Content warning: This section of the guide discusses gang-related violence, drug abuse, and police violence.

Renegade Dreams explores how nostalgia is not just a longing for the past but serves as a critical lens for community members. Nostalgia, in the text, often manifests in the reminiscence of a time when gangs like the Divine Knights were seen as political organizations with a positive impact on the community. This image contrasts with the current perception of the gang as a cause of violence and disorder. Laurence Ralph illustrates this point through the example of Mr. Otis, an old gang member who yearns for a perceived better past. However, nostalgia also serves as a distorted lens, which gets in the way of understanding the deeper social and historical challenges that the Eastwood community faces. Through the lens of nostalgia, Ralph portrays a community coping with change, loss, and the desire to reclaim and reinterpret aspects of its history in the face of modern challenges.

Structural violence is a central concept in Renegade Dreams. Structural violence refers to the systematic ways in which society harms individuals or puts them in a situation of disadvantage. This kind of violence is evident in the pervasive poverty, unemployment, and inadequate housing that characterize Eastwood.