From his San Quentin cell, Stanley Williams spends his days on death row writing children's books about his experiences as a founder and leader of the street gang the Crips. 
He also coordinates an international nonviolence effort for at-risk youth that has led to his nomination for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize by a member of the Swiss Parliament. 
``I think he has done extraordinary work,'' parliament member Mario Fehr told The Associated Press recently. ``For these young kids that are in these street gangs, I think it is one of the only opportunities to get close to them. To get them out of the street gangs.'' 
Williams, now 46, and high school buddy Raymond Washington created the Crips in 1971 to fight rival gangs in east Los Angeles. 
Williams was convicted of killing four people in 1981 and was sentenced to death. 
He published the first of eight children's books in 1996. His latest, ``Life In Prison,'' tells of feeling homesick and humiliated by his experience. 
Williams also created the Internet Project for Street Peace, which allows at-risk youths in California and South Africa to share their experiences through e-mail and chat rooms from community centers. 
Abdulahi Mohamud, who pushed for the nomination, called Williams ``a great man.'' Mohamud brought Williams' Internet Project for Street Peace to Switzerland for Somali youths living there to communicate with their counterparts in California and South Africa. 
The 2001 Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded on Dec. 10, 2001.