From the very beginning of their existence as a species, human beings have needed to group together. First subsistence and parenthood made togetherness necessary, and subsequently there have been a variety of social reasons. One of these reasons is a sense of belonging.

Feelings of belonging start in the family. The relationships that are developed in this primary group tend to echo out into other contexts later on: school, friendship groups, associativism, patriotism, and in the sense of a so-called “oceanic feeling”, which makes us feel part of the universe. Feeling a sense of belonging to a human group helps affirm identity. Support networks are established and people share lifestyle, beliefs, thoughts and hobbies.

One of the groups that provide personal support most intensely are gangs. Originally a gang was a group of people who got together to create, conserve and transmit local customs; later on the term was applied to groups of people with varying leisure and cultural interests; today, when people refer to a gang, we think of a group of young people or teenagers who get together to cause trouble. We have reached the extreme of seeing them as a problem for society and hold purely negative associations: violence, drug trafficking, extortion…

However, inside the gang deep feelings of solidarity, protectiveness towards members and loyalty are felt… We must remember that these gangs were born in response to marginalisation, poverty or because their members were thrown out onto the streets by their families. We are talking about true family organisations, with “heads of the family”, here family ties are replaced by links between gang members. This panorama verifies how much people need to feel loved and valued by a group. The way in which society rejects and builds stigma around gangs merely strengthens their violent attitude. Moreover, this makes gangs into easy targets for other power-wielding groups, such drug traffickers and organised crime racketeers.

Many countries, especially in the American continent, have set up social projects in order to dismantle gangs and integrate members into the fabric of society. And they have been fairly unsuccessful. However, it is pleasantly surprising that some gang members, in the face of the violence they experience in and outside the group, are walking the path towards living together harmoniously and peaceful proposals. And it couldn’t be any other way. Actions born out of freedom bare more fruit than imposed actions.

An effort is being made to use the gang’s own values, codes and concepts to find ways to stop the violent deaths, addictions and poisonous relationships between members that merely replicate the things they reject the very society that created them for.

Peace comes from freedom, it cannot be imposed. Peace comes from creativity, above all in our societies, where we are running out of relationship models that result in exploitation and the destruction of human values. Peace comes from our ability to love ourselves, which means accepting all members of society and giving each person the right to be enthused about living their only opportunity to live to the full.

Some gang members have begun to restore the original meaning of these groups: promoting, conserving and transmitting the values held by the members of this broad family, which is woven by supportive ties, rather than blood ties, and the possibility of living together in line with their beliefs and ideas.