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):Ronald Cook Barrett

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

We interviewed Ronald “Cook” Barrett. Cook runs a gang prevention program and has been doing this for over 30+ years. He was inspired to start this program because of a gang war that was happening in Long Island, as well as losing a 16-year-old to gang violence. This program helps youth growing up in poverty not join gangs. We also learned that the influence of movies and rappers is sometimes a problem and convinces teens to join gang life. He believes that there are multiple reasons people join gangs.

The first is poverty. Young men often witness their peers flaunting designer clothes while they struggle with dirty, ripped jeans. This fuels a desire for luxury items, sometimes leading them to illegal stuff, like selling on the black market.

The second reason is security. Many young people live in neighborhoods with gang violence and feel threatened. By joining a gang, they mistakenly believe they will gain protection. After that, they often find themselves in even greater danger.

Even though Barrett says these are the problems, he emphasizes that having strong family relationships can significantly deter young people from gang involvement. When children feel connected to their families and recognize that their parents would be disappointed in their choices, they are more likely to stay away from gang life. Engaging in family activities such as sports, game nights, or movie nights can effectively keep children away from gangs and promote better choices.