My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King

Rumors about Sanchez being a coward threatened to tarnish his reputation in the neighborhood. Feeling outcast by the Spanish Lords, he joined the Latin Kings at Maplewood Park, where he was welcomed by Morena and introduced to other gang members. During the festive gathering, Sanchez met Pebbles, a pretty girl who teased and enticed him. However, tension arose as he was coerced into participating in gang violence. Pressured by his peers and seduced by Pebbles into violence, Sanchez shot at a rival gang called the Vicelords (which was a Black gang), killing several people. Sanchez justified the act by calling the Vicelords racial slurs.

Later, disillusionment set in when Pebbles, whose real name was Josephine, revealed that she had manipulated him under Morena’s influence, who wanted Sanchez to act like a leader. Nevertheless, he felt pride when he was shown respect by other gang members after the killing.

Sanchez recounts how he rode to Hector’s apartment, where drug deals were underway, but Hector refused him entry. He then went to Maria’s home, only to face hostility from Lucy, Maria’s daughter, who accused him of no longer being welcome. Myra, Maria’s other daughter, informed him of Maria’s reckless actions the previous night. Maria supposedly had sex with Speedy and Papo and then kicked out her daughters, not allowing them back until the next morning. Later, Sanchez encountered Crazy One and Papo, who surprisingly congratulated him for his violent act against the Vicelords, solidifying Sanchez’s belief that violence was the only path to respect in the gang world.

While walking with Papo, they spotted a member of the Spanish Cobras gang—a new and growing gang. He was marking walls with the signs of the Spanish Cobras. The situation escalated into a brutal physical altercation. As Sanchez and Papo cornered and assaulted the Spanish Cobras member, their actions attracted a larger group of Cobras. Led by Flaco, Sanchez’s old friend, the gang spared Sanchez but warned him to leave the Spanish Lords. Afterward, Papo, who was beaten up by the Spanish Cobras, blamed Sanchez for his humiliation, which worsened their strained relationship.

Sanchez recounts how he sought Maria to confirm her promise of helping him enroll in school. Maria assured him that their friendship remained intact, though she banned other Spanish Lords members from her home. Later, Morena and her friends, China and Giggles, picked Sanchez up, and they drove to Montrose Harbor, a popular hangout for the Latin Kings. There, Sanchez bonded with China, and they shared a romantic moment amid the backdrop of Chicago’s skyline.

As the night progressed, the police arrived to break up the gathering. Some gang members reacted aggressively, escalating tensions. Sanchez, falsely accused by the police of throwing a bottle, was pulled from the car, assaulted by the police, and detained briefly before being released due to his age. Afterward, he joined Morena in a spree of vandalism as retaliation against the police. Reflecting on the night, he concludes that police brutality and discrimination deepened his resentment toward authority.

Sanchez woke up next to China and reflected on her unique qualities. Despite her involvement in gang culture, China seemed out of place with her aspirations to attend college and her disdain for drugs. She broke down in tears as she revealed a history of abuse by her stepfather and her mother’s denial. Her story resonated with Sanchez, who shared his own experiences of neglect and violence. Their mutual pain strengthened their bond, and they decided to continue seeing each other. Sharing these stories deepened Sanchez’s understanding of the shared trauma that connects gang members and reinforced his complex relationships with the people in his life.

Later, Sanchez returned to Maria’s, and she surprised him with new clothes and a promise to help him enroll in school. Maria’s sudden maternal behavior puzzled him, but her plea for respect pointed to her own struggles with guilt. Meanwhile, Hector prepared a living space for Sanchez, claiming that he wanted to keep him away from trouble. However, Hector had ulterior motives, as Sanchez realized that he was supposed to allow heroin users into his living space.

Sanchez recounts how he started his first day at Clemente High School by meeting Jenny and her friends. While he spent time with her during school hours, he also joined Papo and Speedy as they intimidated new students. Though not formally in a gang, Sanchez began flashing signs of different gangs and enjoying the attention, while not recognizing the risks. His grades suffered because he often cut classes to get high and build his reputation.

His relationships with Jenny and China were very different. Jenny prioritized their physical relationship, while China’s focus was on meaningful conversation and mutual understanding. Despite his growing respect for China, he often struggled to control his sexual impulses, which led to tensions between them.

At school, Sanchez participated in a violent attack on a member of the Latin Disciple gang, which severely injured him. Fearing a conflict with the police, he left with Papo and Speedy and further distanced himself from academics.

Sanchez risked walking through dangerous gang territory to visit Jenny. Once at her house, she hesitated to let him in but eventually relented. Though she initially seemed distant, they resumed their usual interactions. However, Jenny shocked him by admitting that she had slept with Speedy just before his arrival, claiming that it was retaliation for his relationship with China. Feeling betrayed, Sanchez lashed out at her and left in anger.

As he walked home, he encountered a member of the Gaylords gang, who insulted and attacked him under a viaduct. Before Sanchez could defend himself, others joined in, beating him with a blunt object. He lost consciousness and woke up nine days later in the hospital, surrounded by friends, including China, Morena, and Maria. Although his injuries were severe, the presence of his friends brought him comfort. Despite the beating, his near-death experience only deepened his resolve to continue his gang life.

