In this gripping and hope-filled conversation, Cynthia Marks sits down with Adonai Melendez, a Homeboy Industries trainee and reentry advocate, to trace his journey from childhood trauma and gang life to accountability, faith, and service. Adonai describes fleeing civil war, a painful break from his grandmother, and an adolescence that made gangs feel like the only family offering safety and belonging. At 16, he committed a murder; decades in prison followed, where he learned the “politics” of survival, and then, through a searing moment of empathy, began transforming from the inside out. He chose programs, accountability, and love-based action, discovering that giving others power made him truly powerful. Released after nearly 31 years, Adonai rediscovered the world in color, found purpose in community work, and entered Homeboy Industries, where therapy, structure, and dignity anchor his new life. Today he serves people facing homelessness, mental health challenges, and reentry barriers; living proof that we are not defined by our worst act but by what we do next. His message is simple and radical: every person is meant to be loved, and we always have a choice.

00:00 — Homeboy & Purpose: What reentry looks like when it’s love-based08:41 — From El Salvador to LA: Childhood rupture, abuse, and the pull of gangs17:22 — Escalation: Guns, “power,” a murder at 16, arrest, and a life sentence26:03 — Prison Rules: Race politics, riots, fear—and the cost of belonging34:44 — The Turning Point: Seeing the victim’s family and choosing another path43:25 — Programs, Accountability, and Self-Love: Becoming free before release52:06 — Reentry in Action: Campaign work, therapy, school, and Homeboy1:00:47 — Closing: Your trauma is yours—and you’re meant to be loved