Tag: gang life
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Chapter 10: Gunplay
Getting locked up in juvenile hall didn’t change my heart, it only forced a break in my criminal activities. The first thing I did upon my release was smoke a joint with the homies to celebrate my time in jail. Recognition from peers was more important than any type of consequences drummed up by the…
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Chapter 8: Monkhood
My mom tried everything to keep me off the streets, even religion. In Southeast Asian Buddhist culture it is customary for young males to spend time in their local temple as a novice monk. It’s a way to earn merit for our past offenses and a way to earn respect from the surrounding Asian community.…
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Chapter 7: Typical Day
It was 1996. The sun was shining and I had just punched some white kid in the face. I picked up his glasses and threw them down the street as he begged me to stop. I let him get on his bike and said, “You tell your brother to never talk s*** again. Get the…
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Chapter 3: Fear
Fresno, California was the worst place you could be in the mid 90’s. Crime, drugs and gangs was rampant and part of your normal everyday occurrence. You can get robbed and stabbed by simply walking down the street with a new (or used) pair of Air-Jordan’s. Living on Fresno St. in a ghetto fabulous neighborhood…
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Chapter 2: Kung-Fu
Life was different in sunny Southern California (So Cal). Back in Massachusetts my brother and I would climb trees, explore the open woods in our backyard, and watch the bug-eyed raccoons dig through our trash from the kitchen window. So Cal Los Angeles area was an urban jungle with city as far as the eye…
The Asian Rough Rider 