Richard Cabral breaks down the East LA Thug Life to Jon Bernthal

East LA is a place where gangs are prevalent and the mentality of a teenage gang member is learned at an early age. Richard Cabral is an actor who was born and raised in East LA and he provides an insight into the life of a gang member.

He explains that it’s a lifestyle that is all-consuming and it’s hard to escape once you’re in it. The teenage years are the most dangerous, as many kids join gangs in order to feel accepted and to fit in. Bernthal asks Cabral what advice he would give to kids who are thinking about joining a gang and Cabral responds by saying that it’s important to have positive role models in your life. He stresses the importance of staying in school and finding something that you’re passionate about, because it’s easier to stay out of trouble when you have something to focus on.

“These kids have no fathers, no mothers, no hope,” said Cabral. “They grow up on the streets, and the only thing that matters is respect and power.”

Bernthal was visibly moved by what he heard and said, “It’s so important for us to understand what they’re going through, and to show them that there is another way.”