In honor of Black History Month throughout February, Outskirts Press pays tribute to important people, places, events, and the artistic culture of African heritage. Today we shine the spotlight on Le’Taxione (a.k.a. YoYo), who has published 3 books thus far with Outskirts Press.
- Nine Steps to Empowerment Process (N’S.T.E.P.)
N’STEP’s® Gangology 101 provides a new paradigm for considering, understanding and addressing gang violence in our communities.
- Original Diamond Boy: Psychology of a Gang Banger
Human connections — relationships — are essential for recovery from the trauma caused by violence in the home, on the streets, or resulting from racism and oppression. This book illuminates a path toward healing for our children.
- Gangology 101
There is no classroom text, research, or data that effectively transfers the violent, traumatic gang experiences and the resulting condition, “Post Traumatic Gang Syndrome”© to the novice—prohibiting the researcher from prescribing an anecdote that will significantly reduce gang violence. N’STEP’s® Gangology 101© is a holistic approach which identifies and addresses the psychological and the sociological aspects of the gang violence problem currently prevalent in the Structural Gang Culture©.
- Le’Taxione (AKA YoYo)
Le’Taxione has been a member of the Structural Gang Culture© for 33 years, 25 of which were spent active in gang leadership, recruitment and the geographical transmission of the violent, destructive lifestyle and the miscreant aspects of the gang mentality. His actions based on his philosophy of “live or die, Crip or cry” propelled him to the top of the ranks. He brings his years of active gang involvement and leadership in the street organization to this powerful work; providing him the credentials to speak to our youth and to the issues of gang violence prevention and intervention with unique authenticity.
Le’Taxione, a Fresno, California native (known to his brothers & sisters in the gangs as “YoYo”) is a student of the human condition and a specialist in the mentality that causes destructive gang violence. He is a scholar of a wide array of various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, theology and biology. His work is based on the premise that to change the actions, one must change the thought process that drives such action.
Never denouncing the gang, he now utilizes his own life experience to change the structural gang culture© in a productive and sustainable way – “from the inside out”®. His work points the gang member towards a transformation, experienced by Le’Taxione, and possible for all those who suffer from the destructive mentality evident in today’s gangs.