wendy, a gang member, describes being shot at by a different gang and being protected by her own:
We were standing in that corner there–I was pregnant. And they were shooting at us. And everybody jumped on me–cuz I was pregnant, ya’ no? And everybody who was on my stomach, they were all shot.
They said they was gonna kill me.
I’m still here.
Just one person can kill you, ya’ no? But I’m still here–And I insulted they neighborhood and all.
END NOTE:
Department of Social Services took away Wendy’s child because she was being beaten by her boyfriend
and she was a drug user.
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September 12th, 2009 at 10:24 am #
quote is taken from a show on gang girls (or cholas) in L.A..
September 12th, 2009 at 10:32 am #
Wonderful how Wendy’s body was being used as a shield.
Even though this article is from England and therefore not directly relevant to your post, it does give me some hope. It’s about programs for parents who are also drug users that were started up to enable kids to stay with their parents.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1909803.ece
September 12th, 2009 at 10:46 am #
actually, sahara, it was the other way around–members of another gang were shooting at her–and her own gang jumped on her to protect her….I’m sorta debating how to publish/edit this post, because i don’t want too much of my own voice or influence on how this situation or this girl or her girls are framed. the interesting question to me is “how do we interpret” these girls–when they are actually doing something *technically* very radical–they are claiming space, in my opinion–because they feel they deserve it. that “space” is worth fighting for. and their bodies are respected by each other in a way that is not in mainstream or by the government.
what do we do with this situation then? when they are doing something that “proper” middle class or even working class people won’t and can’t and don’t even think they have the right to–but when they are ALSO doing something that is making neighborhoods unsafe–and making them unsafe. how do we understand this situation? And *DO* we try to understand this situation, when I would not even be *trying* to understand them if I lived in their neighborhood? I’d want the gun shooting and violence to stop!
September 12th, 2009 at 11:01 am #
I see. Well maybe it would be good to add the gang protecting her? If it’s factual, I’m not sure you’re adding too much of your own voice.
Is there a video online or something? That would be really cool.
I have a friend who calls herself La Chola and has a t-shirt. She’s not part of a gang but I think she may identify with the spirit. She is fucking awesome and so resilient!!
September 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pm #
bfp, I am a nosy bastard. Do you know the name of the show? I feel sort of bad about the people who were shot, but I’m a middle classer.
September 12th, 2009 at 12:46 pm #
I read it right away as others jumping on Wendy to protect her, no se if that’s because of my own experiences working with street orgs.
September 12th, 2009 at 2:53 pm #
I read it as them protecting them too, and you know how I am.
September 12th, 2009 at 5:06 pm #
*pauses*
September 20th, 2009 at 1:13 pm #
RosaLinda Fregoso theorizes this at length (i.e. Pachuca/homegirls taking up “street space” and thereby challenging the maleness of the public sphere) in her book, MeXicana Encounters.