a drug kingpin inspired by nathan bodie barksdale, dante's unc uncle. dabbled in the family business. a convicted drug dealer who returned home a changed man. he helped found a grassroots organization aimed at keeping teens off drugs and out of jail. >> it brought out the very best in him. he was very inventive with his outreach. >> i challenge you guys to be as unique. >> safe street became his ministry of sorts? >> yes, absolutely. >> byron: it was church on a shoestring. baltimore police and the mayor's office recognized safe streets' have you to mediate conflicts or do go where a politician dare not venture. . governments didn't want to back it. but then fate would raise its profile. the murder of george floyd. >> hands up, don't shoot! hands up, don't shoot! >> suddenly programs like safe streets were welcome and funded across the country. chicago, the city that pioneered this work, investing at least $50 million since 2021. new york city putting in $86 million. now cities large and small tapping into president biden's "american rescue plan." wichi

♪ >> byron: finally, as we heard tonight, the late dante barksdale said to men and women he met in conflictpeople rangry and bent on revenge, "the most gangster thing in the world is forgiveness." ministers and therapists have told us for years, hurt people hurt people. this evening, we've been reminded, healed people also heal people. that's "nightline" for this evening. thank you to the good people of baltimore and jackson and new york who allowed us in. and thanks for the company, america. good night. a doctor or an engineer. those are good careers! but i chose a different path. first, as mayor and then in the legislature. i enshrined abortion rights in our california constitution. in the face of trump, i strengthened hate crime laws and lowered the costs for the middle class. now i'm running to bring the fight to congress. you were always stubborn. and on that note, i'm evan low, and i approve this message. [narrator] covered california is a free service from the state that's already helped millions of people like you get and pay for health insurance. with financial health to lower the