Gang Leader for a Day

Book Reflection

Sudhir Venkatesh’s Gang Leader for a Day was a very interesting book to read, especially since we had to read it for our Human and Computer Interaction class. Venkatesh was given a unique opportunity to observe and be an intimate part of the Black Kings gang and the Robert Taylor Homes through the gang leader JT. JT himself is a very interesting person; his willingness to let Venkatesh into his world even at the risk of Venkatesh getting him killed or incarcerated is uncharacteristic of someone in his position. Venkatesh’s years of “study” and involvement in the projects and the Black Kings gang gives a real human face to the poor black families and individuals in the America.

Venkatesh is from white suburban California, so when he was willingly thrown into the black projects of Chicago, we see a large clash in culture, behaviors, and norms. I think this was the biggest reason why his work is significant. He reflects the outsider’s—presumably the reader—views and thoughts on inner-city life. In Gang Leader for a Day, he admitted that he was playing the naïve student in order to find out about the intricacies of poor blacks in America. I do not feel that he was as naïve or careless as he portrays; he knew that there was a give and take—or hustle—that was necessary to achieve his goals.

JT was a charismatic leader who has seen both the legitimate and illegal ways of making money and surviving in America. He went to college and even got a “real” job. However, he came back to gang life when he realized that he found more respect, power, and opportunity for growth there. He made a conscious decision to be part of a gang. It appears that many other gang members share a similar sentiment. They only choose the gang because either: 1) they want to make enough money to do what they really want, 2) they feel like it is expected of them (i.e., self-fulfilling prophecy), or 3) they have no other choice. If other opportunities had existed, then they probably would not have chosen the gang life. For example, in other neighborhoods where there was a real opportunity to work and make a decent wage, it was harder for JT to recruit gang members. However, the practices seen in gangs are apparent in all walks of life. Ms. Bailey manipulates her tenants for her favor and personal gain. The police officers are not all-ideal enforcers of the law. Politicians want voters to elect them to higher positions of power within the government. Even students brown-nose their professors for recommendation letters and references for their careers.

Venkatesh’s personal involvement and biases really make Gang Leader for a Day less of an ethnography than a sort of memoir. His work shows some of the issues with ethnographies and the debates that go on about their legitimacy. If one becomes too involved with the culture they are studying, they may become blind to the little things that make the culture the way it is. However, if one becomes too objective and scientific, they lose those qualities that make cultures unique and human. I personally see some benefit of qualitative studies and quantitative analyses, but I cannot see if they are making a significant impact—in terms of federal policies or overall knowledge.

While I did not grow up in the projects or in the ghetto, I have seen the “darker” side of America: having to survive by less legitimate means. The culture of the United States creates these pockets of communities where the federal, state, or city laws do not always align with the activities that often occur openly. The government is failing and neglecting large sectors of people, so some of them must create their own ways to govern themselves. The close relationship of the Black Kings and the Robert Taylor Homes is an example of this. The gang was necessary to keep order (what they define as order) because no one else would.

Chapter Reflections

Chapter 1: How Does It Feel to be Black and Poor?

This first chapter really revealed how sheltered Venkatesh is. He walked into the Lake Park projects with no sense of needing to carefully watch himself and others. Even the first question on the questionnaire, “How does it feel to be black and poor?” and the use of the Likert scale was insensitive to those he intended to interview. I found that JT’s interest in Venkatesh was motivated by both curiosity and selfishness. I think JT wanted to know what Vankatesh’s intentions were with the gang just as much as Vankatesh wanted to learn about being black and poor. This simultaneous curiosity is probably what maintained their relationship.

Chapter 2: First Days on Federal Street

In this chapter, Venkatesh focuses on the people in the projects. He introduces many people to the reader, including Ms. Mae, Clarisse, and C-Note. He also introduces the Robert Taylor Homes and the dynamics between the tenants and the Black Kings gang members. There is a delicate balance between these two groups. Each needs the other for survival. The situation with C-Note and JT reflects this. JT wants to maintain this authority in the community, and C-Note knows this. However, C-Note needs to show that JT does not dictate the all of the happenings in the Robert Taylor Homes, which is why he talked back to JT yet took his beating with little resistance.

Chapter 3: Someone to Watch over Me

The third chapter was filled with a multitude of lessons that Venkatesh had never experienced before. He learned about how JT and the Black Kings had to work with politicians in order to operate successfully. It is surprising that Venkatesh did not realize how much politicians and gang leaders had to work together to maintain each other’s interests. Kris and Michael and Boo-Boo also offered him insights into how the Black Kings was, in a way, both a blessing and a curse. The Black Kings offered them protection and a voice, but they had to give up something in return—whether it was money or a little autonomy. Finally, JT had to be extremely explicit to Venkatesh about how he was affiliating himself. If he was “with” JT, he had different affordances compared to if he was “with” Autry. Venkatesh had to be really careful about how he affiliated himself, because that determined who could protect him.

Chapter 4: Gang Leader for a Day

When Venkatesh talked about being “gang leader for a day,” I think he glorified it to the point of narcissism. While he did make some “decisions,” it was ultimately JT who determined what happened that day. JT just wanted to see if Venkatesh could handle doing what he did on a daily basis. It is similar to how so many people think they can be president of the United States and do a better job than whoever is in office. The truth is, no matter how much education or know-how you have, you can never be prepared for such a job until you are put in that situation. This chapter sort of annoyed me because of Venkatesh’s haughtiness, but it allowed the reader to see the complexities of being a leader.

Chapter 5: Ms. Bailey’s Neighborhood

Venkatesh painted Ms. Bailey as the Taylor Roberts Homes equivalent to JT and the Black Kings. She takes care of the tenants because she sees how they can benefit her. She relishes the power she has and finds her happiness in controlling the tenants. This chapter also reveals the complex relationship between JT and Ms. Bailey. They both realize that they must cooperate together in order to achieve their goals, but at the same time they must distinguish their independence from each other to maintain their status in their respective arenas.

Chapter 6: The Hustler and the Hustled

It surprised me that it took four years for Venkatesh to question his legal and moral obligations as an ethnographer and observer. The IRB and the legal system have very explicit rules about what a researcher should report to the authorities. It also surprised me how shocked Venkatesh was when the people he had talked to about the ways they make money were mad at him because he told Ms. Bailey and JT. He could not have been that ignorant. I think he was playing too much into his naïve nature here. Catrina’s death was disheartening, but not too surprising to me. Also, although the subsequent writing workshop was in good faith, he should have expected the accusations of him having sex with the girls.

Chapter 7: Black and Blue

In the previous chapters, the police presence was portrayed as nearly nonexistent with the exception of Officer Reggie. Now, the reader sees that the police do get involved sometimes, but not always for what they would expect of them. It is sad that the police are so organized in their corruption; they sign up to raid gang parties! It is also sad how jealous they are of these gang leaders. It makes me wonder why they decided to join the police force. The demolition of the Robert Taylor Homes sounded like one of those predictable endings to a book, so when I read this, I felt like it was reading fiction instead of an ethnography.

Chapter 8: The Stay-Together Gang

The ending of the book saddened me. It really seems like Venkatesh was in it just for his research and dissertation. This contradicts his desire to humanize poor blacks in America. He was ultimately interested in using them for his dissertation. His dwindled relationship with JT also disappointed me; I think he should have at least acknowledged JT as somewhat of a friend.