 |
| Travyon Warren is one of the original members of the Check It, an all-gay and trans gang in the nation's capital. Photo courtesy of Dana Flor. |
According to Vice’s Allie Conti, who spoke with founding member Trayvon Warren, The Check It was formed to offer safety in numbers, but also “to let people know that if you jumped a gay kid in DC, you’d likely get jumped back in retaliation.”
Today, The Check It has nearly 200 members, most of whom make their coin “committing crimes like petty theft, robbery, and carjacking,” according to filmmaker Dana Flor, who has launched an Indiegogo campaign for a documentary about the gang.
The young members are trying to turn things around—to turn away from violence and crime in favor of more legitimate pursuits—but it’s not easy.
A statement on the Indigogo page gives more detail:
At first glance, The Check It… seem to be unlikely gang–bangers. Some of the boys wear lipstick and mascara, some stilettos. They carry Louis Vuitton bags, but they also carry knives, brass knuckles and mace. As vulnerable gay and transgender youth, they’ve been shot, stabbed and raped.
Once victims, they’ve now turned the tables, beating people into comas and stabbing enemies with ice picks. Started in 2005 by a group of bullied 9th graders, today these 14–22 year old gang members all have rap sheets riddled with assault, armed robbery and drug dealing charges.
…Life for The Check It can be brutal, but it’s also full of hope and an indomitable resiliency. At its heart, the film explores the undying friendship that exists between these kids–an unbreakable bond that is tested every day as they fight to stand up for who they are in a community relentlessly trying to beat them down.
Says Flor, “they provide each other with a sense of community in a place where being gay can get you ostracized from your family, your church and your classmates.”
Check out a preview below:
0 Comments