Testimonials

David Rodriguez

My testimony is not unique, and the trauma that shaped me began before my own birth. My mother was a pre-adolescent refugee from Mexico. New to this country and pregnant with me, she found herself culturally clashed and confronted with financial and language barriers. After a hasty birth, I was raised in Sacramento, CA’s Oak Park neighborhood. My core beliefs and values were derived from what we endured, and I saw the world through discriminative, dysfunctional lenses. I developed maladaptive behaviors to create some sense of normalcy for my sisters and inadvertently, taking on the roles of provider and protector. Child services eventually intervened separating my sisters from me, while also stopping my sense of security and belonging. Alone as a teenager, my insecurities motivated me to indulge recklessly in my criminal thinking, which allowed me to find myself as a run away in Las Vegas. I formed co-dependent relationships, put myself in destructive situations, and aspired and pursued superficial gains. 

As a young, homesick adult, I came back to California for my siblings and comfort. Soon after my 18th birthday began the revolving trips to jail for minor possession sales offenses, eventually the revolving door lead me to a second-strike and a life term.

Today, with the support of my colleagues, peer mentors, I have acquired the emotional intelligence to address my traumas, transgressions, and the ability to navigate my every day life within these walls, and ultimately be able to return to my family as a better man. 

Helping People Heal