Three mothers whose children were connected to Dallas (Texas) gangs told their stories at the Fourth Joint National Conference on Gangs, Schools, and Community. It is said that gang members come from dysfunctional families, usually from homes where fathers are not present or involved in children's upbringing. In spite of a great deal of research and media attention to youth gangs, little is known about the parents of gang members. Many gang members do come from homes where parents are not involved, but many have parents who are loving and hard working and who do all they can to raise their children in safety. The story of a Hispanic American mother, herself a social worker, and the enormous and successful effort she made to wean her son from the gang he had joined illustrate the attraction gangs can have for young people who are heavily influenced by peers. The second story, that of a woman whose only son was killed in a drive-by shooting, tells the efforts she is making to ensure the safety of the granddaughter whose responsibility she has assumed. The third speaker, the mother of a son who joined a skinhead organization and supported the Ku Klux Klan, told about the effort required to change her son's thinking and reestablish the tolerance with which he was raised. (SLD)