Dear Mr. Rodriguez

I just finished reading your memoir, Always Running. I enjoy the way you described your youth experiences, and also admire your political position on where the main sources and roots of such a loco lifestyle lay.

The way you expressed all of your experiences as a young teen caused me to feel like I was in your position. This worked very well at the times that you felt the most tension and confusion. When you described your emotions while holding a gun to a store owner, and not feeling right about it, I felt as if I was in the store holding a gun as well, thinking, what the hell am I doing? Another time this happened is towards the end of your story when your former Lomas friends pulled a gun out and shot at you. While you felt confused, scared, and many other things, at the moment I was shocked, not even knowing what to think, about how to feel or why it happened.

The end of your story was very powerful, and contributed to my curiosity about how you adjusted with the separation from your barrio. Your life undoubtedly improved after ending la vida loca, but have your ever had regretful thoughts about leaving any close friends? Did you ever go back to South San Gabriel and see how they are living, or did you just choose to completely end such a life and move on? How are things getting along with your family? Did they forgive you for your past choices? As a teen, you mentioned your older brother Rano pulled ahead of you, in terms of doing good and not getting involved in gang life. Do you think he is currently in such a lead? And lastly, how successful is your involvement in imposing peace among national gangs?

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my letter, knowing you have more important things to do. I hope everything is going well.