Isis Sapp-Grant, as told to Rosemarie Robotham

In the following viewpoint, Isis Sapp-Grant recounts her life as a member of one of New York City’s most notorious female gangs, the Deceptinettes. She explains that she became involved in gang life because it gave her a sense of power and people feared and respected her. Sapp-Grant felt that the gang members were her true family and that no one else cared about her. She describes how she eventually turned her life around and left the gang with the help of supportive adults. Sapp-Grant is a social worker who does one-on-one therapy with children who are at risk of joining gangs. Rosemarie Robotham, who cowrote the article, is a writer for Esquire.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. When did Sapp-Grant commit her first...