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My Life As a Chinese Gangster

Goldberg, J. (1995, July). My life as a Chinese gangster. New York, 28, pp. 34-39.

OVERVIEW

Robert McKinney, a graduate of Stuyvesant High School class of 1986, son of an immigrant family from the Dominican Republic, developed an interest in kung fu and Chinese culture during his high school years that later led him down the road to life in a Chinese gang.

For McKinney, the immediate attraction of Chinese gangster life was the sense of family and the Chinese culture itself. In gang life he found loyalty, unity, and care just as in a family. He also admired and was enamored by the intense drive and ambition of his Chinese friends. These, along with his fervent interest in kung fu, led McKinney to a martial arts studio in Chinatown where he naturally met up with gangsters.

Then, the introductions began, and quickly, McKinney was in—he made it to Chinatown. Once in, McKinney was further enticed by the power trip of gangster glory, by his association with his dai-lo (big brother or leader)—one of the most vicious gangsters in Chinatown—and, as well, by the money and girls.

By 1989, Robert’s new vision of kung fu gangster glory had supplanted his old dream of medical school, and he dropped out of college. ‘Basically,’ he says, ‘making money was the thing.’

But then the glory days turned into a nightmare for McKinney. A barrage of violence in McKinney’s life began. A close friend was gunned down, followed by a gang killing of three rival members in a parking lot across the street from his usual hangout. The final blow came when his dai-lo ordered a hit on one of McKinney’s friends. The dai-lo forced him to participate in the beating, torturing, and dumping of the body, an experience that left McKinney scared and ready to leave.

McKinney fled upstate with his girlfriend, Judy, and found a legitimate financial investment job. But then the police caught up with him and, in the spring of 1995, he faced attempted murder conspiracy and drug charges, to which he pleaded guilty.

He decided to tell his story in the hope that police and prosecutors would see two things—that he was a reluctant criminal and that he had, with Judy’s help, righted himself without benefit of jail time.

In McKinney’s own words, "I had done what the judicial system is supposed to do for you. I rehabilitated myself. I was clear of the gangster life. I was going to get a promotion at work."

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

  1. Do youth join gangs or are they recruited into gangs?
  2. Why do you think the attractions of gang life are so enticing to young people?
  3. What are some alternatives to gang life that we can offer youth today?
  4. Why do some gangsters rehabilitate while others do not?

IMPLICATIONS

  1. Potential gang members are in our schools and neighborhoods. They frequent our stores, our restaurants, and our places of recreation (arcade, bowling alleys, parks, etc.). We should be sensitive to who these at-risk youth are and not ignore their existence.
  2. Significant players in the recruitment of Chinese gang members are the martial arts studios in U.S. Chinatowns. We must offer our young people martial arts in a different setting or through other types of physical acheivement, such as sports or outdoor activities.
  3. Youth are seeking their identity, a sense of belonging, achievement, and excitement. Parents, teachers, youth workers, and all adults need to provide positive and constructive ways for youth to develop in these areas.
Hannah Goon cCYS
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To help an Asian youth from joining a gang

To help an Asian youth from joining a gang.

OVERVIEW

Ken was a typical eighth grader: awkward, immature, mischievous, silly around girls, and full of questions. Over the summer, he changed. He sported a punky hairstyle and color, walked with an attitude, and started cutting out of school. He even stopped going home at night and instead stayed at a hideout with other teens. Everyone says that Ken is now involved in an Asian gang. Occasionally, he still reports to school. As a youth worker, what can I say to help him? Is there anything I can do?

PURPOSE OF INTERVENTION

To help an at-risk youth on the verge of, or already in, a gang replace negative factors in his life with positive ones (e.g., friends, hangouts, activities). At the very least the intervener should be able to help the youth to think of or learn of other activities that are available to him or her. A further step would be to invite the young person to one such activity and then to go with him or her to the event. Potentially, the student that begins to participate in a new group activity will probably have the best results. However, any participation at all is highly dependent on the youth’s decision whether to attend.

EXACT NATURE OF INTERVENTION

Introduce the young person to alternative activities that provide a nurturing environment: youth service agency, church youth group, community center, boys or girls club, employment, and after school sports or clubs are all possibilities.

This intervention could be done by a peer, teacher, youth worker, streetworker, counselor, psychologist, social worker, probation or police officer, parent, adult relative, or neighborhood adult. The best occasion for intervention would probably be in a passing conversation or during a planned meeting, such as with a counselor. Effectiveness of this intervention would increase if the intervener accompanied the youth or followed up on the youth’s attendance and experience in the program.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERVENTION

  • Set up a meeting or create an opportunity to talk with the young person.
  • Gather some background information about the student and what he or she has been doing.
  • Learn what his or her interests are by interviewing others who know him or her and by asking the youth about his or her interests.
  • Build a trust between you and the youth (e.g., demonstrate genuine interest, spend time with the youth, be dependable, offer friendship and assistance).
  • Help the young person consider alternative activities to gang life.
  • Invite the student to a new activity.
  • As much as possible, prepare the adult in charge at the activity for the youth’s visit.
  • Go with the young person to the event.
  • Follow up on his or her experience.

PRECAUTIONS

Be aware of cultural and identity issues that the youth may be struggling with, such as Asian American differences. Watch for drug and weapon use.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS

Related topics are juvenile delinquency, crime, drugs, violence, and Asian American youth.

