Empty Hands

On a Tuesday night in South Los Angeles, two rival gang leaders draw on each other — and both guns jam. The silence that follows births a myth, and the myth births a revolution.Gangs begin trading firearms for ancient martial arts. Rivals adopt Wing Chun, Muay Thai, Capoeira, Kali, and Shaolin Kung Fu. Members learn Cantonese, Thai, Tagalog, and Mandarin — not for school but for survival, respect,...