Sooooooooo.
This weekend was awesome.
Early early friday morning, I left for LA to learn about gangs with a group of 12 other CLU students for a retreat called the Urban Exchange!
I was soo nervous the most of first day because I was on the planning committee and we were all stressed out about everything going according to plan, BUTTTT, it went reeeally really well!!
Friday we did ice breakers and had a short lecture from a professor who has a lot of experience with gangs. And then we drove to Home Boy Industries in LA. Its a rehabilitation center. And its right by China Town, that was cool.
They have awesome services there and its all free! If you go to them and say "hey sooooo, I want out of my gang..." they'll get you a job, free tattoo removal, child care, GED programs, counselors, pastors, job training, food, shelter, protection, its awesome. This guy Gus told us his whole story after he gave us a tour while we ate bommmb tacos from their restaurant. He got shot a bunch if times and had to have one of his legs amputated =/
He was really chill though, he told us about his family and his childhood and his neighborhood.
He was really chill though, he told us about his family and his childhood and his neighborhood.
The whole experience was just mind blowing because it's just the norm for them, I couldnt believe it.
The scariest thing to me was something he said. We asked him if he wanted revenge on the guy who put him in a coma and shot him in the leg and he says soo casually
"Oh he's dead." and we didnt say anything for a second and he said "I knew my homies would take care of it."
That shooock me I dont know why.
After Home Boys we went to the church we slept at and did some learning activities. Which I planned. Which was scary. But went really well =)
And we cooked and explored the creepy church and played janga and hung oout.
And then we watched a movie about MS13 and went to sleep. Wooh.
Sunday morning we all had breakfast and then went to a park down the street to hear one of our group members, Chris, tell his story. Fascinating. I mean I couldnt even summarize the whole thing. This is just a guy who gets inspired and straight up does things. He was involved with gangs all his life, his parents got him drinking as a toddler, he did drugs and later ran drugs for all the major shot callers in LA. He never affiliated with a specific gang but he hung out mostly with the Mexican Mafia and a local biker gang. He doesnt remember exactly when but between ages 15-17 he drew out a series of flame tattoos which he got all over his body. He also has a ton of gang symbols and letters, coy fish, slogans, bike chains, pin-up girls, just tonnns. He's literally covered. Including mustache. Wooh. So when he's 17 he goes to prison. Continues to run drugs inside. But then later decides he wants out.
So he literally just does it. He stops gang banging. He stops doing drugs. He gets his GED. When he gets out of prison he goes to culinary school, works his way up the later, works with Wolfgang Puck, then moves to the Philippians and works for the president. Crazyyy. Then he sees a starving girl and all the sudden decides he wants to help people and make a difference in the world. So he just goes out and does it!
Now he's at CLU getting a degree in religion and political science. And he's going into the navy. And he's getting all his tattoos removed and he wants to be a lawyer someday he says. Maybe.
And this kid dropped out of school in 6th grade. Wasnt sober for a day in his life until he was 17. And he's sharing his story, working with rehabilitation, studying legislature, trying to make a change.
Its like wooow... what have I done with my life.
We were all so inspired!!
After that, we went to an organization called Project Cry No More. It was founded by this beautiful strong amazing woman Vicky who's son was killed by gang members. And its all women who's kids were murdered by gangs. We met with a panel of 3 women in the organization and one ex gang member who is now a mentor to kids. The ex gang member actually founded a prominent Compton gang and was then in prison for 30 years for a bunch of counts of murder. And the mothers shared their stories too, and it was really emotional.
Their organization mentors a bunch of kids too, they are so awesome.
Thennnn after being lost all over LA for like an hour, we went to Rosco's! Where chicken on waffles is actualllyyyyy really ridiculously delicious!!
Likkkkkke seriously. Soo goodddd. It was really fun =)
And this group of people was kind of heckling us or whatever and looking at us weirdly and Chris turned around and made a face at them and they totally stopped it was so cool.
Sooooooooooo! It all went really well! Im so glad Pastor Melissa made me be on the committee. Hahaha. No really though. It was so awesome, I learned so much. And I could write foreverrr but Im already babbling!!
