Power Tips & Articles
GANGS: CROSSING THE COLOR LINE
This article first appeared in the Quarterly Publication
of Strength Based Services International Newsletter
GROUP! A resounding cry echoes throughout the building.
Teachers, counselors and therapists stop what they are doing
and march single file into a community day room.
Students enrolled in the program are already seated awaiting
our arrival. It is only 9:15 in the morning and already
there’s a squabble between two students. As we sit
in a circle and begin to process the conflict, I notice
the disagreement is between two youth that are from rival
gangs. There are a couple of other gang members from different
sets in the group, but they claim to be neutral in the problem.
Eventually, the issue is resolved by talking the problem
out. Students and staff celebrate the solution and the day
moves on.
Inner city community based day treatment programs experience
this dilemma on a daily basis. Students return from their
homes and communities and walk through the doors of the
program with all their values and beliefs. And when there
is a problem, counselors will expect the students, including
rival gang members, to set down and problem solve in a supportive
and respectful manner. It’s not uncommon that many
of these conflict resolution groups resemble an arms agreement
treaty. Although, it may seem like a daunting task in many
ways, there is hope to get gang members, as well as with
their counterparts, to sit down and collectively work together.
Essentially, we ask students in gangs to change their paradigm
that is crucial to their survival. We ask them to lower
their fists, trust, and support one another. For this to
happen, mixed gang member groups have to cross over the
color line. This demands a new approach and requires a paradigm
shift on all program levels to effectively impact student’s
thinking and choices. I find utilizing a strength-based
approach, such as with positive peer culture (PPC), very
effective at creating a safe sub-culture that allows mixed
gang members in groups to lower the radar and help one another.
A common asset amongst mixed gang groups is that they all
greatly value family and the nutrients the family has to
offer, such as, love, acceptance and a sense of belonging.
Because peer groups play a major factor in influencing youth
behavior, it’s crucial to cultivate the group as an
asset and be highly valued by students whom are not affiliated
with a gangs and students that are gang members. Practicing
PPC works to channel these two assets towards constructive
energy, thereby facilitating change through placing value
and worth to being part of the group. Therefore, without
compromising group norms and their values, it is important
to keep student gang members part of group processes.
When mixed gang group members were asked what were the
most important things that influenced them the most to achieve
change, they identified the following factors. First was
the absence of upper negative peer pressure from older gang
members (O-G’s) to not bond with other rival members
within the group. Without this constant pressure, young
gang members say they are able to see others for who they
really are, because they have the opportunity to sit down
and talk to each other during positive peer culture groups.
This helps to break down suspicion and fear, while priming
the foundation for trust and safety.
Next, simple as it may seem, students identified feeling
good about themselves after helping someone in a problem
solving group. They realize by helping others, they help
themselves. This is powerful medicine when it comes to inoculating
despair and restoring hope among our troubled youth. I know
this to be true, because some parents of students talk about
their child calling “groups” at home. This demonstrates
the power of PPC. It easily contaminates the environment
when there is a strong culture carrier. Not only do students
want to help themselves, they begin to help their families
too.
Finally, students identified skills learned in anger management
and substance abuse groups. These skills provide them with
choices that were absent before. In their words, “We
don’t want to live this way.” Angry youth, that
have been thrown away, can easily become instruments of
OG’s to carry out violence towards rival gang members.
Anger management taught in a positive group setting offers
raging youth internal brakes to stop and think about their
actions. Often, the fear of the consequence of losing their
biological family gives them pause for thought.
Capitalizing on the strengths and values of gang members
within a group, by tapping their strengths, can deter gang
like thinking and behavior when practiced effectively. There
are no door metal detectors at the school. There are no
wands to search students that may carry a weapon. Each student
knows that each of them have made a choice to attend school
that day and to be with each other. This is how it should
be. Group! Gotta go….
Author: Kelly Mitchell
