Exiting Gang Life - Juan's Story
The Measure Y Gang Intervention program operated by California Youth Outreach at OUSD Alternative Schools is making progress assisting gang members with a way out of the gang life. Last year, a student named “Juan” was affiliated with the Norteño gang and deep into the drug lifestyle, both using and selling, when a California Youth Outreach Youth Intervention Specialist (YIS) began working with him.
In the past, OUSD Alternative Education student “Juan” would sell drugs in East Oakland making $400 - $600 a night. The California Youth Outreach Youth Intervention Specialist (YIS) built a trusting and solid relationship with this young man. Through much intense one on one work, this student has since quit not only selling drugs but also has quit using drugs as well. Juan has shown tremendous progress in the face of great peer and family pressure and an environment rife with choices to return to the lifestyle. In addition to resisting the weighty pull of the underground drug economy, Juan also consistently choses to spend his time less and less with his gang affiliated Norteño crew and more and more on the building blocks for a positive and healthy future. He interviewed and secured employment at a fast food chain. Though he was able to hold the job, Juan decided on his own that he needed to focus his attention on doing better in school. Since then, he has passed the California High School Exit Exam. He is very interested in getting out of Oakland so he doesn't get "caught up" with his Norteño crew anymore. Juan is slowly making his way out of the gang life, a term called "bleeding out”, with the help of OUSD Alternative Education and California Youth Outreach.
