this letter - Youth Today

At that time (1980's) ... some of the most infamous gangs around New York were the
'Ball Busters', 'C.C. Boys', The 'A-Team', etc. Although I wasn't affiliated with any of
them, I was involved in lesser-known ones.
As time went by I became a member of one of America's most Notorious Gangs- 'The
Almighty Latin King Nation' (AL.K.N.). Before I knew it, I was one of the top leaders
(1 st Crown) on Riker's Island, serving two prison sentences totaling 39 years to 79 Yz
years, for two unrelated am1ed robbery cases, one of them which I had nothing to do
WM.
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I had just turned 22 years old when I came to prison. I was just a kid who took the wrong
paths in life, hanging out with the wrong people, the wrong crowd... leaving behind two
kids (a daughter and a son) ofms own- without a father to raise them.
One of the people that were most affected by my incarceration was my beloved
Grandmother, who died of cancer not long after my arrest I blame myself till this day,
because I was her pride and joy- her backbone, her life, her all- and I let her down!!!
(Mi Abuelita- Te Quierol- PerdonamePor Hacerte Sufrir!)
It seemed like the more I embraced the gang life...the more enemies I made, the more
problems I had, and the more people I was hurting. I thought I was doing the right
thing.; .educating those brothersitos who didn't know how to read or Write, sending
them to school, getting them jobs, ect I tried to mide them through what the Nation
(Latin Kings and Queens) stood for! (Respect-Honesty-Unity-Knowledge-and Love!!!).
I tried to follow all of our lessons to the fullest. ..including having brothers abstain from
using or selling harsh drugs (Heroin-Coke- Crack-etc.).
I tried to keep the peace between us and other rival gangs (Bloods- Crips- Netas-Smokesetc.),
but what I realized most was, that the mo{e I tried to do good for the whole (all), the
more bitterness grew WIthin my Bro's and Others- I also realized that although I was
doing the right thing by helping.those who needed it most- being involved in gangs' was
not the move!!! Not only was it not the right,move...but there was nothing positive about
it
Nevertheless, in 1'994, ~fter spending almost 2-years on Riker's Island and being
sentenced, King Blood (The Godfather of the A.L.K.N.) opened doors for anyone who
wished to leave the Nation. And I must say...ashard as it was for me to do to reave
something; I had so strongly stood for, believed in, and upheld to the fullest all the
Brothers and Sisters I had grown so close to ...had so much Love for, who had embraced
me, with a Respect, in pure Honesty, United with such Loyalty, and so much Knowledge
and Love .. .I left the Nation! .
To my surprise, many others followed in my steps as time went by. Whatever their reason
for leaving may have been, I know why I left. I left because I made my mother suffer and
cry so many times, put her through so much pain- My kids...what kind of a father figure
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