Bryan BeilkeGang member, heroin addict, activist and award- winning author. These terms are rarely heard in the same room, let alone used to describe the same person.
Raised in Watts and East Los Angeles, Luis Rodriguez was an active gang member at the age of 11, a heroin addict for seven years and has done numerous stints in jail and juvenile detention centers. He now is a nationally recognized poet, journalist and author.
Approximately 120 people gathered at 8 a.m. Thursday at Vista Grande Café to hear Rodriguez speak as a part of Cal Poly’s Provocative Perspective series. And Rodriguez brought more than just street smarts with him to Cal Poly.
Along with stories from his past, Rodriguez talked about his belief that strong communities are a potential solution to gangs, drugs and violence.
“There are ways to handle this without putting kids behind bars,” Rodriguez said. “Communities need to come together and provide supportive and positive outlets for their youths.”
Rodriguez has good reason to believe in the power within a community. At age 18 he was facing a six-year jail sentence for assaulting a police officer. He avoided serving time because “a conscious group of city people and Chicano activists” wrote letters on his behalf. At the time Rodriguez was surprised that anyone cared enough to help him, fueling his belief that if “the community cares for young people they will come to learn to care about themselves.”
Cal Poly graduate student Katie Crawford agreed with Rodriguez’s philosophy.
“If adults make an effort, kids will respond to it,” she said. “It is important that we realize that this isn’t a distant issue; it affects us.”
Rodriguez began writing while in jail and has written 10 books, including two for children. The name of his presentation,”Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Troubled Times,” is also the title of his 2001 novel. But it is his best-selling novel “Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A.” that received a Carl Sandburg Literary award and is a New York Times Notable Book. Rodriguez wrote “Always Running” for his son Ramiro, who joined a gang and is currently incarcerated.
The purpose of the Provocative Perspective series is to “inspire dialogue and discuss issues regarding diversity, intellectual freedom, and promote student success,” said Cornel Morton, the vice president for Student Affairs.
And the word provocative definitely describes “Always Running.” The American Library Association named it as one of America’s 100 most-censored books. But this doesn’t surprise Rodriguez, who described the book as “hardcore” and the first of its kind.
“It’s really not that graphic, but all it takes is a few sentences,” he joked. “It’s like a badge of honor now.”
Rodriguez acknowledges that some may feel daunted trying to tackle gangs, drugs and diversity through community unity. But he feels that the problem cannot be solved by imprisoning, deporting or ignoring the issue.
“Real unity is trying to unite the things that normally wouldn’t be,” he said. “There are ways to do this; we just have to keep at it.”