Further Info
Further Info
During my time in Little Village, I learned about two things that are plaguing Chicago: gang violence and the deportation fears of immigrants.
I did not expect to learn so much about gang violence. From the comfort of my ignorant position in life, I hadn't even thought about gang violence in quite some time. Suddenly, I got to Little Village and gangs were very much a part of everyday life. Where we were, there existed two main forces in the gang world: the 2-6 and the Latin Kings. So much fear resided around gang territory that some kids were too afraid to come to New Life Church, which used to be located on 2-6 territory, because they would be crossing the boundary line. The church adjusted and built a second New Life on the other side of the territory line so that the kids living on the other side would feel safe coming.
Chris, who was our main host and a pastor at New Life, gave us some perspective on the matter. Gangs are heavily affiliated with the drug industry, meaning there is a lot of money surrounding them. For many fathers, this is the clear way to support their family. A lot of them are actually good guys, said Chris, who have just been sculpted from a young age by this evil culture where these crimes are necessary for smooth business. A gang is appealing to young kids who feel like they need a place to belong. For a lot of them, this is the closest thing to a family that they know. It honestly is kind of like a frat or an organized club (stick with me here). They have to pay dues to belong and hold weekly meetings. The older members recruit those they think are suitable, and then make them do the duties they don't want to. Kids who want to join have to prove themselves worthy. Chris and his wife Kristi were laughing, because they used to have a gang banger as a next door neighbor in Little Village. "He was super helpful to us and helped me so much with my garden", Kristi smiled and then started laughing when she included "and then he went and brutally murdered some guy and now he's in jail... but he was such a good neighbor!". This was so funny to me, not because of the brutality, but because of how lightly they took these things. Obviously they didn't support his crime, but they knew him by how he treated them, not what he did or what he was affiliated with. I guess when you're living a life with such heaviness all the time, you have to be able to lighten things up by laughing at absurd things like that. It was inspiring.
Gangs have also been affected by social media, which is so comical to me. They no longer wear specific articles of clothing to make their identity known. Because of social media, everyone in the gang community knows each other by face. Chris told us that some gangs even go so far as to post videos of themselves on each other’s territory as a form of provocation. Like, they post these things on Youtube, how intimidating. He also mentioned that there isn’t a lot of petty crime in Little Village, because most the violence is strictly gang related. So, because we weren’t involved with them at all, we were probably safe. Chris said that if we were ever in trouble, the guys in these gangs would most likely be the ones to protect us. This was so interesting to me, and definitely gives you some perspective.
We did get some information from our friend Francesca about the immigration situation. She said that 26th street (the main street going through Little Village) used to be poppin, with people out every night. Now, people are too afraid to leave their homes. A lot of parents have been staying home from work, because if they get taken at work, nobody would be home to take care of their kids. Carla's daughter was working for a company that helped refugee families get organized with temporary caretakers if the parents were to be spontaneously taken. This is such a scary reality for so many. If it isn't bad enough to be taken without warning, they aren't given any time to say any goodbyes or pack up any of their belongings. There are many people who are helping refugees and immigrants fill out applications for green cards, but the process is grueling. Imagine being afraid that if you go to work, you'll never see your home or family ever again. Awareness on this subject is so important as it is crippling the lives of immigrants who make up almost 15% of the United States' population.
Moving forward, awareness on these matters is so important. Ignorance is where we all go wrong, so I encourage each and every one of you to become engaged locally, as there are many people hurting in our own backyards!! One huge thing I’ve learned is that every community needs help and love, and you don’t have to go abroad or travel to do this. Here are some links to the organizations my team and I were working closely with, if you want to know more about them or donate to their cause! You guys, these people have hearts of gold and are doing the work that nobody else wants to do, but they are in love with it. I can’t speak of them highly enough, and I will be keeping them in my prayers as they continue to do their daily ministry I only got a taste of for ten days. This is their LIFE, what a beautiful thing. Thanks for your interest in my journey, and for being a huge part of it. Sharing my experience with you all will not be the last step, as I will take these experiences with me through life:) Love you all.
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