"Trust Me": Latino Male Gang Youths' Letters to Their Younger Peers

• In Event: 15.058 - Gangs, Schools, and Communities: How Marginalized Youth Navigate Complex Relationships

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Gang associated youth face additional hurdles and barriers in school which often result in being tracked away from unique learning opportunities and available college-bound courses and programs (Author, 2016; Flores-Gonzales, 2005; Lopez, 2003). Often, schools do not want to manage the increased needs or possible litigation of educating gang-associated youth and will transfer them to alternative or continuation schools (Rios, 2017; Vigil, 1999). Due to fractured relationships with educators, gang youth are less likely to engage with reading, writing, and other traditional classroom activities. This qualitative study aims to focus on gang-associated youth and their written recommendations to their younger brothers, siblings, and other male loved one.

Methods: After completion of the individual in-depth semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to compose a letter to a male friend, family member, or other male loved one. 22 of the 26 students agreed to write a letter to a male friend, or family member. These 12 students represent individuals who self-identified themselves as the gang or graffiti crew members or associates. I assured participants that their grammar, punctuation, or other writing rules would not be reviewed for accuracy or taken into consideration to evaluate the messages shared to their loved ones (Coker & Weber, 2008). Additionally, I shared there were no formal writing limitations, ideal length, or specific areas to address to avoid influencing the students’ writing (Bowen, 2009). The following writing prompt was shared with students: “What information should your male loved one know for the future?” The rationale for the letter format is an important strategy to engage these students in continuation schools as there were limited opportunities for students to participate in freestyle writing during their courses.

Preliminary findings: Within the students' written narratives, they highlighted the need for others to change their attitudes towards education. The students mean for their younger family members to have an open perspective on the need and value of K-12 and higher education. Second, the youth asked for others to consider possible consequences of their actions and behaviors in schools and the community. Within these themes, they invited others to reconsider gang membership, drug use, and friendship groups that may lead them to deviant behaviors.

Conclusion and implications: This paper provides the first qualitative examination of the written narratives of gang-associated Latino male youth. The importance of understanding and humanizing gang youth is an essential first step for educators to see the potential, read their sincere recommendations for younger loved ones, and provide new supports for youth who are gang involved to disengage the street lifestyle.

Author

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of Southern California