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Nuestra Familia: Our Family

www.nuestrafamiliaourfamily.org

By Ben Adler

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kazu/local-kazu-509526.mp3

Salinas, CA – "Salinas is seen as almost a mystical place by the NF. It's sort of - I wouldn't equate it with Mecca, so much, but it is Salas - S-A-L-A-S. You see Salas tattooed on a gang member, he's got immediate credibility."
-- From the documentary "Nuestra Familia: Our Family"

NF stands for Nuestra Familia. "Our family." It's a prison gang that runs much of the gang activity on the streets of Salinas. It's also the name of a new documentary that takes a look at the NF through the eyes of current and former gang members.

The film makes its television debut on public TV station KQED Sunday at 6pm. The documentary is produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley. KAZU's Ben Adler speaks with Julie Reynolds and George Sanchez. They both worked on the film and are now reporters at the Monterey County Herald, where they continue to report on Salinas gangs.

More information on the documentary is at www.nuestrafamiliaourfamily.org.

The reporting in this documentary also led to part of an American Radio Works documentary.