PACOIMA : Children Get a Kick Out of Anti-Gang Day

The power of world super-lightweight kick boxing champion Peter (Sugarfoot) Cunningham’s blows resonated through the Boys & Girls Club hall, as he struck at pads held up by Lilly Rodriguez, the women’s featherweight champion.

As part of a two-day anti-gang event conducted by the Valley Unity Peace Treaty, Cunningham, Rodriguez and other kick boxers from the Jet Center Gym in Van Nuys appeared on Wednesday to demonstrate basic professional kick boxing techniques and to deliver a message of hope to neighborhood children. The Valley Unity group is a coalition of gangs that called a truce to all intra-gang disputes in the Valley. Since it began nine months and 17 days ago, there hasn’t been a single gang-related homicide in the Valley, Rodriguez said.

“We’re here to tell you that you can be somebody,” announced former middleweight champ William (Blinky) Rodriguez, master of ceremonies to the program and Lilly’s husband. “Follow your dream, and it’s going to come true.”

While Blinky Rodriguez demonstrated techniques to the elementary school-age children, the kick boxers engaged in a series of warm-up drills and mock matches that were met with loud shouts and applause from the audience.

“The key is discipline,” Blinky Rodriguez said. “The kids I teach have to show discipline inside the ring and outside. If they get in trouble at school or if their grades aren’t up to par, they’re out of the program.”

As active members of the Valley Unity Peace Treaty, owners and members of the Jet Center Gym teach former Valley gang members the art of kick boxing as a way to release aggression and acquire discipline, respect and humility in their lives.

“Guys in my class that were once at war with each other are now helping one another stretch out,” Blinky Rodriguez said. “What we want to do here is make our program known to the community so that maybe local groups or the city can help us do more.”

Blinky Rodriguez has a personal interest in seeing gang peace in the Valley. He explained events that led to the loss of his 16-year-old son 4 1/2 years ago. His son was shot to death by three gang members.

“My wife and I were not unique in that situation,” he said. “The only thing that made us unique was the power of God that allowed us to forgive the three guys who killed my son. The lack of forgiving only breeds hate, and that will lead to destructive violence. Through that forgiveness, we broke the back of hatred.”