Portraits of a New Beginning: Adrián Vázquez

«Sometimes I see myself in the frustration of young people who grow up in marginalized areas without many opportunities.»

Adrián Vázquez has spent 20 years in prison. Born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles, California, his family came from Jalisco, Mexico. He was a 19-year-old college student when he was arrested and sentenced to prison. Since his release, with the of his family and community, he has been able to reintegrate into society and find a job, although he has struggled with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 2018, is studying to be a lawyer and works at the California Community Foundation, where he works to prevent other young people from committing crimes like he did. He says one of the things he found most difficult after leaving prison was adjusting to modern life. “For me, this whole change was pretty difficult at first, until I got involved in programs that help inmates use technology,” Adrián says.

^{* The testimonies in "Portraits of a New Beginning" were collected and edited by Ana María Carrano, María Gabriela Méndez, Olivia Liendo and Tamoa Calzadilla, under the coordination of Olivia Liendo and Ana María Carrano.}

Go to the homepage of the book “Portraits of a New Beginning.”