Portraits of a New Beginning: Roberto Luca

«The most important thing for me is to live with a purpose, and that purpose for me was to never stop thinking about my victims.»

In August 2017, his release from prison began a new life for Roberto Luca, who grew up in a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, where gangs and drugs marked the path for many young people. Since his release, he has trained to become a tutor and work in organizations that allow others like him to learn a trade, buy a house, study and resolve their psychological conflicts after leaving prison. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he offered his tools for coping with incarceration — even to those in solitary confinement. He got married and acquired a mortgage to buy his parents’ house. He says he stays healthy by running three to five miles every other day. “I focus on my goals, my growth, my family and helping others,” he says. He often thinks about his victims because “that emotion is very strong, and it gives me energy to do the right thing.”

^{* 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.”