase their awareness and understanding of important issues and know where to go for help. The hope is with such understanding they make better choices for their development and future success. This leader's guide contains important information for leaders about how to work with those in this population and how females differ from males. The appendix also contains information that can be helpful for designing a group by providing examples of program descriptions of other groups. The book can be used with females in community centers and other types of group settings as well as for those who are in various types of incarceration.
About the Author: Ed Gaskin was the Chief Operating Officer for the Boston TenPoint Coalition for four years. During that time he had the opportunity to learn about the role faith-based organizations can play in reducing gang violence, and particularly the role young women play in gang violence, from being the victim to being the perpetrator. Ed has a M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Master of Science in Management degree from MIT's Sloan School of Management. His forthcoming book is The Role of the Church in Reducing Gang Violence. He has also written Regenerative Medicine and Human Genetic Modification. He notes, "I like to write on topics with the potential to have a big impact so I can help make a difference." He is also the founder of Sunday Celebrations, a designer line of food that is healthy and socially responsible.