Abstract
When I set out to find community-based educators who were successfully
reaching and teaching high-risk youth, I kept hearing that I had to meet Rudy
Corpuz, Jr., founder of the United Playaz (UP) program in San Francisco.
Both youth and adults lit up when they spoke about his unique strategies,
hardcore manner (“little bit rough around the edges”), and compelling persona. I was intrigued. I began trying to contact him but all I had was his pager
number. This old-school method of contacting him did not work and for
months we played phone tag. I became accustomed to hearing his deep voice
on my answering machine: “Waz up Vajra. This is Rudy. Get back at me. One
love, one thug.”