In 1997, Angela Reyes founded the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, a community-based organization, from her living room because she “was tired of burying children.” To reduce the violence, DHDC’s Gang Retirement and Continuing Education and Employment program (GRACE) formed after forging a truce with leaders of rival gangs, which encouraged “retirement” in return for jobs in local Hispanic-owned manufacturing companies. DHDC has resided at 1211 Trumbull Street in Detroit since 2001 and services over 5,000 youth and adults annually.
