Poets: No Rhyme or Reason for Gangs

In one of his poems, college student Carlos De Rosas of the Chicano Poet Society denounces gang activity as “the cancer that kills our youth.”

That pointed message, along with inspirational works about unity, education and equality for women, was delivered to a group of fifth-graders at Thomas Edison Elementary School on Thursday by De Rosas and three other members of the group.

At workshops afterward, the children had a chance to write poetry themselves, then read it to each other.

The Chicano Poet Society, founded in 1992 by Javier Cortez, has previously given free presentations at junior high and high schools.

Now the group is focusing on younger students.

“We’re trying to reach out to the fifth- and sixth-graders so they won’t get involved in gangs,” said Cortez, 26, an education major at Cal State Fullerton.

De Rosas, 31, said, “The whole thrust is to expand the world of these kids” by steering them away from crime, violence and drug abuse.

“Our drug is our art,” De Rosas, a Chicano studies and human resources major at Cal State Fullerton, told the Edison students. “Our drug is being with you kids.”

Society member Vida Gashgai, a 21-year-old history major at Fullerton College, said she knows the dangers of becoming involved with gangs.

A former gang member, Gashgai said she wants to “give back to my community now that I’ve seen the light.”

Fifth-grade teacher Victoria Levin said the experience showed her students that they can express themselves creatively and that they have options.

“This gives them an opportunity to interrelate with these young adults who have been around gangs and grown beyond that,” Levin said.

“I just think it’s wonderful they’re reaching out to the younger students. The gangs start so early.”

The students responded enthusiastically.

The visiting poets “really taught me a lot of things about staying off gangs and drugs,” said Rocio Ayala, 10.

Candace Coy, also 10, said she appreciated the society’s message about the role of women as “equal to men. They can be strong too.”