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MadisonBrown
Sra.Deards
SpanishIII,Period1,10February2016
AlwaysRunning,LuisJ.Rodriguez,251pages
AlwaysRunning
isthefascinatingtruestoryofLuisRodriguez,formermemberofEast
L.A.gangculture.RodriguezwasmovedfromMexicotoLAatveryyoungage.Asachild,
Rodriguezgrewupinextremepoverty.Hisparentswerebothwelleducatedandhandgreatjobs
inMexicobutwereunabletofindworkintheU.S.HestruggledinschoolbecauseEnglishwas
nothisfirstlanguageandhisteacherswouldnothelphim.Thiscausedhimtogravitatetowards
alifeontheoutside.HeexperiencedalotofracialprejudiceashegrewupinWatts,avery
unintentionallysegregatedpartofEastL.A.Theycouldntleavetheirpartoftheneighborhood
forfearthattheywouldbeattackedbywhites.Theseexperiencesstartedtobuildthegang
mentalityinsideofRodriguez.
Gangculturesurroundedhimfromaveryyoungage.Herecountsatimethatagang
raidedhisschool.Headmiredthepowerthattheyhad.Theywereevenabletomaketheteachers
cowerinfear.Hewantedthatpower.Fromaveryyoungagetheneighborhoodkidswouldform
clubs,thusinstillingthegangmentalityevenmore.Hisfirstgangwasmadeupofhimand
threeofhisfriends,theycalledthemselvesTheeImpersonations.Attheageoften,Rodriguez
hashisfirstencounterwiththecopswhenheandhisfriendsarecaughttrespassingona
basketballcourt.Theyrunfromthepolicebecausetheyareafraidofbeingbeatupbythem.This
encounterendswithoneofRodriguezsfriendsdying.ThischangedRodriguezsattitude
towardspoliceimmenselyandhegrewdeeperanddeeperintogangmentality.
Bythirteen,Rodriguezhasexperiencedmanyfights,tattoos,drugs,andsex.Onatripto
thebeachwithhisfriends,Rodriguezisbustedforpossessionofbeer,marijuana,andmescaline.
Hestruggleswithsuicidaltendenciesandattemptstotakehisownlifeonanumberofoccasions.
Hestruggleswithsubstanceabuseandbecauseofhisbadbehavioriskickedoutofhisfamily
homeandisforcedtoliveinthegarage.
Luisstartstocomeintohisownafterthis.Hestartstogotoanewschoolandgainsa
newoutlookonlife.Healsostartstodevelopadeeploveforthesaxophone.Hespendshours

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practicingonitanditbecomeshisescape.Untilonedayhisbrotherdestroysitandwithitallhis
dreamsofmusic.Rodriguezcontinuestofalldeeperanddeeperintothelifestyleofviolencethat
comeswithbeingapartofagame.Rodriguezfeelsasifhislifeisaconstantstruggle,heis
constantlyfailingandfeelingworthlessandinferior.
EventuallyLuisisinitiatedintoLosLamosamajorgangthatisinvolvedintheriotsand
gangviolenceintheValleyoftheLosAngelesarea.ThedrugsandviolenceinRodriguezslife
increasewithhisinitiationintoLosLamos.Heisinvolvedinrapes,fights,andeventhetorching
ofsomeoneshome.RodriguezsoonmeetshismentorChenteRamirez,whogetshimthinking
pasttheganglifeandaboutrealsocialissues.
Rodriguezstillcontinuestostrugglewithschoolandwiththelaw.Heisarrestedfor
runningoutonthebillatarestaurantandforparticipatingintheNationalChicanoMoratorium
March.Butdespitethenegativityandviolence,hestillfindshimselfinvolvedinotheroutlets
likecommunityservicethatstarttotakehisattentionawayfromdrugsandgangviolence.He
workswithChenteRamirezonanumberofserviceprojectsandhestartstogrowhisartistic
abilities.Healsostartstogetinvolvedinboxing,whichhelpedhimstayawayfromgangfights.
However,heonlyboxedforoneseasonbecauseinhisfirstmatchhelostmiserablyandhecould
tellitscaredhismomseverely.
RodriguezsharessomeinterestingperspectiveonthenotoriousEastLARiots.He
believesthattheprotestsonlybecameriotsbecausethepolicestartedtheviolence.Rodriguezs
lifesoonbeginstoturnaround.HejoinsTo.H.M.A.S.(TohelpMexicanAmericanStudents.)
ThisclubworkstomakeMexicanAmericansequaltowhites.Therewasmajorprejudiceinthe
schoolsandtheneighborhoodsandthisclubworkedtoshoweveryonehowcapableLatinosare.
DespitethepositivestepsRodriguezismakinginhislife,heisstillpulledbackintothegang
life.Heisarrestedforshootingaman.However,thankstohiscommunityinvolvementandthe
supportsystemhecreated,heisreleasedwithoutcharges.AfterthisRodriguezthrowshimself
intohiscommunityservice.ChentetasksRodrigueztooverseeingamuralprojectthatinspires
himtohelpmaintainpeaceinthearea.
RodriguezcontinuestofightfortherightsofMexicanAmericansandisspurredontodo
sobythedeathofhisfriendMiguel.Graspingontoeducation,Miguelwasabletoescapethe

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ghetto,buthewasnotabletoescapeprejudiceandwasmurderedbythepolice.Thisraised
tensionsinEastLAandbeganawarbetweenthepoliceandtheLomasandSangra.Thiswasthe
finalstrawforRodriguez.Hefinallylefttheganglifeforgood.
Rodriguezsuccessfullycompleteshighschooldespiteallofthehardshipthatcameup
againsthim.Hegraduatedateighteen.Throughouthistimeinhighschool,hehadahugeeffect
onthecommunityandinspiredfellowMexicanAmericanstostandupforequality.Inaddition
tothisRodriguezhadbecomeveryproficientatwritingpoemsandstories.Hiswritingearned
himatriptoBerkeleyandascholarship.ThisencouragedhimtogotoEastLACollege,where
hestudiedChicanostudiesandbroadcastjournalism.Again,howeverRodriguezisstoppedby
policebutthistimehewasdefendingsomeone.Hewaschargedbutonlyearnedathreemonth
sentence.
Rodriguezsoonrealizesthatcollegeisnothispassion.Hebelieveshistruecallingisto
endtheviolenceinhisneighborhood.Sohedropsoutofcollegeanddedicateshislifetothat.He
movesbacktoLasLomasandbeginstoworkhardforpeaceandjusticeintheneighborhoodthat
taughthimsomuch.Butyetagainheisknockeddown,whenherunsintosomeoldfriendswho
pullagunonhim.Rodriguezescapeswithoutbeinghurt,butheknewthathehadtoleavethe
neighborhoodtosavehisownlife.Rodriguezacceptedthatthegangculturewassomething
muchbiggerthanhimandhewouldnotbeabletodefeatitonhisown.Rodriguezwasoneofthe
luckyfewabletoleavetheganglife.Hemovedoutoftheneighborhood,gotmarried,hadkids,
anddidgreatthingswithhislife.
Hecontinuestoworktospreadawarenessaboutganglifeandculture.Rodriguez
witnessedsomanyriotsanduprisingsintheEastL.A.areaandheknowsthattherewillbemany
more.Thereisstillinjusticeallovertheareaandpeoplearebeingmistreatedandbravesouls
havetobetheretostandupagainstallthewrongdoings.Rodriguezhopesthathischildrenwill
notenterthesamelifestylehedid.Butasindicatedinthebeginningofthebookitseemslike
theyreheadedinthatdirection.HestilllongstoseechangeinEastL.A.