Walter Guzman Retreat Center in Aptos, CA
Warriors Circle 2011
Barrios Unidos hosted the 11th annual Warriors Circle retreat from September 22nd to 25th. The event took place at the Walter Guzman Retreat Center in the mountains of Aptos, CA. The Warriors Circle retreat is an annual event that draws young men and boys from around California to spend a weekend connecting with indigenous traditions. The mission of the Warriors Circle is to show young men and boys that they do not have to engage in acts of violence to be considered a man. By providing young Warriors with an experience of native culture, Barrios Unidos shows youth that growing up can be a positive, empowering experience marked by respect and honor.
"Emphasizing values and practices drawn from Native American traditions, the retreat aims to show young boys raised in gang-infested neighborhoods that they don't have to commit violence to be a man"
From the Santa Cruz Sentinel's coverage of the the 2nd Annual Warriors Circle
