SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento rapper and former gang member Aaron Cardoza announced plans to launch what he's calling the Save Sac Coalition.
"Save Sac Coalition around Sacramento (is) where I'm going to all my ex-gang members that I know, that I was locked up with in prison but they're now changing, get them involved to do the work in their neighborhoods," Cardoza said.
The announcement comes hours after Sacramento police confirmed that the deadly K Street shooting on Sunday was gang related.
Cardoza said he went to prison at the age of 18 for a shooting, and he is convinced that it will take former rival gang members to take back the streets.
"You have to have ones that can connect with these kids or these young adults that they understand and they know. If they don't know you, how can they believe you? How can they trust in you?" Cardoza said.
The rapper and president of the local Brother 2 Brother organization has been using his music to try and reach youth in the Del Paso Heights area, but he's now planning to expand those efforts across the capital city.
"Valley High, Oak Park, Del Paso Heights and have these guys show these youth the right way," he said. "We're talking about the youth at this point. They are our future. They are going to be here."
Brother 2 Brother is a group made up of former felons now trying to give back to their community. ABC10 confirmed that they spoke with Mayor Darrell Steinberg Wednesday about the Save Sac Coalition.
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