Ms. Diaz is the founder of CleanSlate Inc. and has recovered from issues of violence in her life. She has worked for over twenty years to end the cycle of violence among the poor. Her own life dictated that she develop this program to assist those who wanted change. The gang membership issue is far from the problem. It is the violence that each individual within the gang may perpetuate that is the issue. They have yet to figure out what is motivating them to respond to hurt and pain with violence. Retaliation is an expression that replace the tears and grief that should be part of the human emotional cycle. Once we get back in touch with our true humanity, violence becomes the last resort, not the first option. Violence and Rage are treated as a natural consequence of poverty, oppression and marginalization in our program. Anger and Rage can be useful if utilized to initiate change in our punishment based system. What we know is that those who have been affected by violence always see violence as an option.