Artifacts of Jack Lopez

Jack Lopez is from East Los Angeles, but he was not a cholo street gangster. Lopez aspired to be a surfer at the age of twelve. In order to be considered a "surfer," he had to associate himself with a few "surfer" artifacts. First, it was necessary for him to own an issue of Surfer Quarterly. This was a popular surfing magazine that Lopez, along with his friends, adored greatly. Aside from this possession, Lopez needed to create a social image for himself so that he can be recognized as a surfer. Surfers and cholos dressed differently. If one was a cholo street gangster, it was common to wear wool shirts, baggy khaki pants, and French-toed black shoes. These people were feared by many and they had no desire to own a surfboard. Lopez had all the desire in the world to own a surfboard. In fact, he had a plan to buy a special surfboard from an old friend Lenny, who had recently went down the neighborhood path of becoming a hood, cholo. Lopez also established himself as a surfer by dressing like a surfer. He had to wear his baggy shorts, with a large Penney's Towncraft T-shirt, and no shoes of course. By wearing these clothes and following other surfer ways, Lopez created a social identity for himself that proved he was a surfer in East Los Angeles.