At 17 years of age, the author was a hard core gang member, and his father had also been a gang member. The gang lifestyle involved parties, drugs, sex, and sometimes death. The author quickly learned what it took to survive, in a family environment where he had a love/hate relationship with his father but was supported by his mother. The gang initiation process represented one step toward proving himself and belonging to a group. He became a father in high school and later married, became involved in drugs, and had numerous encounters with the police. Despite his continuing gang involvement, he became student body president in his last year of high school. A turning point in his life was the influence of his wife's religious values on him. The author describes the dramatic lifestyle of the gang in a sensitive way but depicts the harsh realities of the barrio and his ultimate success.