My whole weekend was fantastic =)
When I got home from LA I hung out with the girlllllls =) It had been way too long sense we just had a normal hang out. We just went to World Market and BJs and then sat around talking and painted our nails. Mine are green. Quite exciting.
Then sunday morning I woke upppp and my mama and dad and Andrew came annnnddddd they brought my sweet Javiiii with themmm, it was the best thing everrr!
I had a choir concert and it was the coolest thing to see them out in the crowd. Esp. Javi who I miss way too much all of the tiiiiiiiiime!!
It was such a good day =) I love my familyyyy!!
SO!
that is my wonderful weekend!
Thank you for reading this you weirdyyyyyyy
Looooooooooooooooove KJ
The scariest thing to me was something he said. We asked him if he wanted revenge on the guy who put him in a coma and shot him in the leg and he says soo casually
"Oh he's dead." and we didnt say anything for a second and he said "I knew my homies would take care of it."
That shooock me I dont know why.
After Home Boys we went to the church we slept at and did some learning activities. Which I planned. Which was scary. But went really well =)
And we cooked and explored the creepy church and played janga and hung oout.
And then we watched a movie about MS13 and went to sleep. Wooh.
Sunday morning we all had breakfast and then went to a park down the street to hear one of our group members, Chris, tell his story. Fascinating. I mean I couldnt even summarize the whole thing. This is just a guy who gets inspired and straight up does things. He was involved with gangs all his life, his parents got him drinking as a toddler, he did drugs and later ran drugs for all the major shot callers in LA. He never affiliated with a specific gang but he hung out mostly with the Mexican Mafia and a local biker gang. He doesnt remember exactly when but between ages 15-17 he drew out a series of flame tattoos which he got all over his body. He also has a ton of gang symbols and letters, coy fish, slogans, bike chains, pin-up girls, just tonnns. He's literally covered. Including mustache. Wooh. So when he's 17 he goes to prison. Continues to run drugs inside. But then later decides he wants out.
So he literally just does it. He stops gang banging. He stops doing drugs. He gets his GED. When he gets out of prison he goes to culinary school, works his way up the later, works with Wolfgang Puck, then moves to the Philippians and works for the president. Crazyyy. Then he sees a starving girl and all the sudden decides he wants to help people and make a difference in the world. So he just goes out and does it!
Now he's at CLU getting a degree in religion and political science. And he's going into the navy. And he's getting all his tattoos removed and he wants to be a lawyer someday he says. Maybe.
And this kid dropped out of school in 6th grade. Wasnt sober for a day in his life until he was 17. And he's sharing his story, working with rehabilitation, studying legislature, trying to make a change.
Its like wooow... what have I done with my life.
We were all so inspired!!
After that, we went to an organization called Project Cry No More. It was founded by this beautiful strong amazing woman Vicky who's son was killed by gang members. And its all women who's kids were murdered by gangs. We met with a panel of 3 women in the organization and one ex gang member who is now a mentor to kids. The ex gang member actually founded a prominent Compton gang and was then in prison for 30 years for a bunch of counts of murder. And the mothers shared their stories too, and it was really emotional.
Their organization mentors a bunch of kids too, they are so awesome.
Thennnn after being lost all over LA for like an hour, we went to Rosco's! Where chicken on waffles is actualllyyyyy really ridiculously delicious!!
And this group of people was kind of heckling us or whatever and looking at us weirdly and Chris turned around and made a face at them and they totally stopped it was so cool.
Sooooooooooo! It all went really well! Im so glad Pastor Melissa made me be on the committee. Hahaha. No really though. It was so awesome, I learned so much. And I could write foreverrr but Im already babbling!!
My whole weekend was fantastic =)
When I got home from LA I hung out with the girlllllls =) It had been way too long sense we just had a normal hang out. We just went to World Market and BJs and then sat around talking and painted our nails. Mine are green. Quite exciting.
Then sunday morning I woke upppp and my mama and dad and Andrew came annnnddddd they brought my sweet Javiiii with themmm, it was the best thing everrr!
I had a choir concert and it was the coolest thing to see them out in the crowd. Esp. Javi who I miss way too much all of the tiiiiiiiiime!!
It was such a good day =) I love my familyyyy!!
SO!
that is my wonderful weekend!
Thank you for reading this you weirdyyyyyyy
Looooooooooooooooove KJ
