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This year The Unusual Suspects (US) celebrates its birthday by spotlighting 15 voices from the last 15 years. These voices represent the community of youth, artists, staff, volunteers, funders and partners that have been such an important of our history. Keep your eyes open for the next 15 Years, 15 Voices and make the next 15 years as transformative as the last by helping us reach our goal of raising $150,000 the next 15 months!

Let Them Talk
Roundtable Discussion with US Alumni on LA’s Gang Problem
By Jennifer Lisle

City leaders have been vocal in their quest to tackle the gang problem in Los Angeles in the wake of high-profile gang violence in recent months. Since many youth in US programs grow up in gang-dominated neighborhoods, we consider them foremost experts on the subject and asked them to comment on the problem and suggest what might help. The names have been changed to protect their identity.

JENNIFER LISLE: Therehas been a serious gang problem in Los Angeles for a long time, and the city has tried many approaches to solving it. Why do you think it is so difficult for the city to get rid of gangs?

DUANE: It is so established now, you can’t just “get rid ofgangs.” In the 90s, they were fighting and killing over their turf. Now they have that established, it’s entrenched, it’s in people’s homes, going from generation to generation. And they have payrolls, people make money doing it and other people see it as a way to make money so they protect it.

JUAN: There will always be someone who thinks he can run his block and protect his hood. He will fear anyone he doesn’t know, thinking they could be the police, even under-cover. He has no job or future or anything, just his block. Most likely, he is involved in the drug trade or selling guns. But even if there were no drugs or guns, there would still be rivalry but there’s always someone who wants to take over, be on top of the world.

JL: Why is it so difficult to avoid joining a gang for some kids?

JUAN: Sometimes, it’s because they have an older brother or sister that is a “rep” and if that person gets killed or goes to jail, there’s an expectation that they would take over. If the older one has a gang name like “stretch” then they will always be “little stretch.” But there’s alot of reasons kids join gangs.

DUANE: Because it’s where they are raised and they don’t have the luxury to just be shipped out. They’re around people hustling, pimping, selling drugs and there’s no one to enlighten them. There are a lot of kids who just want to be a part of something and think gang-banging will make them more of a man.

JL: What are the alternatives to joining a gang for these kids?

JUAN: If you choose not to gang bang, they consider you a weenie, or a nobody, or the enemy.
Gang bangers always assume you’re with someone. If you’re not with them, they think you’re with someone else.

JL: Did you feel pressure to join a gang in your neighborhood? How young were you when you first felt that pressure?
DUANE: I was 11, 12 when it started. They used to come after my cousin and me. They would be waiting outside my house. We fought them off – we liked sports, so we thought if we keep fighting they would leave. They are out there all the time now, scouting. A lot of them are not kicking it in their hoods anymore – they go out to places where there aren’t any gangs and get people there. Later on, when I was older I joined a gang because I felt life was going downhill and I had no hope for the future.

JUAN: No, I joined the gang for financial reasons. I needed money and they were offering.

JL: Do you still feel pressure?

DUANE: When I came home from jail, I was expected to be a gang leader. They wanted me to be a killer, to shoot all the enemies, to show that my hood was still on top. But I went through a lot. I did camp, I did a drug rehab program. I was 19. I got a job through the help of my community, I became a plumber, and I had my own apartment, my own car and a girl- friend. I told them I was raised properly, and I learned from what I did. Then they ended up robbing me. They took my money, my car, and I lost my apartment. They threw a Molotov cocktail into my girlfriend’s car. I’m still trying to get over it.

JL: What do you think would help kids avoid being in gangs? What has worked with you in your life to avoid gangs?

JUAN: If you reach them from the ages of 12-15, that’s the best. That’s when people start choosing what they’re gonna be, if it’s rockers, gang-bangers or gay or whatever. That’s the time when they need something to make them feel confident and someone to be there for them. What worked for me was that I turned 18 in jail and realized I was an adult and needed to take responsibility. And in jail I finally found people and programs like USwhere I got support for the first time. It gave me the wisdom to make better decisions, to have patience, to understand that there are consequences.

DUANE: I got to meet people who enlightened me, who made me see that there was something else. That could work for other people but it depends on who really wants it. The situation is so complex, with some people you have to take them out of the situation.

JL: The story of the young football star Jamiel Shaw being gunned down outside his house is tragic for many reasons. His killers thought he was a rival gang member and when he didn’t deny it, they shot him. Why does racial hatred and gang violence like this seem to be on the rise?

JUAN: It’s an old, old thing and it’s because people are afraid to change their ways and they’re afraid to leave. They’re afraid someone will take something away from their neighborhoods.

JL: If you were the mayor of Los Angeles, what would you do to stop gang violence and discourage young kids from joining gangs?

JUAN: I would go to every hood and find the O.G., the veteran of that hood. I would have a meeting with them and tell them they could set an example and maybe make it a competition between the different hoods. Tell them that everyone looks up to them and if they stop the others will stop. With young kids, I would encourage them to do what we did in US. I would tell them to write a script, and so on. I would tell them if they do it, they could try out for a movie. Give them a chance to do something else.

Duane and Juan first met at one of the Juvenile Probation Camps. During their time at the facility, they became involved with US and were the natural leaders of the group. Their participation was key to developing, “These Shoes Are Made for Playing,” a comedic story that weaved tragedy into a tale about basketball and a pair of magical shoes.

About the writer: Jennifer Lisle has worked as a journalist for the last 18 years in New York, London and Los Angeles. She has covered a range of topics, including urban and cultural trends, real estate, visual art and breaking news. Currently she serves as a US Board Member and is our feature writer this season.

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