Introduction : Poverty and the creation of hope and despair : The significance of social capital ; Boys of color in comparative perspective ; The "boy crisis" ; The epistemological underpinnings of this book ; The organization of this book
1. Street-socialized boys in low-income neighborhoods: a cross-ethnic framework to promote success : The gang issue ; Multiple marginality and street socialization ; Differences between street-socialized males ; The significance of immigration in a changing society ; The roots of ethnic minority school experiences ; Strengthening community-school partnerships ; Constructing school success
2. To compete in this world: a Vietnamese American portrait of loss and liberation : Vietnamese gangs in Southern California ; A life woven from trauma, loss, and discipline
3. A second chance: a portrait of a mixed-race African American man : The rise of African American gangs ; Finding the face in the mirror of a mixed-identity Black man
4. Never let go: a portrait of a Chicano living in and out of the margins : The emergence of Chicano youth gangs ; A portrait of Pedro, the opportunist
5. I call myself Chicano: multiple and shifting Mexican American identities : Social forces, demographic changes, and racial politics ; Neighborhoods and schools in a changing society ; Mexicanization as source of pride ; Additional comparative features ; A final contemporary perspective on the two settings ; Reassessing educational engagement over time
6. They make me feel like I am somebody: empowering urban youth through community-based action : Community-based organizations and the need to address truancy ; Research on the urban youth center and college success ; Unearthing urban youth experiences of success ; The transformative power of community-based support
7. Education is key for people of color: career academies and youth hopefulness : California career academies ; A solid research base ; The two career academies side by side ; Creating engaging and supportive school cultures ; How career academies generate optimism and school success ; Asian academy student perspectives ; African American academy student perspectives ; Latino academy student perspectives
8. Obama has opened the door: understanding African American high school boys' career expectations in an era of change : The implications of Barack Obama's presidency ; The academy for boys in an urban high school ; SMA students' perspectives on the Obama presidency ; Conflicting perspectives on aspirations and expectations ; Perceptions of being Black in the United States ; Perspectives on racism and school ; Perceptions of poverty and out-of-school issues ; Complicating student perspectives in a time of change
9. Conclusion: The possibilities of comprehensive school reform : Poor people's social capital as marginalized social capital ; The importance and limitations of promising practices ; Equipping youth for adulthood
Appendix A.A portrait of a Chicano sociologist from the City of Good Fortune
Appendix B.A portrait of Chicano anthropologist from the City of Angels.