`` Always Running By Luis Rodriguez

Always Running is, essentially, a detailed memoir by Luis Rodriguez. Moreover, the author describes his sordid past as a gang member in Los Angeles during the 1960 's. As a consequence of residing in a gang, Rodriguez became involved in spontaneous acts of violence; for instance, accounts included rape, drug peddling, shootings, and multiple other reasons for arrests. But, the deciding factor that had made him feel the need to finish confessing his atrocities, was only after hearing that his son, Ramiro, had ‘rolled in’ with a local gang. Determined to warn his son of the hazardousness of gang association, Always Running features traumatizing depictions of true events set against the backdrop of the beggar streets of L.A. during the anti-establishment racial occurrence.

Barking to the Choir is a powerful novel that articulates about the life of several gang members in Los Angeles County and their redemption. Father Gregory Boyle, the author of this book and the founder of Homeboy Industries, entered Los Angeles when gang violence was at its peak. Although Father Boyle has gone out of his way to give hope to communities where gang culture is prevalent, has given guidance and mentorship to youth and adults that society has deemed as unworthy, as a Sociologist we have to critique his reflexivity and his acceptance to communities of color.

Luis had a very rough and unfair childhood. He and his family were constantly moving because they were economically unstable and because of how much involvement he had with gang violence. As Luis gets more involved in the gang life him and his friends began to establish a gang called, “The Impersonations.” On page 41 in the book he says, “The impersonations is how we wove something out of the threads of nothing.” At one point Luis and his gang family thought that was all they could rely on at the time.

In “Tattoos on the Heart,” by Gregory Boyle, Boyle experiences how to deal with gangs. The novel, a compelling story about gang violence and one man’s response towards giving those buried within it, tells a story of gang members working for a chance of redemption and solace. Can others be seen as fathers or even as a role models when gang life is such a large force in their lives? Through the story gangbangers that try to change themselves for the pursuit of a better future and a desire to succeed and escape gang life, Boyle tells an emotional, human story about life in the Los Angeles barrios. Boyle characteristics represent him as a father for three gang bangers: Joey Cesar, and Scrappy. While

The two most critical social issues that are impacting the Alvarez family are gang involvement and violence, and a lack of community involvement. Gang involvement is especially troubling to both the community and the immediate family as it is directly related to violence and crime. “Gang members engage in a higher level of serious and violent crime than their non-gang-involved peers. Research about gangs is often intertwined with research about gun violence and drug crime. It is clear that gangs, guns, drugs, and violence are interconnected.” (Gangs and Gang Crime, 2017)

The odds are stacked upon Luis Rodriguez, an upcoming sixteen year old that has found himself in the world of gangs. Luis is a human, and it is expected that he would make many mistakes in his life, however when given choices, he always seems to choose the wrong one and never learns from his mistakes. The theme of Luis Rodriguez’s autobiography, “Always Running,” is that many people feel like they are alone in the world, and that the world is always against them, but there will always be people that will stand in your corner and help them achieve what they were meant for. He proves this by including examples from his childhood and the mistakes he has made and the supports he has had.

Can you imagine having to join a brutal gang for your own safety? That's exactly what Luis Rodriguez had to do. In Always Running Luis shares how his life changed when he had to join a gang for his safety and demonstrates how all the drugs and violence affected both him and his loved ones. In this memoir, Rodriguez shows how his identity and life was affected by the brutal environment of gangs by giving us a peek into the mind of a teenage gang member.

Everyone growing up has experienced forms of pressure to participate and soon regretting their decisions. Luis Rodriquez is no exception, detailing the extent in his autobiography called Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. Luis Javier Rodriguez, born in El Paso in 1954 and a former Los Lomas Chicano Animal Tribe gang member, has led an extensive life filled with criminal activity to activism in the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. When he was just a young teen, Luis Rodriguez joined the Los Lomas Chicano Animal Tribe gang. During his time in the gang, he developed an extensive criminal record, even getting arrested for “assault with intent to commit murder” at only seventeen years old after four people were shot. He was

