In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Anna Malaika Tubbs, New York Times bestselling author of The Three Mothers and Erased for a powerful conversation about patriarchy, masculinity, and the stories that shape our understanding of power and identity. Together, they explore how systems of gender, race, and hierarchy are woven into our culture, how those systems impact men and women alike, and what it takes to unlearn beliefs that no longer serve us. Drawing from history, research, and lived experience, Anna invites us to question what we've been taught and imagine a more honest, connected, and liberated future.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Baratunde Thurston at the BOOST Conference for a thought-provoking conversation about masculinity, America, and the future of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. Together, they explore how the stories we inherit about power, work, and manhood continue to shape our culture, institutions, and emerging technologies, and what it means to rewrite those stories before they are coded into the future. From Indigenous frameworks of interdependence to the emotional impact of AI on identity and purpose, Baratunde challenges us to imagine a version of masculinity rooted not in control or production, but in care, connection, and community. 

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Refujio “Cuco” Rodriguez from the Hope and Heal Fund for a powerful conversation about gun violence, masculinity, and the stories boys are taught about power and protection. Moving beyond policy and headlines, Cuco explores how trauma, silence, and harmful ideas about manhood shape violence in our homes and communities, and why healing must be at the center of prevention. Together, Mike and Cuco reflect on firearms, domestic violence, accountability, and what it means to build a culture where men are taught that strength is rooted not in control, but in care, vulnerability, and connection.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Tonatiuh for a powerful conversation about gender, identity, and the cost of living inside expectations that were never ours to begin with. From his acclaimed performances in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Vida, and Promised Land, Tonatiuh reflects on how masculinity is often shaped by perception, performance, and power, and how the world responded to him based on how closely he aligned with traditional ideas of masculinity. Together, Mike and Tonatiuh explore gender as a social construct, the pressure to conform, and the freedom that comes from embracing a more expansive understanding of identity and self-expression. 

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In this deeply moving episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries and a father figure to thousands, for an intimate conversation about love, belonging, and the fathers we find along the way. Together, they explore what happens when men grow up without the guidance, tenderness, or affirmation they needed and how healing becomes possible when we are received with compassion instead of judgment. Drawing from decades of walking alongside formerly incarcerated individuals, Father Greg reflects on chosen family, unconditional love, and the radical belief that no one is outside the circle of belonging.

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In this live episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha continues a powerful series on gender violence with Damariz Vasquez and Ozzy Cruz, two practitioners working on the frontlines of healing at the East L.A. Women’s Center. Moving from awareness to action, this conversation centers the day-to-day realities of supporting survivors, working with men, and creating pathways for true accountability and transformation. Together, they explore how shame, silence, and harmful beliefs about power and gender prevent healing and what it truly takes to break those cycles.

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In this powerful live episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha convenes a critical conversation at the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center with Barbara Kappos and Jerry Tello on sexual violence and the urgent need for accountability, healing, and community transformation. As the first in a series confronting violence against women and children, this episode moves beyond awareness to examine the difficult truth that much of this harm happens within families and is sustained by silence and shame. Drawing from decades of frontline experience, Barbara and Jerry explore how we support survivors, challenge harmful patterns of masculinity, and create pathways toward repair. 

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits down with filmmaker and novelist Kevin Abrams, whose feature film, Marisol, follows a 17-year-old undocumented teen confronting her identity and fighting for her future. Drawing from his Mexican-American heritage and activist roots, Kevin reflects on how storytelling becomes both resistance and healing. From documentaries like I Got a Monster to his debut novel Mt. Forgotten, he shares how art can challenge stereotypes, reclaim humanity, and restore belonging.

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In this deeply personal roundtable episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with four men from the DENA Heals Men’s Circle for an unfiltered conversation about sex, consent, and the conversations many of us never had growing up. Together, they reflect on coming of age without guidance from fathers or caregivers around intimacy, respect, and responsibility, and how that silence shaped their understanding of masculinity. Through vulnerability and brotherhood, they speak honestly about the messages they learned, the harm those messages can carry, and what becomes possible when men gather to tell the truth and heal generational patterns so the next generation of boys can grow up with a different understanding of manhood.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Fernando Deveras, educator, father, and trauma-informed facilitator, for a powerful conversation on history, masculinity, and healing. Together, they explore how understanding our roots can transform the way we see ourselves, navigate fear, and show up as men in a rapidly changing world. From breaking down inherited ideas of masculinity to reclaiming culture as a source of strength, Fernando shares how remembering our past can become a pathway to healing for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

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