This young lady was the girlfriend of a member of the Harrison Gents, a rival of the Latin Eagles and Latin Kings. She proudly posed in front of the gang’s graffiti. During the four years I photographed here, I focused extensively on the life of young people growing up amidst poverty. I sensed adolescents here had little awareness of what life was like beyond the confines of their neighborhood. Few felt compelled (at least at this age) to try to escape the cycle of poverty. They accepted what they had as “normal” and like everyone, tried to make the most of it.