Early in the story, we learn that he wasn’t a good person, a good father, and a good son. He also explained one time in his life, he was admired what a group of people did in his school that would lead to his doings. Luis Rodriguez wrote “A crew of mean people got out, armed with chains, bats, metal pipes and zip guns… I froze as the head stopping came dangerously my way. But I was also intrigued. I wanted this power. I wanted to be able to bring the whole school down to its knees and teachers squirm” Pg 42. This quote shows off how much anger he have when he was little and the path he chose to be in gangs. He could have chosen the path of his brother Rafa to be good in school and play sports. Early in the story, people were mean to Luis at school, at the park and the streets. One specific part that made Luis who he is when his mother, his brother and himself went to the park. Luis Rodriguez wrote,“ The American women yelled “you don’t belong here! Understand? This is not your country!” Pg19. This quote shows off how much Luis was influenced that the Latino community didn’t have the same rights, free to do something and being heated from their race. The anger he had from the woman got stuck in his mind, but when he saw the crew that terrorized the school, his anger manipulated him so he could do the same as the crew did. He was just a kind boy that had a bad influence of his

Option 3: From the white cops that taunted Luis and his friends at the beach to the 6 yearly "Tradition" between the Anglo students and the Mexican students, race and racial tensions play a big role in Luis' experiences in Always Running. What are the ways in which race played a part in Luis Rodriguez's experience regarding gangs and gang life? Use specific examples from the novel to discuss and evaluate the ways in which racial tensions or racial inequities had an influence on Luis' experience growing up amidst gang life in Los Angeles.

He’s gotten better in speaking and understanding English, but nowhere in school. Continuously being suspended or kicked out of school, he gave up, being rejected wherever he went came with a hard attitude and a tougher shell which didn’t work out with teachers and his parents. Being so young and already exposed to sex, heartbreaks, drugs, violence, and suicidal thoughts, how could it? Gang after gang he finally stuck to Lomas, going through tough initiations, friends dying, gang wars, and going in and out of jail. Later on, he takes interest to go back to school with the help of adults who knew he could do so much more, even though that process of staying in school would be a bumpy one. Finally, he sticks to Mark Keppel High School, where his life starts to slowly change for the better. He joined a school program for Chicanos called To.H.M.A.S, became the male mascot for the school, and later became the president of To.H.M.A.S. He was doing better than ever, but gang problems still lingered and unfairness to Chicano students at the school caused Luis to take action. There were ups and downs, trying to get the two rival gangs Lomas and Sangra to make amends and have peace wouldn’t last long, and Luis still got into trouble with the police, of course for being Mexican was a big part of it. Back and forth he battled with getting through high school years, but in the end he was able to graduate and win 250 bucks

On the streets of Chicago gang violence is common. 72% of people who die are murdered. Children everyday are affected by this atrocity. Schools are filled with drugs and violence. This was the everyday life of me, Jazmine Harper. My 18 year old brother Demaris was in a gang, the Reds. My mother was a construction worker and my dad left me the day I was born. My family lived in Riverdale, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Chicago. Things haven’t really changed since I left.

He can either go to trial or receive the verdict or he can accept the predetermined plea. Rodriguez does not want to accept the plea because he is innocent but he is also aware of how the jury will judge him based on his outer appearance. It is the officer’s words against a delinquent Chicano so he ideally has no choice. Rodrigues accepts the plea- bargain because he knows that his skin color makes him guilty of all charges. In this situation Rodrigues represent not only himself but also other Chicano youth tin East L.A. they are automatically depicted as criminals and gangsters who destroy the community. The youth have directed anger towards on another instead of at the elite who control the society they live in.

Santana was born to a culture that has been historically abused for labor, marginalized (Kendall, 2007), and reputed as criminals. Santana’s opportunities in life were predetermined by forces in position of power long before his birth. Due to the circumstance of Santana’s conception he served as a constant reminder of his mother’s violation. The young Santana, rejected by his father and emotionally abandoned by his mother, was unable to garner a sense of belonging from home. Santana finds the family he seeks amongst his friends on the streets and from his gang La Eme in

Many kids in the world suffer from emotional pain and not having the freedom they deserve, one such person is Squeaky, the protagonist of “Raymond’s Run” which is a short story written by Toni Cade Bambara. She faces many difficulties in her life such as not being able to do what she wants, and dealing with her rivals, Gretchen and her gang. Similarly, the song “Believer” by Imagine Dragons closely relates to and describes one person’s emotional pain and the search for independence. Both the song lyrics and “Raymond’s Run” reflect the theme of emotional pain and searching for one’s independence.