Community

OP-ED: Why Children Migrate Towards Gangs

Published

11 years ago

February 20, 2015

By Richard Johnson, Folsom State Prison

The question parents and guardians often ask is, what do gangs offer that is so alluring that we lose our children to them?

There’s no single occurrence that answers this question. However, cumulatively, the answer covers a lot of aspects.

To begin with, we must understand that our youth are very impressionable and the sense of belonging that the gang mindset offers can blur their vision.

You may think that you have all the correct answers, and you may believe you have provided an adequate home structure with all the necessary disciplines for your child.

But underneath, unknown to you, rebellious tendencies can still be brewing in your child. And gangs will prey on those tendencies.

I have very little knowledge in the psychology of mental disciplines, but I do have an enormous amount of experience as a wayward youth and as a misguided adult.

My rebellion began early, from little things such as not liking certain foods, how I wore particular clothing, not going to school and rejecting church teachings.

So the lesson is, based upon m my own example, is that by the time parents realize the full combined effects of a youth’s digressions, it’s often too late because that youth is already are on the way to the clutches of the gangs.

From my own non-scientific observation, I think parents can slow down or prevent children from joining gangs if they adopt a balanced approach and get more involved with every aspect of the child’s life, while at the same time giving them the space to make sound choices for themselves.

A form of this true balanced approach to parenting can be termed (democratic centralism), in which ultimately you set the parameters for the child to function while giving them ample room to choose for themselves from the available options.

This method allows young people to feel self-sufficient and responsible for their own choices and actions. Quite naturally their decisions will fluctuate and be in error in some instances.

However, given the fact that whatever the situation, you outlined the choices and boundaries for them to minimize irreversible errors.

Unless we engage them in positive open dialogue and provide alternatives to unacceptable conduct, the gangs will definitely fill that void by offering a sense of belonging, a substitute for what the child thinks is lacking in their home situation.

Let the child know that you don’t have all the answers but are more than happy to hear what they have to say and then be willing to work hand-in-hand to fill any gaps.

I think it is vital that parents must be truthful and decisive.

And for adults and guardians who are not the parent, its paramount even more so, to be honest with all your communication. Truthfully speaking, it all begins with trust, because how can you or the youth relate to each other if there is no foundation of fundamental trust to build from?

Gangs will fill any communication gaps left open by us. That’s why it’s vital that we learn to talk to our youth, instead of talking at them.

They will respect your views more when you give some appreciation to what, and how they feel as well.

No one said it would be easy to compete with gangs. But nothing is unmanageable once you apply yourself toward a conscious consensual resolution through real communication.

Can we talk?

Editor’s note: Please send questions, letters or comments to Richard Johnson, 405-14^th St., Suite 1215, Oakland, 94612, or info@ postnewsgroup or at the Post Facebook page.

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Community

Four Candidates, Including Incumbent Barbara Lee, Qualify for Oakland Mayor’s Race

POST NEWS GROUP — Four candidates, including incumbent Mayor Barbara Lee, filed their papers to run for office by last Friday’s deadline, and the City Clerk issued a list this week of those who are qualified to run.

Published

52 minutes ago

August 15, 2026

bpusa-syndication

View of downtown Oakland, California and City Hall. iStock photo.

By Post Staff

The four mayoral candidates who will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot are:

Brenda Grisham. A business owner in East Oakland and public safety advocate, Grisham led the successful recall campaign against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. As part of her platform, she pledges to work with local, state, and federal partners to secure stricter gun control measures and investments in community violence intervention programs.

Barbara Lee. A former congressional representative and state Assembly member, Lee was elected by voters in a special election last year for a two-year term. Now running for a four-year term, she points out that her administration achieved major successes in addressing some of the city’s major challenges, including balancing the city budget, dramatically reducing crime, and making significant inroads into homelessness and illegal dumping.

Mindy Pechenuk. An educator and activist, Pechenuk is a registered Republican and supporter of Lyndon LaRouche, who has been described by observers as a conspiracy theorist and cult leader. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor in last year’s special election and for the at-large council seat in 2024. She seeks to end Oakland’s police commission and MACRO and invest in more police while launching a new local war on drugs.

Julius Robinson. While little information is available so far about Robinson, he was quoted in a KTVU story about Thao’s recall, stating that people in Oakland want to come together as a community but lack infrastructure and leadership.

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Black History

Oakland Observes Black August with Block Parties, Film Showings, Workshops

POST NEWS GROUP — Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

Published

3 hours ago

August 15, 2026

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George Jackson wrote two books: “Soledad Brother,” and “Blood in My Eye” before her was killed in an attempt to escape prison on Aug. 21, 1971.

By Jana Lang, Propel Youth Reporter

Study. Train. Fast. Fight.

These are the four tenets of Black August, a month dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices of political prisoners and Black revolutionaries in the struggle for Black liberation.

Observers are urged to study the history of the Black struggle for freedom, train their bodies for health and self-defense, fast to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and fight ongoing oppression alongside their communities and local political organizations.

Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

While in prison, George befriended fellow prisoner W.L. Nolen, who introduced him to the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. This radicalization coupled with his experiences of violence while imprisoned led to him writing and publishing two books, “Soledad Brother” (1970), and “Blood in my Eye” (1972). In January of 1970, George and two other prisoners were charged with murdering a corrections officer at Soledad State Prison in Monterey County.

On Aug. 7, 1970, Jonathan Jackson burst into a Marin County courtroom armed with a shotgun to demand the freedom of the Soledad Brothers. He, along with the inmates he freed, was shot and killed while driving away. This involved one of the Black Panther Party’s most notable associates, Angela Davis, because the shotgun was registered in her name. She was later acquitted of charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder in 1972.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by a corrections officer after attempting to escape and free other inmates. As a result, there were uprisings and protests within prisons all over the country that year, calling forth resistance against racial oppression and mass incarceration.

Since its outset, Black August has evolved across the country, taking many forms to honor this history and embody the four tenets.

In Oakland, the upcoming Black August Experience, hosted by Youth Alive! and the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the legacy of Black August. Activities include free food and drinks, a kids’ activity zone, interactive workshops, live cooking and boxing demonstrations, and more.

Happening on Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. at the EOBA Patio, Carolyn Flynn, director of administration at EOBA, said the event, in its second year, will be an opportunity to engage with people in person through food, shared space, and education.

“We do regular classes in education, and those are ongoing programs that we offer, but we wanted to have [an opportunity] for our neighbors to utilize this space.” Combined with Youth Alive’s work in community violence prevention and youth leadership, this event surely aims to bring the Oakland community together to capture what Black August means today.

Here are additional Black August events happening in Oakland:

Forum and Community Discussion hosted by the Oakland Liberation Center, 1499 Fruitvale Ave., Aug. 14, 7 p.m.

“George Jackson/San Quentin” Screening hosted by Nostalgic for Nothing Cinema at Moments Co-Op, 410 13th St., Aug. 16, doors at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. (Masks required and scent-free)

Commemorating the Struggle, Building the Altar for Liberation: Black August at Bandung Books, 2269 International Blvd., Aug. 23rd, 1-5 p.m.

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.