Sanchez decided to seek revenge against the Gaylords who had attacked him months earlier. Despite learning that the Latin Kings had already retaliated on his behalf, he felt compelled to prove his toughness. Maria and China supported his recovery: Maria treated him like a son, while China moved in with them. While China shared his room, she upheld her vow of celibacy, which frustrated him, leading him to resume casual visits to Jenny for sex. However, Sanchez knew that Jenny was also seeing Speedy, which made him angry. Later, Speedy began showing off and teasing Sanchez, which increased the tension between the two and pushed Sanchez even further into violent behavior.

His interactions with other gang members intensified, which culminated in a violent confrontation. Encouraged by the Latin Kings, he joined a mission to attack the Gaylords. Sanchez used a pipe to deliver a brutal beating to a gang member under a viaduct. He and another Kings member killed two members of the Gaylords. Later, he confronted the Spanish Cobras, taking away a gang sweater but avoiding more bloodshed. These acts bolstered Sanchez’s reputation among the gangs.

As his violence escalated, so did his fear of police attention. Morena warned him to stay hidden, which made him feel constantly fearful and guilty whenever he was sober. On top of his complicated situation, China challenged his choices, threatening to leave him if he continued down a destructive path. China put Sanchez in a situation where he needed to confront the conflict between his yearning for acceptance in gang life and his hopes for a better life.

Sanchez returned to school while cautiously navigating his surroundings due to fear of the police. At school, he was placed in a new homeroom and met Rosie, a beautiful and confident girl who immediately captivated him but then dismissed his advances. Despite her rejection, he became obsessed with her. Meanwhile, Sheena, Rosie’s friend, showed interest in Sanchez. However, he ignored her and continued his pursuit of Rosie. China, disheartened by his deepening involvement in gang life, moved in with her father and cut ties with Sanchez. Her departure left him conflicted but also relieved, as he could focus on pursuing Rosie.

Sanchez recounts how he navigated escalating tensions with the Unknowns gang, as well as a confrontation with Speedy. Attempting to solidify his standing, he sought the help of Lalo, a member of the Latin Kings, to address the Unknowns’ claims that Sanchez was not a Latin King. Lalo accompanied him, bringing Morena along, and after smoking marijuana, they confronted the gang in their territory. Speedy and Sanchez were brought face-to-face to confront each other over their relationships with Jenny. J.J., the Unknowns’ leader, mediated the situation, ultimately allowing them to settle their differences through a fistfight.

Despite his fears, Sanchez fought fiercely, landing decisive blows on Speedy. The situation escalated when Speedy grabbed a bat and struck Sanchez, leaving a severe cut above his eye. However, J.J. intervened, condemning Speedy’s actions, expelling him from the gang, and subjecting him to a brutal beating by his own peers. Sanchez, injured but victorious, was taken to the hospital.

Later, the Latin Kings, impressed by his actions, pressured Sanchez to formally join their ranks. He reluctantly agreed, setting the stage for his initiation into the violent, high-stakes gang world that he could no longer avoid.

Sanchez spent time with Morena at her apartment, drinking and smoking while discussing the Latin Kings’ history and rules. Then, Morena shared insights from a notebook detailing the gang’s laws and prayers, which emphasized discipline and control, though Sanchez found these hypocritical given the gang’s actions. The night took an unexpected turn when, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, they had sex.

The next morning, Morena reacted with anger and accused Sanchez of taking advantage of her intoxication, even threatening him with a gun. Their friendship, once solid, was now fractured. Later, Morena apologized but decided that they could no longer remain close, as their bond had been irreparably altered. Sanchez felt regret over the incident and struggled with confusion about his life as a gang member and his relationship with Morena.

Sanchez recounts how he attended a Latin Kings party in a new territory, where the gang atmosphere of drugs, alcohol, and machismo dominated. At the event, Loco assigned him a dangerous mission to vandalize the mural of a rival gang, called the Gangsters. Despite his initial fear, Sanchez agreed. Before going on the mission, he also met a girl called Blanca, and they had an intense physical connection. Fueled by alcohol and peer pressure, he embraced the vandalizing task.

During the mission, Sanchez successfully defaced the mural, adding his new nickname, “Lil Loco,” as his signature. However, two rival gang members confronted him. Thinking quickly, he sprayed one in the face and escaped to the waiting car. Then, the confrontation escalated, and Loco, Pito, and Can (all members of the Latin Kings gang) attacked the rivals with baseball bats, seriously injuring one, who was later hit by a van.

Returning to the clubhouse, the group celebrated the mission’s success. Sanchez basked in his rising reputation despite growing police attention and the violent consequences of his actions.

Sanchez returned to the Latin Kings clubhouse after his mission and encountered Blanca, reigniting their earlier flirtation. However, their interaction turned hostile when she hesitated to fully reciprocate his advances. Sanchez forced himself on Blanca, who afterward revealed that she had not wanted to have sex. The incident left both of them regretful and strained. Sanchez apologized, and although he was not interested in a relationship, he offered one out of guilt. Blanca refused at first but then changed her mind.

Later that night, Sanchez met Cubana, a new girl at the clubhouse who captivated his interest. The flirtation between Sanchez and Cubana grew, and Blanca, who became aware of the situation, stormed out of the clubhouse. Meanwhile, news spread that the police were searching for Sanchez, following the death of the Gangsters member during their earlier conflict.

The night ended with a gunfight between the Kings and the Gangsters. Sanchez, emboldened by the violence, fired recklessly at their enemies, further entrenching himself in the gang’s brutal lifestyle. The chaos only ended with the arrival of the police, but Sanchez showed no remorse, reveling in his growing reputation and influence within the gang.