At just 15, United was sentenced to 50 years to life and spent two decades in a maximum-security prison before accessing therapy and rehabilitative programs at a lower-security facility. Through self-awareness and support from initiatives like the San Diego Workforce Partnership Reentry Services, he transformed his life. Now a case manager at Restoring Citizens, he helps others reintegrate after incarceration. His story serves as a powerful testament to the strength of second chances and the remarkable resilience of the human spirit. Below, United opens up about his heartfelt journey to a transformed life from incarceration and how he now embraces a deep sense of purpose and hope.
I grew up in unstable environments marked by abuse and violence. My family moved around California, settling in neighborhoods that were often gang-affiliated. I felt vulnerable, and the gang offered me what I thought I was missing: validation, a sense of belonging and protection. I joined the gang in elementary school, and by the time I reached high school, I was already in and out of the juvenile justice system. I was just 15 when I was sentenced to 50 years to life. I didn’t walk free until I was 35. Being incarcerated as a youth meant growing up in prison.
The prison system mirrored the gang structure—aggression, violence and rigid hierarchies. After spending years in the highest security levels, I was transferred to a lower-security facility, where I was finally able to access therapy, self-help groups and classes. This is when things began to change for me. I joined every group I could: emotional intelligence, victim awareness, cognitive-behavioral therapy and Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous—anything that could help me better understand myself. For the first time, I saw other men like me, many facing even more severe charges, who were on the path to healing. It was a powerful reminder that I wasn’t alone and that I had the potential to change.
That year, I had my first “aha” moment. I realized that many of my beliefs weren’t truly mine. They were instilled in me by trauma, by the streets, by others speaking for me. My therapist referred to it as “reparenting.” For the first time, I was learning how to think and feel for myself.
In March 2023, I was granted a real chance at freedom thanks to legal reviews of how youth of color were being unfairly funneled into adult courts. After a long screening process and more than a year of waiting, I was released.
I came home with so many dreams—but no clear idea of how to start. By court mandate, I entered sober living. I connected with Restoring Citizens and enrolled at San Diego City College. That’s where I first heard a presentation from the San Diego Workforce Partnership. Izzy, a SDWP staff member, spoke about the programs available for justice-impacted individuals like me. After hearing him, I knew I had to connect.
SDWP has been a blessing. They introduced me to the Peer Support Specialist program and Prison to Employment (P2E). They didn’t just help me enroll—they gave me the tools to build a life. I’m now a Peer Support Specialist and Case Manager at Restoring Citizens, the same organization that helped me when I came home.
Since then, I’ve reconnected with the woman who would become my wife—we met in 2004—and we had a daughter together. Being a dad is one of my greatest joys. I want people to know that I am not the same person I was. I am a loving father, a compassionate man and someone who is committed to giving back to my community.