Tookie’s books for kids are back! Listen in to this special discussion about the republication of Stanley Tookie Williams’ children’s books about street peace. Williams, who was the co-founder of the Los Angeles Crips, dedicated his life on death row to street peace and social justice. His children’s book series won the 2007 Prevention for a Safer Society Award for Literature. Williams, who was executed in 2005 by the state of California, was nominated numerous times for the Nobel Peace Prize. Barbara Becnel, editor of these books and co-producer of the film Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, discusses Stan’s legacy in street peace and ending gang violence. James Thindwa of Chicago Jobs with Justice, Hilda Franco of Chicago Freedom School and Jackson Potter of Little Village Lawndale School of Social Justice joined the discussion.

Barbara Becnel is Executive Director of Neighborhood House of North Richmond, a nonprofit social services agency in Richmond, California. For 13 years she worked with Stanley Tookie Williams to edit and publish his award-winning series of books for at-risk youth.

Recorded Monday, November 10, 2008 at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.