Special Reports

Former Gang 'Queen' Hopes To Save Young Lives

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Chicago street gangs pose a threat to law abiding citizens all over our city. So why do they thrive? Money? Drugs? Prestige?

According to one high-ranking former gang member, it provides the family many of these young kids don't have.

CBS 2's Rob Johnson reports "Sonia Rodriguez," formerly known as Lady Q, just wrote a book about her experiences to try to educate the rest of us, so our kids don't end up like she did.

The streets of gritty Humboldt Park are the home turf for the Latin Kings, a prolific, violent street gang.

"With gangs it's a life and death problem. You don't get a paycheck at the end of the week. You go to jail," Rodriguez said.

She rose to become queen of queens in the Latin Kings, the highest rank a woman can achieve.

"I was a big time drug dealer," Rodriguez said. "I have the record to prove it."

As the girlfriend of the gang's leader she had influence and power.

"Lady Q didn't give a hell about nothing, about nobody's feelings who she had to hurt to get what she wanted," Rodriguez said.

She says she never killed anyone or ordered someone to be killed, but after serving time for getting caught with more than 100 bags of heroin and a loaded pistol, Lady Q decided to get out.

She said the gang's leaders let her walk away – a very rare thing.

Despite that, she asked that CBS 2 conceal her identity during an interview about her book. Sonia is not her real name but she insists everything inside the book is true.

"And it was emotional you know 'cause I had to relieve the pain of since I was little," Rodriguez said.

That included the pain of a little girl trying to make good grades in a dysfunctional household. She joined the Latin Kings because it was the family she never had.

"But I felt that support that I didn't have at home," Rodriguez said.

These days, she makes sure that her 22-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son know they have her support.

"A day does not go by that I don't tell my kids that I love them," Rodriguez said.

And she walks the streets of Humboldt Park in a much different way, trying to save young lives, hoping they avoid her mistake.

"And if I can save every kid in Chicago or anywhere I'd go, that'll be my dream come true," Rodriguez said.

As for her strained relationship with her own mother, they spoke recently and Rodriguez said she'd finally heard the words she'd wanted to hear all of her 42 years: I love you.

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