Gregory Pereira

I looked for older men to kind of mentor me, to be my brothers.

And I found guys like Apache, Wildchild, Crazy Mike, Crazy Phil.

These guys became my protectors and my brothers, and they showed me the ropes.

I remember us just hanging out, wearing bandanas, putting them on, standing in the park.

And you had to look like a warrior.

You had to look like the Terminator.

No feeling.

Until we got drunk.

And that lasted for quite a number of years.

Well, my mother and my grandfather, they didn't want me in this lifestyle any longer, and they sent me to live in the West Coast with my father.

In California, I went to East Los Angeles.

It was like the frying pans of the fire.

Because gangs were generational over there.

There was great-grandfathers, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, sisters, mothers, cousins.

And I had to be accepted, and I had to do what they did.

They used to wear these shiny shoes called Imperials.

Iron your khakis, iron your t-shirt, or put your t-shirt over your arm and another bandana.

And you always kept it low, and you kept your eyes sharp.

You were both predator and prey.

And you looked fierce.