This week, Carlos Vasquez sits down with Ernesto Sanchez, a man who’s walked through fire and lived to rebuild from the ashes. After spending years inside some of California’s most brutal prisons, Ernesto isn’t just surviving – he’s redefining what life after prison can look like.
In this candid conversation, Ernesto opens up about breaking generational cycles, confronting the trauma that led him down the wrong path, and what it really takes to start over. From therapy behind bars to becoming a mentor on the outside, he lays bare the mindset shifts, habits, and inner work that turned his sentence into a second chance.
Expect a deep, eye-opening conversation as we explore:
(04:20) Reintegrating after prison
(06:31) Struggles with identity and responsibility
(11:16) Embracing therapy despite cultural pressure
(13:54) Failure's not an option
(17:44) Pelican Bay: from youth to infamy
(20:01) Transformed by hardship and resilience
(25:16) Mentorship and long-term impact
(27:26) From despair to mentorship
(30:32) Choosing a prison cellmate
(33:44) Spirituality and the search for freedom
(36:57) Embracing imperfection in relationships
(39:30) Looking back on a reckless youth
(43:53) Adversity shapes the journey
(46:13) Mentorship as a way forward
Links mentioned in this episode:
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