Two cases of youth violence in southwestern New Mexico, one involving an Anglo youth and one a Mexican American youth, highlight the diversity of the area and the biased treatment of Mexican American youth. New Mexico demographics suggest a link between diversity and high rates of crime and violence. National reports clearly report the extent of substance abuse, school dropouts, and delinquency among the nation's youth, especially minority youth. A contemporary response has been better use of public schools in promoting community-based solutions in rural areas, especially within minority communities where the cultural lifestyle differs from that of the dominant Anglo-American society. The realization of a crisis with at-risk youth in New Mexico, especially within ethnic communities, led to proactive initiatives to curb the problem. One such program prepares bilingual special education teachers to identify at-risk youth within their classrooms and to intervene to address problems. Ultimately, the focus on teacher preparation should impact student achievement, which in turn should eventually decrease or eliminate youth violence. A second proactive initiative provides services to under-educated Mexican American women in rural southwestern New Mexico. Designed to break the cycle of poverty and welfare in the region, this program is a culturally specific approach to violence reduction. Both programs utilize a coordinated team approach involving universities, public schools, the criminal justice system, community health facilities, community organizations, and families. (TD)