Offering a rarely seen female perspective on gang life, this raw and
powerful memoir tells not only of one woman's struggle to survive the
streets but also of her ascent to the top ranks of the new mafia, where
the only people more dangerous than rival gangs were members of her own.
At age 5 Sonia Rodriguez's stepfather began to abuse her; at 10 she was
molested by her uncle and beaten by her mother when she told on him; and
by 13 her home had become a hangout for the Latin Kings and Queens who
were friends with her older sister. Threatened by rival gang members at
school, Sonia turned away from her education and extracurricular
activities in favor of a world of drugs and violence. The Latin Kings,
one of the largest and most notorious street gangs in America, became
her refuge, but its violence cost her friends, freedom, self-respect,
and nearly her life. As a Latin Queen, she experienced the exhilarating
highs and unbelievable lows of gang life. From being shot at by her own
gang and kicked out at age 18 with an infant daughter to rejoining the
gang and distinguishing herself as a leader, her legacy as Lady Q was
cemented both for her willingness to commit violence and for her role as
a drug mule.