What happens when you stop allowing your past to define you and start using it to help others?
In this episode of The Parent Whisperer Podcast, Richard Ramos sits down with Arthur and Gabby Soriano, co founders of Youth Empowerment in San Diego, to talk about their personal journey, their work with families and youth, and the power of personal growth, forgiveness, and second chances.
Arthur and Gabby openly share how their own difficult experiences shaped the work they do today. Arthur speaks about his years of incarceration and his journey back into the community, while Gabby shares how their experiences became the foundation for rebuilding their family and serving others.
Their story is a powerful reminder that your past does not have to determine your future.
In This Episode
• How Arthur and Gabby turned their lived experiences into a mission to help others
• The importance of rebuilding trust with family and community
• Why personal development is at the heart of effective parenting
• How forgiveness can help release guilt, shame, and resentment
• Breaking generational cycles and creating a healthier foundation for children
• The unique challenges of fatherhood and step parenting
• Why parents need to work on themselves instead of focusing only on changing their children
• The importance of helping men become more engaged fathers and role models
• How trauma affects families across cultures and communities
• The role of Youth Empowerment in working with youth impacted by the justice system
• How restorative practices can help reduce violence and rebuild relationships
• The impact of Parents on a Mission in helping families grow stronger
• A powerful story about an 80 year old woman discovering the need to forgive after carrying resentment for decades
• How Youth Empowerment helped transform the culture at Hoover High School
From Past to Purpose
Arthur and Gabby did not begin their journey from a perfect place. They had to rebuild trust with their families and their community and prove through their actions that they were committed to doing things differently.
Today, they use those experiences to connect with families and young people who are facing many of the same challenges they once faced.
Arthur describes this approach as using lived experience to guide the future and helping people through a credible messenger model.
Parenting Begins With Personal Growth
One of the strongest themes in this conversation is that parenting is not simply about changing children's behavior.
It begins with changing ourselves.
Gabby explains how Parents on a Mission helped her recognize patterns that had been passed down through families and generations. The personal development component became one of the most meaningful parts of the program for her.
Richard reinforces this idea by explaining that Parents on a Mission focuses on parents dealing with their own issues rather than simply trying to fix their children.
The Power of Forgiveness
Forgiveness becomes another major theme throughout the conversation.
Arthur and Gabby discuss how guilt, shame, resentment, and unresolved trauma can prevent people from moving forward. They share how forgiveness can become a turning point for parents and families.
Gabby tells the story of an older woman who realized during a Parents on a Mission class that she had carried resentment toward another woman for decades after a traumatic childhood experience.
For the first time, she was able to acknowledge that pain and begin releasing it.
Breaking Generational Cycles
Arthur and Gabby are also focused on creating a different future for their own children.
They talk openly about the importance of consistency, rebuilding relationships, and creating a strong foundation so that their children can grow beyond the experiences of previous generations.
Their goal extends beyond their own family. Youth Empowerment works with young people, families, and individuals impacted by the justice system, using lived experience, mentorship, restorative practices, and community connection.
Creating Change at Hoover High School
Arthur shares a powerful example of the impact this work can have.
Hoover High School was once a place where gang conflicts were creating serious problems both inside and outside the school. Through youth programs, restorative practices, Parents on a Mission, and work with families, the school saw a dramatic transformation.
Arthur says gang fights decreased significantly and eventually reached zero during the most recent school year, while attendance and behavior improved. Most importantly, students began taking ownership of the culture themselves.
A Message for Parents
This conversation is ultimately about hope.
Your past does not have to define you.
Your mistakes do not have to become your children's future.
And meaningful change begins when we are willing to look honestly at ourselves, take responsibility, forgive, grow, and lead differently.
