For years there has been a constant debate around the word“gang” and what it means. For some, it means a group of close knit people, like when you say “the whole gang’s here.” For others, it’s a loaded term. It means a group of organized criminals. A quick Google image search will show you exactly who most people picture when they say it — Black and Brown people. And for us, the word brings pain, confusion and disappointment.
Using the word gang instead of “group” harms communities that are majority Black and Brown . The term brings a risk of heightened criminal charges for those assumed to be involved in “group activities.” Unfortunately, the police officers, lawyers, and judges who drive our criminal legal system—not to mention lawmakers seeking attention—use gangs as a way to inspire fear. In addition, “criminal group activities” can translate into racketeering (RICO) charges and result in a 20-year sentence. In a lot of cases these charges are not approached with sensitivity and cultural literacy.
There are negative connotations that are associated with how we describe and perceive gangs. It stigmatizes the view of communities of color and contributes to the narrative that they are unsafe and “gang infested.” Most of our efforts to reduce “group activities” focus on preventative resources for youth, such as educational resources, transportations, transportation, and extracurricular activities. Violence is not only a public health issue but a symptom of many factors. Those factors are social determinants of health, lack of equitable resources, misappropriation of funds circulating back into communities of color, and a shortfall of systems that recognize and try to heal trauma.
Using the word gang holds the container of stereotypical ideologies that our country was built on. It also shows the lack of liberation and equity that are built in systems to give justice and protection to all Americans. In fact, it does the opposite: that language oppresses, neglects, and denies Black and Brown people the societal standing that of our white counterparts. It doesn’t give Black, Brown, and marginalized people a fair chance in the criminal legal system. Using the word gang as opposed to group causes pain and adds to a harmful narrative. So we don’t.
