Street gangs blog: Street gang news, articles and poetry.

Feb

Ex gang members in business

A look at the growth of Homegirl Industries in LA…

Ex-gang members part of LAX eatery bid
Daily Breeze

Travelers seeking a taste of local culture may soon be treated with Mexican food, sandwiches and pastries served up by members of a nonprofit gang-intervention group hoping to open shop at Los Angeles International Airport.

Homegirl Cafe, a successful downtown Los Angeles staple since April 2005, is vying for one of the restaurant spots up for bid at LAX. If the bid is successful, the second Homegirl Cafe would provide jobs for former gang members and youths considered to be at risk.

Gang News

Feb

Where is Jesus today?

Pastor Mark explains where Jesus is today, how He got there, what He’s doing now, and why that matters to us.

Bible Study

Feb

How it feels to be a gang member: Darkness

ive been gone for awhile an this has probably been tha first time ive set out to discourage peeps to not bang its just i realized in this time ive been gone tha…
gang life will not get you money power and respect…ganglife will get you killed… a lot of people dont realize tha pain and heartbreak thugs go thru an they figure cuz we bang tha we aint got feelings like we desensitized to death im here to say its not so…death is somethang nobody can cope with if a person you kno has fallen it takes tha ones left behind a lifetime 2 pick themselves up once its all said and done all u got is a blunt to remember ur niggas by ayo 4real why we here y we die i kno im cryin an it seems tha more im tryin to get shit i just wanna ask nebody thas willing to answer, how many of yall after u hear bout or see ur nigga die just go an blaze up pull a 187 an go on livin.

wha kinda lifestyle do u have if ur only rule is kill or be killed?

for all of u wannabes think bout this: do u wanna see ur mother father sister brother & best friends die bcuz you thought you look cool stoned wit a gun?

ill tell u you look fuckin stupid cuz tha world knows you got a death wish and dont have tha fuckin balls to kill urself. Im losin niggas right and left.
One day im afraid ima look back and aint no one left. Im already headin for a hearse, wit a curse, knowin its all bouta end. Then i go out wit no head. bout spend eturnity livin in misery. everybody i know is sheddin tears 4 me. spears in me, fears in me, not knowin when im goin. i dunno if ima even die throwin, gunnin heat, only thang i ever knew was tha street.

i kno where im goin when i die im just sayin yall wannabes tha think gangin is so cool look in tha mirror youll see a fool, i tell u wha a fool is better than a pool of blood. u still got time make ur own way of livin 2 tha fullest thuggin aint gunna get u nowhere wed kno we’ve all been there done tha an paid our dues now its ur time to choose if ur gunna die an go to tha pen or u gunna live witout everyday sin

King Kato

From Gangstyle.com

Feb

Q&A With A Top Employment Recruiter

Lil Miss P continues her series on how to find a job…all of her posts can be found under our Knowing How section.

This past week, I tapped a top employment recruiter who has done work with some of the biggest companies in the world. Here is what was shared about working around gaps in employment history, criminal records, and more.

Q: How can someone with a less than perfect history (i.e, spotty work record, jail time, etc.) work around their past and move ahead in a career?

A: It’s hard if someone has a criminal record. Companies can’t put their other employees knowingly at risk. If there are big gaps in employment, using a functional resume instead of a chronological one is one way to highlight abilities and previous experience and not the actual work record. They’re not hiding anything but highlighting what they can do. Also a resume is not a legal document but an application is. You don’t have to list things on your resume (for example: if they have a criminal record), but most applications will ask about a criminal record. They need to read that question in the application carefully and answer it honestly. For example, the question on the application might be “have you been convicted of a crime” which means EVER, or it might be “have you been convicted in the last 7 years”.

The other piece is to have some direction and be realistic about your job search. Most large companies do background checks so that is something you will have to consider if you have a criminal history. A person cannot expect to land a $100k job as a Manager with a questionable past. You have to be willing to start where you are given the opportunity and show your employer that you can be a good worker, reliable, etc. and work from there. This goes for anybody, not just XYZ. Everybody has to start somewhere.

