First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.
– Pastor Martin Niemoler
Ever since I was a child, my parents taught me the importance of standing up for those individuals who continue to risk their lives for the betterment of our society.
As such, I have dedicated my life to working to positively transform our justice system and to give voice to those who are systematically silenced and denied an opportunity to speak for themselves.
For over four years, I have had the honor of working with, learning from, and becoming friends with Alex Sanchez.
Our eternal desire for social justice and love for humanity immediately connected us and we began organizing to provide opportunities for countless youth and families in Los Angeles while advocating for comprehensive juvenile justice legislation.
During this time, we not only helped enact groundbreaking legislation, but we also put forward an alternative vision for our world.
A vision where every person, regardless of immigration status, regardless of sexuality, regardless of race or ethnicity, regardless of gender, regardless of class, is treated with dignity and respect; a vision where every person is afforded their fundamental human right to access to social services and opportunities, and; a vision where every person, regardless of past affiliation or actions, is given a second chance to re-right past wrongs and begin contributing to society.
With this vision rooted in my mind, my heart was broken in the early morning of June 24, 2009 when Alex was mistakenly arrested on conspiracy to murder and federal racketeering charges.
My heart was broken because I was absolutely certain that the charges were untrue and that Alex, the Executive Director of Homies Unidos, a transnational violence prevention organization, would not be able to work with those youth and families, from Los Angeles to El Salvador, most in need of love and support.
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