gangs
Streetsblog LA
Death and All His Friends Cast Long Shadows In the Public Space
“I went crazy,” Sherika Simms says quietly of the realization that she would be unable to help her brother.
November 6, 2013
“Invest in Us!” say South L.A. Youth in Response to Questions about How to Curb Violence at Town Hall with Garcetti
When asked by his group's facilitator whether he believed the youth in South L.A. had opportunities -- opportunities to grow, succeed, try new things, advance their education, you name it -- one young man said he was convinced that the answer was a resounding "no."
August 7, 2013
A Tale of Two Communities: New Security Measures at USC Intensify Profiling of Lower-Income Youth of Color
"What you got on you?" the 15 year-old girl says the cops pulled up alongside her asked as she walked along Vermont one night.
April 30, 2013
Villaraigosa Offers Tough Stance on Gun Violence, but South L.A. Youth Say the Problem is Deeper than Guns
The first time he shot somebody, he says, another gang member helped him hold his hand steady as he aimed the gun out the window of the car they were sitting in.
January 18, 2013
Listening to the Streets in Order to Make Them More Livable: Part III in a Series
This is the third (and long overdue) piece in a series re-examining the way we think about Livable Streets. The first two articles (here and here) detail the history of a wonderful young man named Fidel who ran with a crew just north of USC. His experience mirrors that of many of the teens I know in South Central and, as such, offers insight into what "livability" means in areas where streets are contested.
August 9, 2012
Are You Ready to Rumble?: Streetfights Take More Violent Turns
This article is second in a series about how gang activity impacts the livability of streets. The issue is explored through the eyes and experiences of Fidel, a 19 year old Business Administration student who began running with crews in elementary school. The first part of his story can be found here, along with a link to the story he wrote about his decision to leave his crew. The final installment can be found here.
April 27, 2012
It’s a Small World: How Gang Activity Impacts the Livability of Streets
WHEN THEY JUMPED HIM IN to the crew in 10th grade, he tells me, the actual beating didn't last very long. There may have been 6 guys, but Fidel, a natural fighter, was swinging more fiercely than they were. After he connected hard with a couple of the guys, they decided they had had enough and declared it over.
April 5, 2012