The “Mi Vida Loca” Association
One interpretation discussed by the source is the Spanish phrase “Mi Vida Loca,” or “My Crazy Life.” The article links that reading with some Chicano and Mexican-American contexts and with difficult life experiences.
It also notes associations with gang culture in some settings. That is not the same as establishing that a particular wearer belongs to a gang. A contextual association does not make the design a dependable membership badge.
Nor should the mention become a judgment about an entire cultural community. People, experiences, and personal choices are more varied than that. Repeating a frightening label without those limits can turn a discussion of a symbol into an unfair accusation about a person.
Sometimes Three Simply Means Three
The source offers several personal possibilities: three children, three close friends, or important stages of life. Past, present, and future are another example of how someone might give meaning to a group of three.
These are possible interpretations, not a list from which an observer can select the correct answer. A wearer might use one of them, combine ideas, or mean something else entirely.
In the article’s closing anecdote, the friend explains that his dots represent his three children. That answers the question within that particular story. It does not tell us what the tattoo on the next person’s arm means, even if its size and placement look similar.
