It’s hard to be a Latino male in the Mission District. I usually wear baggy jeans, baggy hoodies and some skate shoes. My way of dressing influences my experiences of being a young Latino male and not for the better.
The Mission District is where people who got out of jail also brought their gangs to the streets. This is where gang-banginng began and still exists.
This one time I was on 16th and Mission waiting for the 22. I was standing near my friend who also dresses like me, and is also a Mexican teenage male.
The corner of 16th and Mission is known as a hangout spot for the Sureños, a group of loosely-affiliated gangs that pay tribute to the Mexican Mafia. They wear baggy straight fit jeans and normally have a blue hat or blue rag in their pocket. Norteños are also a gang which are rivals to the Sur 13 gang, another name for the sureños.
Five Sur 13 members came up to me. Without saying a word, they lifted my sweater to check what colors I was wearing and if I was carrying a weapon. The gang members put their faces up to mine and asked, “What you bang?” Which means they wanted to know what gang I belonged to.
I said, “No,” like always.
My friends and I have been jumped several times already, so I complied and let this drunk group lift my shirt and check my pockets. They saw my phone which was connected to my wired earbuds; they snatched them and took my phone. I thought it was gone for good, but just before I boarded the bus, they came back and gave me back my phone. I was surprised and felt lucky.
Another story. I got out of school and I went to Dolores Park to meet friends and hangout at the statue at the top of the park.
My friends were wearing some splashes of red in their outfits and one of my friends was wearing a red polo, red shoes, a diamond necklace and a ring. I was wearing a red 49ers Jersey and red shoes and a red hat. We were standing, just talking to each other when I saw five people wearing baggy pants, ski masks, blue hats and black shoes.
They came up to me and asked what I bang. Again, I told them I don’t bang. They held up their blue rosaries and balled their fists in my face. They told me to take off my Niners jersey because they don’t like seeing that color around their gang territory.
I told them: “I’ll just put my sweater back on,” and they let me and my friends go free. It was a weird experience to go through. I felt shaken and unsettled.
My most recent encounter with the Sur 13 members was at Mission playground, which is located at 19th street and Valencia. I was with my friends again, waiting for one of our friends who goes to Washington High School. We waited for 30 minutes when this group of people walking by asked me and my friends if we bang. We said no, like always.
They started trying to take our belongings, checking our shirts and pockets. That’s when my friend who has more money was wearing a golden chain.They snatched it off his neck and he punched the dude who grabbed his chain. The assailant fell on the floor and my friend picked up his chain and ran. We all ran through the Mission until we stopped on 24th street. We gathered around and recounted what just happened.
This is unfair. I should not have to experience regular threats when I am in public spaces. No one should have to feel unsafe, especially young people.
To be safe, I take precautions. I try to avoid 16th and Mission because gang activity is way too active over there. That’s why there are police cars near the Bart entrance. However, the police are not always there, and I don’t think they do a lot to make me feel safe.
In my opinion, SFPD needs to start gang injunctions again. This would mean people who are wearing colors on known gang territory would automatically get arrested. These gang injunctions were established in the early 2000’s, but currently don’t exist due to racial profiling. Police falsely arrested people who weren’t gang related, but were wearing gang colors.
However, I think gang injunctions are still a good idea because they prevent gang members from loitering on corners. This ultimately prevents violent crimes. Police officers stand on the block to patrol the area which deters gangs from activity.
For now, I recommend that younger Latino males avoid the corner of 16th and Mission at night when it gets more sketchy.
I never thought color banging was still a thing. I thought it was something left in the past, and that not everyone would get checked. Even if they wear the same type of baggy clothes that I do. I feel like gangs target the Latino young males at Mission High School, because of the old history here.
I’m sharing my stories because I want people to be aware of places to avoid during the night and for more change to happen to protect young people.
