Always Running Characters

The daughter of Alfonso Rodriguez from an early marriage. Alfonso and his family briefly live with Seni in Los Angeles.

A one-armed boy whom Luis Rodriguez befriends in elementary school.

A boy whom Luis Rodriguez befriends in elementary school.

Luis Rodriguez’s sister, rarely mentioned in his memoir (even though they grow up together).

A childhood friend of Luis Rodriguez, who dies while fleeing from the police.

A girl on whom Luis Rodriguez has a crush in middle school.

A girl whom Luis Rodriguez dates in middle school, who encourages Luis’s gang activities.

Luis Rodriguez’s aunt, who tells him stories and sings to him while he’s still a child.

Luis Rodriguez’s cousin, who inspires him to start lifting weights and listening to soul and jazz music.

A young woman who spends time with the Lomas gang.

A Lomas gang member who goes to prison.

Luis Rodriguez’s uncle.

Notorious Los Angeles robber who’s connected with Yuk Yuk.

Notorious Los Angeles robber who’s connected with Yuk Yuk.

One of Luis Rodriguez’s friends, who’s attacked and nearly killed by racist police officers after a high school football game.

The sister of Wilo, Payasa develops a big crush on Luis Rodriguez. However, their relationship deteriorates after Luis realizes that Payasa is too dependent on drugs.

President of The Tribe, who’s murdered in his home by rival gang members.

A powerful figure in the Lomas gang.

Puppet’s girlfriend.

A friend of Luis Rodriguez, who’s shown to be disrespectful and abusive to women.

An attractive woman with whom Luis Rodriguez strikes up a brief romance, which comes to a sudden end when Luis realizes that she works as a prostitute.

An attractive woman with whom Chicharrón kindles a romance, even after he learns that she’s a prostitute.

Roberta’s sister, with whom Luis Rodriguez has a quick “rebound” relationship after he ends things with Roberta.

Luis Rodriguez’s sister, who died as an infant. As a teenager, Luis has vivid nightmares about Lisa’s death.

The principal of Luis Rodriguez’s elementary school, who tries to convince Luis to stay in school.

An influential African American poet, jazz critic, and activist who inspires Luis to channel his feelings about poverty, racism, and gang warfare into music and poetry.

A high school friend of Luis Rodriguez.

A restaurant owner who first arrests Luis Rodriguez for trying to “dine and dash,” but then declines to press charges after Luis tells him about police brutality.

A local police officer with whom Luis Rodriguez has more than one nasty encounter over the years.

Another local police officer in Luis Rodriguez’s neighborhood.

A flashy boxing champ who helps teach Luis how to box.

Ex-boxer who runs the gym where Luis Rodriguez trains.

A classmate of Luis Rodriguez, with whom Luis tries out to be the school mascot. Like Luis, Esmeralda is an active member of the school’s Chicano cultural club.

A close friend of Luis Rodriguez’s sister, Gloria.

Joe’s son and Luis Rodriguez’s nephew—named after Luis himself.

One of Luis Rodriguez’s many girlfriends, who suddenly claims that she’s pregnant, and then disappears.

African American resident of Los Angeles whose brutal beating at the hands of four LAPD officers—captured on film—sparked a city-wide uprising of black and Latino people, often called the “Los Angeles Riots” (though Luis avoids using the prejudicial word “riot” whenever possible).

The organizer of the La Casa Community Center, another Los Angeles space that supports impoverished city dwellers as well as ex-gang affiliates.

One of the main leaders of the Lomas gang, Puppet is a brutal warrior who’s shown never to shy away from physical violence. After Luis Rodriguez begins to distance himself from the gang, Puppet punches him, suggesting that Luis’s Lomas days are now behind him.

President of The Animal Tribe.

An attractive young woman whom Luis Rodriguez dates for a brief period in high school.

A high school student who gets pregnant.

Luis Rodriguez’s friend, who’s later killed in a conflict with a rival gang.

Santos’s friend, who’s later killed in a conflict with a rival gang.

High school teacher who belittles his Latino students.

Latino high school teacher whose sudden firing is protested by Luis Rodriguez and other Latino students.

A powerful chola (i.e., female gang member) for the Sangra gang, who is later raped and murdered.

A powerful chola (i.e., female gang member) for the Sangra gang.

Sangra gang member who befriends Luis Rodriguez during his time in prison.

Police officer who kills Miguel Robles but is later acquitted of the killing.