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{{Infobox Criminal organization |name = Latin King and Queen Nation |image = |caption = |founded on = 1940-1950 |founding location = Chicago |founded by = |years active = 1940 - present |territory = National |colors = Black & Gold |ethnic makeup = Latino |allies Nortenos, People Nation |membership = 25,000- 50,000
The Latin Kings are said to be the oldest, largest and most organized Hispanic Street Gang, which has its roots dating back to the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois. Latin King documents reveal a man by the name "Gino Gustavo Colon" (a.k.a. Lord Gino) is considered the "SUN" of the Almighty Latin King Nation in Chicago and has been for a long time. Latin King headquarters is located on Beach and Spaulding in Northwest Chicago. Luis Felipe created his version of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation "manifesto" based on teachings he had picked up from his time in Chicago, the "motherland." Felipe designated himself as Inca and Supreme Crown. In 1995 Antonio Fernandez was designated Inca and Supreme Crown of New York State and New Jersey, and the ALKQN once again began a transformation.
Chicago Latin Kings
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The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN, ALKN, LKN) is the largest Hispanic street gang in Chicago and the largest "Chicago-based" street gang in the United States. The ALK has nearly thirty thousand members in the city of Chicago, with another ten to fifteen thousand members in the surrounding suburbs--with organized chapters of Latin Kings in over 38 states.
The Almighty Latin Kings first emerged in Chicago during the 1940s when several young Puerto Rican males organized into a club. Their goal was to help each other overcome the problems of racism and prejudice that newly arriving Puerto Rican immigrants were experiencing. Although the original members were of Puerto Rican descent, most members are now Mexican-American. Besides these two groups, they are now mostly composed of Dominican, Cuban, Mexican, Central and South American members, and whites; and some African American, Asian and Middle Eastern members as well. As time progressed, the group's members became involved in violent crimes including murder, drug trafficking and robberies. Members of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation vowed to lay down their lives for their "Nation".
In 2000 there were approximately 1600 self-admitted Latin Kings in the Illinois prison system, and these accounted for over half of all the recorded violent acts on prison personnel and other inmates, making the ALKN the most violent prison gang in Illinois (Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fiscal Report, 2000). A couple examples of the Latin Kings' "ruthlessness" are the stories of Carlos Robles and officer Lawrence Kush.
In 1981, the leader of Chicago's southside chapter, one Raul Gonzalez (AKA "Baby King") of the Latin Kings had a "run in" with a member of the northside chapter of the Latin Kings. What happened was that the leader "Baby King" was basically "disrespected" by an inmate known as Carlos Robles. Because Robles was basically in the same gang, just in a different geographical unit, Baby King approach the leader of the northside chapter of the LKN, Gino Colon, and got his "blessing" to change Carlos Robles permanently before he is released. About two years later, when he was in the Illinois State Penitentiary, inmate Robles would get his "violation" for disrespecting the southside leader of the ALKN. Two of the members of the southside LKN chapter were chosen for the "hit". Robles was to be murdered. These were two gang members who were heavy PCP users.
The way the "hit" was carried out was quite clever. The two men intending to kill Carlos, basically told him they were throwing him a "going away party". Robles was scheduled to be paroled in two days when the hit took place in July, 1983. As is common in corrupting correctional staff, the two hitmen got permission from the cellhouse guard to use the basement for the going away party. The basement of the cellhouse unit has the showers the inmates use. Carlos entered the basement of the cellhouse with the two men for his "parole party". They proceeded to use their homemade weapons. Not little "shanks" as homemade knives are called, but rather the much larger machetes, usually about two feet long and made out of heavy gauge steel.
Members of their own gang, cooperating upstairs in the cell house, helped next. As the two men placed the body parts into plastic bags, a "diversion" fight was staged. This allowed the two men to go through the tunnel which led to what was then the butcher shop area of the prisons kitchen. The Black inmate working in the butcher shop that day was a member of the Gangster Disciples, and as a "Folks" gang, is always opposed to Latin Kings (a "Peoples" gang). The two whackos asked him for a favor, for which they would reward him with some drugs and cash money. They asked him to "grind" up the body parts in the older meat grinder that was there, a very large commercial grade meat grinder. On the menu for the evening meal that night at Stateville Penitentiary was "meat loaf". The GD in charge of the butcher shop, once offered the drugs and money to grind up the body parts, simply asked "who is in the bag". The two whacko's replied "he is one of our own", not one of yours. The GD agreed, and ground up the body parts with the pork and beef that was also going into the meat loaf for the evening meal. Shortly before the bells rung for the inmates to go to evening chow in the inmate dining room, two gangs already had much advance warning about what not to eat that night. The GD's and the Latin Kings spread the word amongst themselves: don't eat on the main line tonight. In the dining hall that night, only the gangs that did not know the real recipe for the meatloaf ate their food. Some inmate chow hounds were pleasantly surprised to find so many friendly Latin Kings and GD's offering their entre for the evening meal to other hungry inmates.
