The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation : Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang

How a notorious street gang became a social organization providing leadership to New York City's Latino/a youths. From Los Angeles and New York to Chicago and Miami, street gangs are regarded as one of the most intractable crime problems facing our cities, and a vast array of resources is being deployed to combat them. This book chronicles the astounding self-transformation of one of the most feared gangs in the United States into a social movement acting on behalf of the dispossessed, renouncing violence and the underground economy, and requiring school attendance for membership. What caused the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation of New York City to make this remarkable transformation? And why has it not happened to other gangs elsewhere? David C. Brotherton and Luis Barrios were given unprecedented access to new and never-before-published material by and about the Latin Kings and Queens, including the group's handbook, letters written by members, poems, rap songs, and prayers. In addition, they interviewed more than one hundred gang members, including such leaders as King Tone and King Hector. Featuring numerous photographs by award-winning photojournalist Steve Hart, the book explains the symbolic significance for the gang of hand gestures, attire, rituals, and rites of passage. Based on their inside information, the authors craft a unique portrait of the lives of the gang members and a ground-breaking study of their evolution.

From Los Angeles and New York to Chicago and Miami, street gangs are regarded as one of the most intractable crime problems facing our cities, and a vast array of resources is being deployed to combat them. This book chronicles the astounding self-transformation of one of the most feared gangs in the United States into a social movement acting on behalf of the dispossessed, renouncing violence and the underground economy, and requiring school attendance for membership.

What caused the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation of New York City to make this remarkable transformation? And why has it not happened to other gangs elsewhere? David C. Brotherton and Luis Barrios were given unprecedented access to new and never-before-published material by and about the Latin Kings and Queens, including the group's handbook, letters written by members, poems, rap songs, and prayers. In addition, they interviewed more than one hundred gang members, including such leaders as King Tone and King Hector. Featuring numerous photographs by award-winning photojournalist Steve Hart, the book explains the symbolic significance for the gang of hand gestures, attire, rituals, and rites of passage. Based on their inside information, the authors craft a unique portrait of the lives of the gang members and a ground-breaking study of their evolution.

Columbia University Press

CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION PART I TOWARD A THEORY OF THE GANG AS A SOCIAL MOVEMENT CHAPTER 1 THE STUDY CHAPTER 2 THE THEORY OF GANGS CHAPTER 3 POLITICS AND GANGS PART II THE MAKING OF THE ALKQN: SUBCULTURAL TRADITIONS CHAPTER 4 WHO ARE THE ALMIGHTY LATIN KING AND QUEEN NATION? CHAPTER 5 THE TRADITIONS OF KING BLOOD CHAPTER 6 NONGANG TRADITIONS I CHAPTER 7 NONGANG TRADITIONS II PART III THE FORM AND CONTENT OF A STREET ORGANIZATION CHAPTER 8 THE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE LATIN KINGS CHAPTER 9 MEMBERSHIP CHAPTER 10 IDENTITY AND COLLECTIVE RESISTANCE CHAPTER 11 GOALS VERSUS ACTS CHAPTER 12 PERCEIVED ADVERSARIES CHAPTER 13 CONCLUSION NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX Chronicles the evolution of the Latin Kings and Queens, a once-feared gang that transformed into responsible members of society. The reformed gang acts on behalf of the dispossessed, renounces violence and the underground economy, and requires school attendance. Includes inside material from the group and interviews with more than 100 gang members A sociologist and a psychologist explore the cultural, social, political, and spiritual transformation of the Latin Kings gang, introducting the concept of "street organization" and the potential for political and social engagement in the community. It is probably safe to say that the majority of studies of inner city inhabitants, particularly those that focus on members of youth gangs, have been carried out within the tradition of positivistic social science.