LEARN MORE ABOUT GRASP
2023 IMPACT
ABOUT
The mission of GRASP is to heal the intergenerational trauma in our community by utilizing healing-informed, relationship-
centered culturally rooted practices. Our goal is to encourage positive youth development by engaging youth experiencing high-risk behaviors who want to exit the gang lifestyle in weekly support groups led by staff who have survived similar experiences.
GRASP incorporates the nationally recognized El Joven Noble/ Xinachtli curricula (for both males and females) that embraces a culture of healing while focusing on the prevention of behaviors (substance misuse interpersonal/romantic relationship violence, disengagement from school/education).
Evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to assist youth change their behavioral patterns and dysfunctional actions and beliefs which led to immersion in gang subculture initially. This helps youth identify their patterns of behavior which lead to that behavior, and embrace a “stages of change” framework.
STAFF HIGHLIGHT
Felipe was a member of GRASP at a young age, he grew up in north Denver and was a teenager during the “Summer of Violence” and witness the damage that gangs brought to his community, and since that time, he has dedicated his life to bring peace in inner city barrios with La Cultura Cura (Culture Cures) making a commitment to help the youth heal. “Healed people heal community”.