Sonny Von Cleveland is a motivational speaker, coach, and author passionate about sharing his history and experiences of sexual abuse and incarceration to aid in the healing of others. He is an ardent advocate for fearlessly and authentically owning one's story to rise and choose growth from adversity.
He advocates for this because for five years, throughout his childhood, he was the victim of sexual molestation and violence from multiple men, and, not knowing how to deal with the trauma, he repeatedly saw himself in trouble with law enforcement, which eventually saw him incarcerated at age sixteen for eighteen years, where violent gang banging ensued for survival and protection.
He resigned himself to a life of incarceration and gang life until a pivotal moment changed his life. In his late 20s, he was sent to solitary confinement, and while there, he met a Muslim man who changed his life.
Over the next nineteen months, through this man's tutelage, Sonny transformed his life by learning the power of forgiveness and letting go of the past, as well as extensive self-examination and personal growth. He owes the mindset and extensive self-awareness skills he holds today to the 14,000-plus hours of personal development he garnered during his time in solitary confinement, and he now uses his transformation to aid and inspire others.
Sonny is also an anti-bullying advocate for Boo2Bullying, a youth development and suicide prevention organization, and is a regular speaker and mentor to disenfranchised youth in juvenile facilities in Southern California. Furthermore, he is a re-entry coach and activist for the Anti-Recidivism Collation in Los Angeles. He lives in Palm Springs, California, with his wife, Claire, their dog Sophie Grace and their felines, Luna and Puma.
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