Nena is an example of a Homegirl taking charge of her life. For many years she was deeply in love with her man Tony (Tonto). Tonto used to get in trouble alot. When they were teenagers it didn`t seem so bad. He would get popped jacking cars, selling a little mota...an occasional fight. He would go to Juvee, do a few weeks, promise to straighten out, then do it again. After he turned 18 the punishments got harder. The judicial system now treated Tonto like an adult and weren`t playing anymore. Tonto was soon in County Jail. After he`d get out he`d promise to go straight...get into some stuff and then go back. Eventually he ended up in the big house doing a nickel. She waited for him for five more years. She was raising their 3 kids while on welfare, always staying home and true to him...never going out with her Homegirls n not having any social life at all. Whenever she`d visit Tonto in jail all he`d do was scream and b___at her and vent his fustrations at her. He told her she was a lousey mother because their kids were slipping in school and getting into a little trouble. He accused her of cheating on him and not being a down down for him. She would inevitably leave crying and continue to wait for "Her Vato" .

Eventually Tonto got out. Nena thru a welcome home party for him with all the Homies coming over. But Tonto never showed as he hooked up with some of his old felonious friends, (that he wasn`t supposed to be around), and they went to a strip bar and got wasted (which acording to his parole, he wasn`t supposed to be doing). He finally showed up at his welcome back party all drunk and Tonto and started making a scene with Nena, slapping her around in front of the Homies. Big Loco stepped in and regulated him, but the damage was done. The next day the police raided the pad and busted Tonto. Seems him and his felonious friends robbed were thrown out of the strip bar for assaulting the strippers, and later came back and shot up the place. The judge sentenced Tonto to another ten years in Quilmas...(San Quentin).

So once again Nena is on her own with the three kids. Big Loco told her she didn`t need to play that game and that she should take charge of her own life. He helped her enroll in a government funded nursing program. It took a few years of hard work and determination, but with the help of her family and Homies...she was able to pull it off. She divorced Tonto, and is now completely off of the welfare. She moved out of Tonto`s parent`s house, and has a little apartment of her own. Her jitos are doing better in school and she now has something she never had before...self esteem and independence. Orraaallleeee Nurse Nena...what a Ruca!!!

Oh yeah and Tony Tonto? Well you see Big Loco sent word into the joint that Tonto will not ever try and contact Nena again...and he won`t.