Hannah Goon cCYS

To help an Asian youth from joining a gang

To help an Asian youth from joining a gang.

OVERVIEW

Ken was a typical eighth grader: awkward, immature, mischievous, silly around girls, and full of questions. Over the summer, he changed. He sported a punky hairstyle and color, walked with an attitude, and started cutting out of school. He even stopped going home at night and instead stayed at a hideout with other teens. Everyone says that Ken is now involved in an Asian gang. Occasionally, he still reports to school. As a youth worker, what can I say to help him? Is there anything I can do?

PURPOSE OF INTERVENTION

To help an at-risk youth on the verge of, or already in, a gang replace negative factors in his life with positive ones (e.g., friends, hangouts, activities). At the very least the intervener should be able to help the youth to think of or learn of other activities that are available to him or her. A further step would be to invite the young person to one such activity and then to go with him or her to the event. Potentially, the student that begins to participate in a new group activity will probably have the best results. However, any participation at all is highly dependent on the youth’s decision whether to attend.

EXACT NATURE OF INTERVENTION

Introduce the young person to alternative activities that provide a nurturing environment: youth service agency, church youth group, community center, boys or girls club, employment, and after school sports or clubs are all possibilities.

This intervention could be done by a peer, teacher, youth worker, streetworker, counselor, psychologist, social worker, probation or police officer, parent, adult relative, or neighborhood adult. The best occasion for intervention would probably be in a passing conversation or during a planned meeting, such as with a counselor. Effectiveness of this intervention would increase if the intervener accompanied the youth or followed up on the youth’s attendance and experience in the program.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERVENTION

  • Set up a meeting or create an opportunity to talk with the young person.
  • Gather some background information about the student and what he or she has been doing.
  • Learn what his or her interests are by interviewing others who know him or her and by asking the youth about his or her interests.
  • Build a trust between you and the youth (e.g., demonstrate genuine interest, spend time with the youth, be dependable, offer friendship and assistance).
  • Help the young person consider alternative activities to gang life.
  • Invite the student to a new activity.
  • As much as possible, prepare the adult in charge at the activity for the youth’s visit.
  • Go with the young person to the event.
  • Follow up on his or her experience.

PRECAUTIONS

Be aware of cultural and identity issues that the youth may be struggling with, such as Asian American differences. Watch for drug and weapon use.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS

Related topics are juvenile delinquency, crime, drugs, violence, and Asian American youth.

Hannah Goon cCYS

My Life As a Chinese Gangster

Goldberg, J. (1995, July). My life as a Chinese gangster. New York, 28, pp. 34-39.

OVERVIEW

Robert McKinney, a graduate of Stuyvesant High School class of 1986, son of an immigrant family from the Dominican Republic, developed an interest in kung fu and Chinese culture during his high school years that later led him down the road to life in a Chinese gang.

For McKinney, the immediate attraction of Chinese gangster life was the sense of family and the Chinese culture itself. In gang life he found loyalty, unity, and care just as in a family. He also admired and was enamored by the intense drive and ambition of his Chinese friends. These, along with his fervent interest in kung fu, led McKinney to a martial arts studio in Chinatown where he naturally met up with gangsters.

Then, the introductions began, and quickly, McKinney was in—he made it to Chinatown. Once in, McKinney was further enticed by the power trip of gangster glory, by his association with his dai-lo (big brother or leader)—one of the most vicious gangsters in Chinatown—and, as well, by the money and girls.

By 1989, Robert’s new vision of kung fu gangster glory had supplanted his old dream of medical school, and he dropped out of college. ‘Basically,’ he says, ‘making money was the thing.’

But then the glory days turned into a nightmare for McKinney. A barrage of violence in McKinney’s life began. A close friend was gunned down, followed by a gang killing of three rival members in a parking lot across the street from his usual hangout. The final blow came when his dai-lo ordered a hit on one of McKinney’s friends. The dai-lo forced him to participate in the beating, torturing, and dumping of the body, an experience that left McKinney scared and ready to leave.

McKinney fled upstate with his girlfriend, Judy, and found a legitimate financial investment job. But then the police caught up with him and, in the spring of 1995, he faced attempted murder conspiracy and drug charges, to which he pleaded guilty.

He decided to tell his story in the hope that police and prosecutors would see two things—that he was a reluctant criminal and that he had, with Judy’s help, righted himself without benefit of jail time.

In McKinney’s own words, "I had done what the judicial system is supposed to do for you. I rehabilitated myself. I was clear of the gangster life. I was going to get a promotion at work."

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

  1. Do youth join gangs or are they recruited into gangs?
  2. Why do you think the attractions of gang life are so enticing to young people?
  3. What are some alternatives to gang life that we can offer youth today?
  4. Why do some gangsters rehabilitate while others do not?

IMPLICATIONS

  1. Potential gang members are in our schools and neighborhoods. They frequent our stores, our restaurants, and our places of recreation (arcade, bowling alleys, parks, etc.). We should be sensitive to who these at-risk youth are and not ignore their existence.
  2. Significant players in the recruitment of Chinese gang members are the martial arts studios in U.S. Chinatowns. We must offer our young people martial arts in a different setting or through other types of physical acheivement, such as sports or outdoor activities.
  3. Youth are seeking their identity, a sense of belonging, achievement, and excitement. Parents, teachers, youth workers, and all adults need to provide positive and constructive ways for youth to develop in these areas.
Hannah Goon cCYS
  • Share this
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