Q: What types of incidents or crimes turn employers away? Is there anything that a job seeker can do about it?

A: On a background check, things like misdemeanor drugs charges, DUI, etc. can sometimes be acceptable but things like theft of violence are almost never acceptable. There’s no “one” way to approach that. It would have to be a case by case basis and each person will have to be prepared to address these things in an interview. Whether it’s a gap in employment to due jail time,
or lots of moves in their work history, it will have to be addressed if asked. And they need to KNOW what is in their criminal record. They do not need to volunteer information but if asked they should know how to address honestly.

Also, having references that can vouch for the person’s character will be helpful. These should be professionals NOT friends.

Q: Is there anything someone can or should do in interviews?

A: Once the person gets an interview they need to be prepared to address those questions if they come up. I found this article on line that I thought
explained it pretty well in the section about Interview Tips. I think that part could apply whether they have a record or just to address a gap in employment. If they don’t have a record but have a sketchy past, they can still focus on their achievements, changes in attitude, etc.

http://www.brightknowledge.org/projects/bright-knowledge/null,1438,AR.html

Q: Is it impossible? It seems like the cards are stacked against!

A: Not at all. It’s just important that to see the situation for what it is, understand it, and take the right steps. People make mistakes and they can change. It’s just a matter of proving that you’ve changed, are living life differently, etc. It’s no different than proving your loyalty or that you can handle things anywhere else in life. And as with anything else, once you do, you’ll have achieved the outcome you want. Most of all, do not get discouraged! There are a lot of programs out there to help people in this very situation, and employers who are willing to give people a second chance!

How to Find A Job, Knowing How

Feb

Impact of gangs: Juan’s Story

ME, MYSELF, AND I

Many of you reading this don’t know me, but a lot of you can understand how it was growing up fast and hard in the barrios, the poor sides of town. On the streets of my city I am called Twilight, but my real name is Juan Hernandez. I was born on May 18th, I’m 20 years old.

You know thru out my life I always thought that no one could understand the things I have been thru, or would even care. Until I found this site and read the stories of g’s and o.g’s. So here is my story in hopes that maybe someone reading this will understand that someone does care and that they are not alone.

MY FAMILY

Well I don’t have a really big family, or a close family like some of you out there. Yeah I have a father and a mother just like the rest of you out there. I have a sister and an older brother. Thanks to my dad being this big time player I have like 15 or 16 half brothers and sisters out there somewhere.

MY SO CALLED FATHER

My father….I have a lot to say about that man. As a child me and him were close. I honestly don’t remember though. In my photo album that I have, there are pics of me and him and of happier days, of days I wish I could have again. As I got older me and my dad started drifting apart, mostly cause of his drinking and constant fighting with my mother. He would always end up beating her. There were times I wished I could have kept my dad from hurting my mom, but being a lil kid, I could not do much. As I got older more and more me and my dad drifted apart. His drinking got worse and my mom suffered cause of it. Once I decided enough was enough and I tried to stop my dad from hurting my mom, I’m sure he didn’t mean it cause I could see the regret and the pain in his eyes after he did it but as I tried to stop him from hitting my mom, he hit me instead. The damage was done. From that dad I hated my dad. As I got older more and more me and my dad fought.

When I hit my teens, I started running away. staying away for days. One day I came home thinking everything was cool and me and my dad ended up fighting and he threw me out of the house at the age of 13. On and off I lived on the streets or staying at my friends house. Living on the streets also got me involved with the Surenos in my city. I became one of them. Then one day I came home on mothers day to see my mom and he was beating her again. I was older, I was stronger. I said to myself he would never touch my mom again. Me and him went heads up and he beat my ass but I made sure I got my hits in too. Bleeding and hurt I convinced my mom to get her things and leave with me. That was the last day my so called father hurt my mom. As I got older me and my dad had more encounters and more fights and to this day me and him no longer speak to each other. We just don’t care about each other anymore. What we once had in those pictures seems like it happened a lifetime ago. I am no longer that lil boy anymore, and he is not the dad I use to love and look up to anymore….

