ABSTRACT
In junior high school Rickey Sanchez fell victim to some bullying by local gang members, an incident that unfortunately was not an uncommon occurrence in LA. It was a major reason his family moved from downtown to a neighboring suburb, where he ultimately graduated high school. Though Rickey has moved out of the inner city for reasons mentioned, his comments are telling of the importance he places on the downtown community he still considers home. Rickey’s comments about his faith speak to the importance of structured social institutions and the important role these agents play. Like Reserve Officer Training Corps for Francis, or the church for Rickey, these organizations have a variety of older, caring adults who strive to socialize young people to improve their opportunities for the future. Rickey’s immediate plans are to continue pursuing a career in broadcast journalism, perhaps signing a contract where he currently works, or perhaps interviewing with a mainstream English-speaking news network.
