Universal Latin Lovers Nation

Universal Latin Lovers Nation is a Folks Mob made up of mostly latinos.

Their colors are Red & Yellow

Their symbols include a Universal symbol (letter "N" w/line through intersection w/3 dots on top), Heart.

The Latin Lovers originated in the Logan Square community on Chicago's Northwest side in the early 1970's. The Latin Lovers initially emerged as a neighborhood social club that based their operations in achieving the fundamentals best fit for the Latino youth in the community. The Latin Lovers originally adopted the characteristics of a peaceful organization in the fancy of older street clubs previously in existence. The Latin Lovers exercised social gatherings and events for members of the gang while recruiting more members in the process. The Latin Lovers were able to solidify the gangs presence throughout the vicinity of Milwaukee Ave.-to-Fullerton Ave., California Ave.-to-Western Ave. By the mid 1970's, the Latin Lovers began to encounter the Spanish Lords and Latin Kings street gang's. At this time, the Latin Lovers were not involved in common gang activities and did not "gang-bang" on the streets like the majority of gang's in the area. The Spanish Lords and Latin Kings have always been tight-knit organizations. As members of the Latin Lovers, Spanish Lords, and Latin Kings found themselves frequently in each others presence, members of these organizations began to interact. The Latin Lovers were interested in establishing a way to produce funds for the gangs social gatherings, events, and activities. In result, the Latin Lovers allied themselves to the Spanish Lords and Latin Kings as both organization supplied the group with drugs and firearms to sell. Troughout the mid-to-late 70's, the Latin Lovers earned a significant profit from the operations and gained a reputation for their drug supply tactics from drug dealers and various street gangs throughout the neighborhood and communities. In 1978, the Latin Kings were one of the founding Latino street gangs in the People alliance. During this time, the Latin Kings offered the Spanish Lords and Latin Lovers to join the People alliance aside the umbrella of the Latin Kings street gang in the prisons and on the streets. The Spanish Lords accepted this offer, however, the Latin Lovers chose not join the People alliance due to the fact a good percentage of the gang's financial drug income came from members of Folks allied organizations and rivals of the Latin Kings. The leadership within the Latin Lovers did not want to risk territorial or violent wars against other street gangs in the community and adopted a "Universal" philosophy. The Universal philosphy is said to endure the original existence of the Latin Lovers as a independent congregation of Latino youth.

In the late 1970's, most gang's began to ally themselves to either the People or Folks alliance. These events lead to more rivals on the streets as gang's were forced to choose sides. Often times, members of the Spanish Lords and Latin Kings would come to hang-out in the Latin Lovers territory and engage in endeavors in drug sales with the group on drug corners in the Logan Square community. Several Folks gangs occupied the Logan Square community at this time as well, and as members would come to purchase drugs from the Latin Lovers, members of the Latin Kings and Spanish Lords would frequently initiate problems with them due to their feuds outside of the Latin Lovers territory. In result, members of these Folks gangs would pass through the Latin Lovers territory to find members of the Latin Kings and Spanish Lords who often occupied the area with the Latin Lovers. The Latin Kings and Spanish Lords also began to patrol the the outskirts of the Latin Lovers territory in prospect of finding rivals after leaving certain drug corners. Many conflicts arose among the organization as the Latin Lovers territory became war grounds between gang's besides their own. However, this soon changed as Latin Lovers gang members became frequently mistaken for Spanish Lords or Latin Kings, due to the colors adopted by the Latin Lovers which are Red & Yellow and are each commonly worn color by the Spanish Lords and Latin Kings street gang. By the early 1980's, the Latin Lovers were involved in much of the violence around them as the organization was forced to protect their territory and themselves on the streets. Most of the Latin Lovers rivals were that of Folks allied street gang's, therefore, the Latin Lovers naturally sided with their allies and joined the People alliance in late 1980 or 1981. The Latin Lovers predominantly fought with such gangs as the Orchestra Albany, Simon City Royals, Maniac Latin Disciples, YLO Disciples, YLO Cobras, and the Spanish Cobras street gang's. In the mid 1980's, the Latin Lovers began to have feuds with the Gaylords and Latin Kings which were both allied street gangs within the People alliance. The Latin Lovers were involved in mutual shootings with sections of the Gaylords and Latin Kings, which would cause the gang significant conflicts within the correctional facilities and on the streets.

In 1986, the Latin Lovers started to seperate their organization from the People alliance and began to establish a relationship with other streets gangs that operated in and around the Logan Square community. The Latin Lovers eventually formed a realtionship with the Maniac Latin Disciples which soon spread into the correctional facilities as well. In 1987, the Latin Lovers severed their ties to the People alliance and allied themselves to the Maniac Latin Disciples joining the Folks alliance and the "Maniac Family", a group of allied Latino Folks street gang under the umbrella of the Maniac Latin Disciples in the prisons and on the streets. The Maniac Latin Disciples appointed a set for the Latin Lovers to operate in the vicinity of Lyndale & Campbell a couple blocks from the Maniac Latin Disciples. These events were proclaimed to be in advantage for the Latin Lovers so the gang could expand their operations in the Logan Square community. This also enabled the gang to combat rival gangs within territory if their allies, due to the fact the Maniac Latin Disciples operated a couple blocks away. The Latin Lovers also established ties to the Maniac Latin Disciples in the Humboldt Park and Bucktown communities for some time. Throughout the late 1980's and early 1990's, the Latin Lovers principle enemies were the Spanish Lords and Gaylords street gang's. In the mid 1990's, the Latin Lovers and Maniac Latin Disciples began to feud. Members of the Maniac Latin Disciples began to occupy drug turf of the Latin Lovers and in result, a member of the Latin Lovers was killed by a Maniac Latin Disciple. The two organizations (Latin Lovers & Maniac Latin Disciples) brought this issue to the "Board", and the Maniac Latin Disciples provided the member who was responsible for the killing and considered out of line for his actions, the Latin Lovers were instructed to retaliate on him with murder to settle to issue. However, this did not solve the dispute and many members of the Maniac Latin Disciples were angered at the decision of the Board. This lead various members from the Maniac Latin Disciples to continue their acts of violence towards the Latin Lovers and a consistent war developed.

In the late 1990's or possibly early millenium, the Latin Lovers established ties to the Orchestra Albany and Spanish Cobras street gang which are both members of the "Insane Familia", a group of allied Latino Folks gangs aside the umbrella of the Spanish Cobras in the prisons and on the streets. The Latin Lovers joined the Insane Familia not long after the gang developed ties to these organizations. The Latin Lovers were able to further expand their operations into the Palmer Square neighborhood in the Logan Square community. The Latin Lovers membership has declined in the past decade, however, the gang is said to be gaining a more well rounded membership within their current operations. The Latin Lovers expanded out to the Chicagoland suburb of Zion sometime in the late 1990's, however, the gang's operations have relocated to the suburb of Waukegan where the Latin Lovers have a well known presence. The Latin Lovers in Waukegan have experienced off-an-on again feuds with the Orchestra Albany chapter in Waukegan, although both organizatons are members of the Insane Familia. On the Northwest side, the Latin Lovers continue to exercise their presence throughout the Logan Square community and are rumored to be making in-roads into other communities. The Latin Lovers are a relatively small gang, however, the organization is known to defend their territory with violence. The Latin Lovers principle rivals have consisted of the Spanish Lords, Latin Kings, Gaylords, Simon City Royals, Maniac Latin Disciples, Maniac Campbell Boys, Milwaukee Kings, YLO Disciples, and the Insane Unknowns stret gang's. The gangs primary criminal involvement has consisted of graffiti, drug trafficking, assault, shootings, and murder.