MY MOTHER

Me and my mother always had happy times together. Whatever I wanted she would get me. She spoiled me, buying whatever I wanted, taking me wherever I wanted to go. She even played with me and my toys. I love my mother very much. She was a sweet woman, loving and caring, maybe thats why she had a lot of friends. She always got invited to these parties where a girl turns 15 her family has like this big ass party and dance. I know what it is but I can’t spell it, :-p But anyways she always got invited and I don’t know bout now but back then they use to play this song called *Sabor a Mi* for the girl to dance. I would be like sitting at a table all by myself while my mom was talking with her friends, and I would be playing with my lil toy cars and today I still don’t know why but the girl who was having that party would come up and ask me to dance with her. I was like about 7 or 8 but I guess I looked older or something cause it always happened…wonder if my mom had anything to do with that? I have lots of pictures of me dancing and it seems like in every picture me and my mom took with the girls family I looked older and older and I got taller and taller.

Once in a while I play this cd that has that song called *Sabor a Mi* and it reminds me of my mother and those days. I honestly can say it makes me cry cause I miss my mom, I miss my mom taking me to those dances, I miss sitting on her lap, I miss her singing to me when I was scared of the monster under the bed and I would not go to sleep. I would like very much to see my mother again and tell her I love her and how much I miss her. When she got sick I was locked up in county but they let me go see her in the hospital. I remember crying and crying cause they told me she had cancer and there was nothing they could do. Even though I made my peace with her. I wish I could have been there by her side, to tell her I love her when she died. Instead of being locked up…

MY BROTHER AND COUSIN

Well about my brother, now your wondering why I would name this part about my brother and my cousin. Well the reason I named it this is cause they both belong to the same gang. Anyways. Me and my brother like most brothers had a close relationship. As kids we always did what brothers do. We watched out for each other. Lied for each other when we got in trouble. Jumped in for each other if we were in a fight. You know things brothers do. But as we got older we started drifting. He started going out more with his friends and always leaving me behind. More and more is became about his friends than his lil brother. When I got thrown out of the house my brother had got involved with a gang called the Latin Kings. He was just a member just like everyone else was. What I didn’t know was one of my primos was also a King and got him involved. As time went on, we drifted more and more. We didn’t drift cause of personal problems with each other like me and my dad and my sister but we drifted cause of who we chose to run the streets with, he ran with Kings, I ran with Surenos. Any true Sureno and King knows the relationship between the two. I don’t have to explain it.

Anyways. Me and my primo however were close, in fact all my cousins on my mothers side are close with me. They understand how my dad and my sister and his side of the family treats me, they don’t like him ether. They the only family I have. I just wish I could see more of them…. Well back to what I was saying and my cousin were close. As kids me and my brother and him always played together. We even did a *blood brother* thing with each other, thats how close we all were as kids. I could go on and on about all the things we did as kids, about how much I miss those days, how much is hurts to know I can’t go back or change the past…..or how much I wish my primo was alive still. It was a year on June 13th that my primo died, He was shot a few days before but a few days later. He just gave up and let himself die. Thats what I think. Even though we are from different gangs. We both went thru the same street drama. I’m sure like me, he just didn’t want to fight no more, he just let himself go….so he could find his peace….Maybe someday I will find mine. As for my older brother. After my primo died, my brother took over his position in the Kings. He now runs the chapter in my city. From time to time we do talk to each other, but it’s been so long since we talked that you can feel the distance between us. We just don’t know each other anymore.

MY SISTER

Well about my sister. My sister, like with all my siblings, we were close, but like everyone else, we drifted as I got older. My sister has 4 kids, each one of them I call *my babies* cause I raised them on my own. While she was hoeing around I was home taking care of them, changing their diapers, feeding them. I did all that and I still was living on the streets and dealing with street drama. I don’t know how I did it but I did. They good kids now, a’s and b’s in school. Not bad for being a gangster and being a parent at the same time. Now my sister trips saying shit like they should not be around me cause I’m this or I do that. They know though, they know how thier mom use to be.