No traces of the skin, bones, teeth, or blood of Carlos Robles were ever found. That is for years. The skull bone apparently simply "rolled around" in the meat grinder like a basketball spinning on a net rim, and thus it had to be buried. The skull was dug up in 1995 in the yard at Stateville (see: "Skull Dug up in Stateville Prison", Chicago Tribune, April 16, 1995, p. 2).
And on July 1, 1989 a correctional officer at the Stateville Correctional Center, Lawrence Kush, Jr., was assassinated by the Latin Kings while on the job. Attacked from behind with pipes and other weapons, Kush would die a day later, but was one of 30 officers on a "hit list" prepared by the Latin Kings (see: Jerry Thomas, "Gangs a Rising Threat to Prison Guards", Chicago Tribune, November 28, 1993). Why did the Latin Kings target correctional officers? Clearly, all evidence points to one thing: the officers were doing their job, and that meant they were a threat to the inside drug business of the Latin Kings. This incident and many others sent chills up everyone's spine as a forewarning to avoid any conflict or confrontation with the Latin Kings.
The gang has organized chapters in numerous states across the country. These gang sets are referred as to as "Chapters", with each reporting to an Inca and Caciqa. The head (or heads) of the entire criminal organization are known as "Coronas". One of the characteristics that sets the Latin Kings apart from other gangs is they consider themselves to be a community-based organization. Because of their apparent contradictions, it is often debated about whether they are a criminal organization or a positive force in the community (as they have obviously taken on both roles at different points in time, as well as simultaneously).
They preach Hispanic pride and all Latin Kings are encouraged to live in accordance with the principles of KINGISM (a moral driven awareness of social oppression and the desire to uplift their people to their rightful place: "amongst the thrones of Kings and Queens"). The Latin Kings operate under strict rules and guidelines that are conveyed in a lengthy constitution and follow the teachings of the ALKQN Manifesto which was written by highly intellectual Latin Kings (these documents are referred to as the "King Manifesto/Constitution" or "KM/C" for short). In this manifesto you can find traces of Marxism, Christianity and other revolutionary/historical world-views which when combined make up the ideology and morality of "KINGISM"--which are centered around the upliftment of the poor (the "Oppressed Third World People") and the struggle against the oppressive social, political and economic existing order of things.
To begin their meetings, members may face the East (which is where the Sun rises) and recite one of the various Latin King prayers to Yahve (The Almighty Father and King of Kings)and pledge to be ever faithful to the Nation. These meetings are also used by members to discuss recent events, dues, retaliation, position responsibilities and elections etc... When compared to most street gangs, the Latin Kings are generally more structured and organized. The gang's rules are strictly enforced and some members celebrate January 6th as "King's Holy Day" and the first week in March as "King's Week."
Cheese
do u no how much i like cheese...its good
Latin Queens
The Latin Queens constituted the female half of the ALKQN. While originally the Latin Kings were only a male organization, it eventually began to absorb women and give them an equal share.
The Latin Queen agenda is composed of self-respect, independence, family support, ethnic identity and self-empowerment. Seeking such goals has attracted a wide variety of females who had been drug addicted, victimized and or neglected by families, spouses and partners. Sociologists studying the Latin Kings and Queens have observed the different methods in which both groups attempt to "reclaim and regulate" their environments. The Latin Queens are believed to focus more on their private space issues such as home life and protection and nurturing of their bodies, as opposed to the Latin Kings, who are more concerned with loss of public spaces in their own communities.
The evolution of the ALKQN has been viewed by outside sources as being assisted by the addition and greater role in which Latin Queens have played, exposing the ALKQN to a greater range of cross-class supporters than would have been possible prior to their integration. In regions such as Spain, Latin Queens are helping to legitimize the ALKQN through integration with government sponsored programs. In Catalonia, the 200 person Latin Kings and Queens tribe was designated as the Cultural Association of Latin Kings and Queens of Catalonia. The "cultural program" designation was bestowed through government sponsored programs to assist gangs with integration into society and is lead by Latin Queen Melody, Erika Jaramillo.
References
- Brotherton, David C. (2004). The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation: Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang. Columbia University Press. pp. xvi–xix, 158, 159. ISBN 0231114184.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Ferrell (2004). Cultural Criminology Unleashed. Routledge Cavendish. pp. 67–69. ISBN 1904385370.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Drago, Tito (September 21, 2006). "Latin Kings Gang a "Cultural Association" in Barcelona". Inter Press Service (IPS).
5. National Gang Crime Research Center
External links
- Latino Gangs: The Latin Kings
- Operation Crown - The Political Persecution of the Latin Kings
- HBO Documentary -Latin Kings: A Street Gang Story
- documentary film Black and GOLD
- Book The Almighty Latin King and Queen NationStreet Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang