' The San Gabrial Valley, too, was started around the mission of San Gabriel de Arcangel. It was and still is a very agricultural valley. It is bigger and more highly populated than the San Fernando Valley. It is composed of dozens of independently incorporated Cities. Latinos here are more well situated than in many other parts of LA, and have a very strong comunity. I would estimate that the ratio there is 30% latino, and the rest Asian and white. The pachuco culture had a very strong influence here and perhaps is where it most spread. The barrios here are traditionally very mild but have recently began to evolve into WLA style gangs. They have resisted this trend more than other regions, though, and are still very traditional and ritualistic. Barrios here usually claim whole cities as there territory, and have larger territories than barrios in other regions of LA. Because of these factors they have some of the longest continually going barrios in LA. The main barrios I will tell about are: V Pasadena Rifa, Pasadena in general, Pomona, Pico Rivera, Sangra, El Monte. ' Barrio San Gabriel or Sangra is perhaps one of the oldest barrios in the SGV. They are still practicing traditions wich have died out in the rest of LA. They still have somewhat of an age limit to join, you still have to be judged by a committee to join, and once your in there are many codes you must live by. Because of these reasons however they have largely declined and have developed a dislike towards most youngsters in gangs today. They will usually only accept someone who has family already in their barrio, due to their dislike for youngsters. They are featured in the book 'Always Running'. Recently their barrio, like alot of the San Gabriel Valley has been flooded with asian imigrants, wich has given rise to many asian gangs, such as Asian Boyz, Wah Ching, and TRG. This has caused many traditional barrios to become asian barrios. Sangra still has influence, however, and is still around the mission. ' El Monte is an old barrio and home to the famous El Monte dance hall wich is gone now. That is were alot of the pachucos' idols would sing songs like, Earth Angel, Night Owl, 18 with a bullet, Duke of Earl, and Sitting in the Park. It is also home to El Monte Flores. This is one of the largest gangs from the SGV, and most spread out. It is also home to El Monte Hicks and a few other barrios. ' Pasadena is one of the cities with the most individual barrios in the SGV. They have Villa Boys P, Krazy Boys P, Varrio Pasa Rifa, P Latin Kings, NS and SS Pasa, and a barrio called NS Playboys wich apparently has no relation to the other Playboys. There is also a clique from MS, a clique from Virginia Locos, and various other WLA barrios. The oldest gang is perhaps Pasa Rifa, wich claims to be from the 40s. Their is also a barrio in Pasa, the Villa Boys, wich apparently used to claim 14, as opposed to 13, in the late 70s. ' Pomona is a large and isolated city in the extreme East of the San Gabriel Valley. It is home to many barrios, wich are native and otherwise. The main one, and the one that claoms to be the original, is Pomona 12St. It claims its origins back to the 40s. They secondary one is Cherry Ville, wich is at least from the 60s. Then there is P Michoacanos, ES WS SS and probably even a NS Pomona, wich are all independent. Then ther is a large Hazards clique, and allegedly a Dog Town clique. There is most likely 18st and MS there too. Pomona being still in LA county, and closer to the Inalnd Empire than it is to LA, is natural rivals with most barrios in the Inland Empire. ' Pico Rivera is an old barrio, being from the 40s. Their is two main barrios in Pico Rivera, Pico Viejo, and Pico Nuevo. Their relationship is unclear to me. Apaarently Pico Viejo split in two with the younger members becoming Pico Nuevo. JimTown I believe is completly in Pico Rivera as well. Jimtown is very old and apeared to have disapeared, but may have had a comeback. ' Another city I must talk about is Whittier. It is a city with many barrios and home to some very old pachuco traditions. The barrio wich claims to be the oldest is Quite Village, who says is from the 30s or even 20s. The second largest barrio in Whittier is the Dead End Locos. They apear to be very new. There is many minor barrios in Whittier wich claim to be old but are apparently very new.