CYNTHIA AND ROBERT

This is the final piece of my story. I know I wrote a lot about myself and those around me. This last piece is about two people who I love very much. One who was my lady, and the other my best friend. Cynthia was a girl who always stood by my side. Was always there for me. There were times I admit where I put my friends and my drama first before her. Time when I was not there for her when she needed me. Times I made her cry. Thru it all she still stood by my side, any vato out there who has had a lady like that in his life knows what I am talking bout when I say you don’t find many ruca’s out there who will put up with shit like that.

I met her and Robert when I was 14, like me their life at home was not a happy one. It was a year later when I fell in love for the first time in my life. I fell in love with Cynthia. She was my first love, she was my first lover. To this day she was my first, and my last. In life there are prices to pay for everything you do. I mean thats how life is. My price for the life I lived was losing her and later my best friend. One day we were at the park on the other side of town. We were just kicking it. When out of nowhere drama happened. They blasted, we blasted back. It all happend so quickly. After it was all over I saw something that forever to this day haunts my days and my nights.

My lady had been shot. I remember how my legs didn’t want to move. Somehow I crawled over to her and I kept telling myself this aint happening. Having her blood on my hands and shirt changed all that. It was real, it did happen. I don’t know why I did it……but at that time I felt if I held on to her tight enough I could keep her from leaving me. I kept telling her *please, please, please don’t leave me don’t die!* ……..then I felt her leave. A year later Robert overdosed on heroin, a year after that my mother died.

Cynthia was three months pregnant. I had lost everything I loved cause of the road I walked.

CLOSING

Today as I sit here I can’t help but think about everything I been thru. My life has been full of regrets, heartache and sorrow. I have been shot, I have been stabbed but thru it all I STILL stand tall, even though at times this world had me on my knees but I have never given up on making my life better for me and those around me. I am a Veterano now, somehow I survived all this shit. I also recently found steady work. Although I have lots of problems I still managed to get my life straight and find work, even though it’s not ideal. It’s better than dealing with drama and constantly be in fear of my life. I hope things will be better now that I stopped banging. I also hope some day I can find someone to share my life with, someone who can give me consolation for the past, someone to share my dreams of the presents and give me hope for the future

Someday…..

From Gangstyle.com

Feb

Gang Tattoo Removal

We have had a lot of requests for resources for gang tattoo removal so this was a refreshing story.

Dr. Bryna Kane begins every ERASE THE PAST free clinic with a circle of healing that offers former gang members a second chance at a fresh start by literally erasing their gang-related tattoos with the latest high-tech lasers modern medicine and technology have developed. Former gang members and youth at-risk must agree to complete community service in order to participate in the program. These tattoos often stigmatize these young people and mark them for life, making it difficult or impossible for them to leave the gangs behind, obtain jobs and turn their lives around with gang symbols seared across their faces, hands, arms and bodies. Erase the Past has been going strong for 10 years since it was founded by Dr. Bryna Kane and Dr. Edward Glassberg to help the Long Beach, CA community. The doctors have helped 4,000 former gang members and at-risk youth between the ages of 14 & 25 and have turned painful pasts into fresh starts.

Video

Feb

Murder Forgiven Part 1

Interview with Dr. Levon Davis, Former Drug Dealer from South Central, Los Angeles and California Youth Authority Inmate. He was incarcerated for murder as a young teenager. Hear his powerful story.

Video

Feb

Do Not Let Your Past Dictate Your Future — in Work, Life Or Anything Else

Today’s post was inspired by someone who emailed in for help this past week. This one is for you.

If I were to speak to the hundreds of thousands of gang members in the country, I would say one thing: You did not deserve to be born into the world you were in. You didn’t ask to be a little baby brought into whatever situation you may have been. It wasn’t your fault that you may have grown up hungry, afraid, hurt, abused, lost, ignored or whatever else may have happened. You were meant to matter, to go on to doing great and big things. And those who raised you didn’t know any better. They were as hurt and broken as you may be today. You deserve your hurts and pains from your past to be acknowledged, because they were and are very real. And you need to understand those things made you become as much as you are today as anything. I do not believe that anybody chooses a life of pain, suffering, despair, violence — I believe every bad thing humans do comes from a place of pain. If you have not realized this and acknowledged this in your life, and about yourself, then you must spend a minute doing so today. The first step to change is healing, and you deserve to heal too. Most of all, as you sit there hoping for a better life, or hoping for change, you need to know that you deserve that too. If you keep reaching, it will come. We live in a world of second, third, fourth, fifth and even tenth chances — or more — because that is the way God operates. The Bible says, “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.” If God himself gives us endless chances to try again, get it right, etc. then you will find people in this world who will do the same.

As you go out to find legitimate work, and to create a life for yourself outside of gangs, you need to look at your past as God does: The past, a mistake. My mom always says God put our eyes in the front of our heads for a reason — so that we look to what is before us, not behind us. I believe it. This is the mindset and the truth you need to hang onto as you take the steps towards change. You were born to matter, to do great and wonderful things. Even with any past you’ve had, that has not changed. When you are ready to reconnect with what you were meant to become, it will be there waiting. Life is hard whether you live legitimately or you live in violence and crime — there are no easy routes either way. But, if you move towards something, it’ll move towards you — whether the steps you take are positive or negative. Keep taking the steps towards what is positive, no matter how hard it is, how scared you are or how bleak the situation may be. Because when you do, doors will open, the world around you will shift. Hundreds of people who were once in the same situation you are in are proof.

When you are speaking with prospective companies regarding jobs, communicate these things. You made a mistake. You went the wrong way because you didn’t know, you weren’t aware, but you are now and things — including you — are different. In time, someone will believe in you and they will give you that break, and within a few years, your past — and whatever may have happened — will become less and less of a factor to what you have and can do in the future. I have seen living proof of this in endless amounts of cases. It will be hard for some companies to trust you, it’ll be hard for some people to believe that you are not who you were, but don’t let it affect you because for each of them, there will be others who are the opposite and believe you have changed. The more that you live a legitimate life, the less the past will play a factor in everything. In time, not only will you likely find that the past doesn’t have an affect on what you can have, you will find it will matter less and less.

If you are in the process of changing your life, or desire to, these are the steps to take:

1. Accept the path and the role you did NOT play (childhood abuse, trauma, etc.) and the one you did (bad choices, actions, etc.) and then MOVE ON. Acknowledge it and let it go. It is meant to be left behind. It has no purpose or place to where you are going. Leave it.

2. Seek God and what is within yourself to find your purpose. God doesn’t want you to just work at some XYZ job — He wants you to do far greater, bigger things. If you have never dreamed before, or never looked within yourself to what you really deep down wish you could do or be, you must do this today. The bible says, “Write the vision and make it clear” — if you are not clear on what you really want, it will be harder. Find it today.

3. Get support. We ALL need support — and that includes you. There are so many people trying to help people like yourself. Find them. They are your new family. They will lift you up when the going gets tough, they’ll help you and support you. This website is devoted to helping — email and ask. You will find it there. Also seek out other gang members who may have changed — Google examples and reach out to them via email. They know your fight, and they can help be a support as you do it.

4. Get moving. It is so fun to dig up your path and find your way once you’re on it, you are going to be empowered and charged up about it. Make a list of what you think you need to do if you are not sure, and start moving. If it is finding a job to get by now, work on it. If it is to better your income or to move onto a specific career path, do it. Every single thing in life requires taking steps — no matter what happens, keep moving on yours. You might stumble at first, or even fall, but in time if you keep at it, you’ll run swiftly and smoothly like everybody else.

5. Help others do the same. Nothing is more fulfilling or rewarding than giving back. Pay it forward by being the support to someone else that you once needed.

Now I know it’s going to be hard — believe me, but if you do the above, you will not be sorry.

Lil Miss P

How to Find A Job, Knowing How

Jan

Gang Tattoo Removal

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Laser Center owner helps troubled youths amend their lives by removing gang tattoos..
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Many of them are gang-related, including the nine skulls that represent friends who have been killed in “shoot-outs” or died from drug overdoses. …