Sunny Gibbs, a Brooklyn native, grew up in Crown Heights before moving to Bed-Stuy after his release from DFY at 16. His first incarceration was at 11 years old for robbery, and by 13, he had turned to armed robberies after losing his mother.

As a founding member of the Hop Out Boyz, Sunny was convicted in 2004 of multiple armed robberies and sentenced to 9 years. After serving 8 years, he was re-arrested 90 days later on armed robbery and kidnapping charges, ultimately serving a total of 18 years behind bars.

Since his release 2.5 years ago, Sunny has dedicated himself to helping others rebuild their lives. He founded Boomerang NY, a nonprofit supporting wrongfully convicted and formerly incarcerated individuals, and transformed Hop Out Boyz into Honor Our Brothers, now active in five countries.

Sunny has spoken to youth at the Bronx Community Center, worked on criminal justice reform campaigns, and continues to uplift those seeking a second chance.