For many years we have known that gangs are a thing. In the early 1900’s until today gangs have over populated the streets of South Central. Especially in LA, where gang affiliation is very common in the communities in the area. These communities have been living in terror for decades due the stereotypes and stigma on gangs. Gangs have brought violence, drugs, gun violence, and several other dangers into our community. Because of territorial ownership, violence against other local gangs that are only divided by a couple of blocks have created these fears when living in a community with a lot of gang activity. 

Gang leaders and members seem to be mainly adult men, but in reality young kids have fallen into these bad steps and habits. There are many problems that lead or influence young kids to join gangs. For example, issues at home can cause these young kids to fall into this trap. Based on “Gangs And Children,” young adults tend to join gangs because they lack the attention at home. Or just the reason that many young adults  mainly in the South Central LA area are born into this dangerous lifestyle.

How do these gangs come to be? Well a gang is a group of people with 3 or more members. Gangs are typically organized by racial and ethnic political lines and employ common names, slogans, aliases, symbols, tattoos, style of clothing, hairstyles, hand signs or graffiti. Gangs mainly control some of their home areas which they call “territories.” This is where the violence begins, because these gangs want to gain territory. To gain these territory, gangs participate in shootouts and fatal drive by’s, causing many innocent people to lose their lives

These gangs started in the 1900’s to protect their people. Mainly Latin and Black gangs did this because of racial stereotypes. The inequalities that these individuals have experienced has caused them to join to show their courage and strength. But this has only caused these young kids to have traumatic experiences developing many mental illnesses. Many kids gained PTSD, not just from joining them but being near gangs.

I asked my cousin who grew up in a very populated gang area how he felt and he said, “I constantly feel scared, always looking over my shoulder wondering what’s going to happen to me. I always feel worried about walking into the wrong neighborhood with the wrong color.” This proves to me that you don’t have to be in a gang to gain all the cautions that they have.

To end off, gangs have traumatized and caused many communities harm. Not just in physical ways but in mental and traumatic ways. Making communities come together to honor many young men’s lives. Gang affiliation can be very traumatic and is never the choice.