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In Inquiring Minds, 210SA asks local people of various professions the burning questions that everyone wants answer to. Check back at 210SA.com every Monday for a new installment. This week, Javier Canales, a 34-year-old former gang member, answers our questions.
What is your current occupation? How and why did you pursue this path?
I am currently a director in a men's Christian recovery home. I believe that I was tired of the way that I was living. I was searching, and I found God. Through that, I developed gratitude knowing that there was a second chance for me. Now I know there are other men out there that were in my condition and are searching too.
Which gang were you affiliated with? What kind of activity where you involved in?
As a teenager I was affiliated with the Kings, and as time advanced I was affiliated with the Mexican Mafia. I was involved in selling drugs, as well as many shootings and stabbings that eventually evolved into a murder rap.
Why did you get involved in a gang, and how old were you?
I was about 14 years old, and I was searching for a father figure.
Does a teardrop tattoo on your cheek really mean you've killed someone?
In these days, no. At one time it did.
What's the biggest misconception people have about gang members?
Society has labeled them as misfits and outcasts of society, but I am evidence that they are not. Under the right guidance and direction, something good can come out of something bad.
Have you ever been in jail? If so, how long and what for?
Yes. Various times for possession of drugs, possession of a firearm, assault, terrorist threats. ... The longest I was incarcerated was for a year.
Why did you finally get out of that lifestyle?
I was tired of the way my life was, the negative aspect of it. I was tired of the violence and the many times I was close to death because of the violence. And I was tired of the harm it caused my family. Also, the reputation that succeeded me was no good.
What is a common reaction you get from people when you tell them you were a gang member?
They are surprised that something good came out of something bad.
Tell us about the people you work with. Who are they, and why are they at the home?
The people I work with are people who basically come from the same background that I come from. They're searching, and I stand as proof that change can happen.
What kind of connections and differences do you think you are making in people's lives?
The connection I feel I'm making is that I can relate and vice versa. I can't ask somebody to climb a mountain I haven't climbed, and because I come from that background we can relate. But it goes deeper than just the gangs and deeper than just searching. It goes back to issues like sexual, physical and mental abuse. Many men come from this, it's just well hidden. So, the connection goes deep.
What kind of challenges are today's gang members facing compared with 10 years ago?
Ten years ago it was about territory, money and fame, escaping the ghettos. Now it's no longer escaping the ghettos; the drugs are different; the gang members are younger. It's about proving they can for the sake of a name, even if costs them a term of life or even death, I believe.
Do you think S.A. has a gang problem? If so, how does it help or hurt the city?
Yes. It affects it in a lot of ways. It affects the generations before them. It affects society. If there's nothing done to fix it, it is just going to get worse. |
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