Name: Antonio Dominguez

Social Justice Group: Gang violence in NYC (C)

Date of Fieldwork: January 30, 2025

Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):Alex Vitale

What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork:

Our first fieldwork experience was with Alex Vitale, a crime professor, social justice project coordinator, and a parent at LREI. With 30 years of experience, he shared some insightful thoughts during our interview. He kicked things off by explaining what a gang is and the differences between the two main types. The first type is more like a close group of friends who hang out together regularly, while the second type refers to gangs that are involved in selling drugs or weapons. It was fascinating to hear his take on the topic! He believes that tackling gang violence starts with addressing poverty, as many people join gangs primarily for money and a sense of security. Alex Vitale said that some people live in super dangerous communities, and gangs represent a support system for the kids that live in these communities. This support system keeps gangs relevant because of protection.