My guest today is Everest Cruz. Everest is a resident at the Fletcher Boykin transitional house for formerly incarcerated men in Spring Valley, NY, run by MADE Transitional Services. Everest has been in and out of prison since he was 13 years old, so since I met him in July, now at the age of 29 years old, Everest has experienced his longest stretch of being out of prison: over 60 days! He grew up in San Diego, CA with his older sister and single mom. His father was not in the picture; in fact, Everest has never met his father. It was unbearable for Everest to watch his mom work so hard yet consistently struggle to put food on the table. Everest provides insights into the pressure he felt to join a gang, while being lured into the false hope that the gang would provide an avenue for him to help his family. I wonder how many of us would have made the same decision given the same desperate circumstances. Everest keeps it real, speaking openly about his past, which he acknowledges is critical to his healing process. Everest's driving motivation to turn his life around is his nine year old son, who lives in California. Even though he hasn't seen his son since his son's first birthday, Everest is sustained by their Face Time contact. He treasures these connections with his family and is determined to make his son proud. Everest is deeply grateful to the Bronx defenders who have believed in him and are helping him gain legal immigration status. I am in awe of all the unsung heroes, who work tirelessly on behalf of the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society, treating them with dignity, respect, and compassion. Check out the link below for MADE Transitional Services and their October Gala. Help support their efforts in giving Everest and others a second chance to turn their lives around. Enjoy the Podcast! Links: Made Transitions