About this episode
Sonny Von Cleveland shares his transformative journey from childhood abuse and prison to mentoring at-risk youth.
Sonny Von Cleveland survived years of childhood sexual abuse, 18 years in prison, and 19 months in solitary confinement. But it was in that isolation cell where everything changed — through daily conversations with a Muslim mentor in the cell across from his, Sonny found accountability, forgiveness, and a reason to live differently. Today he mentors at-risk youth in juvenile detention centers across Southern California, serves on Riverside County's Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, advocates with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition in Los Angeles, and leads The Von Cleveland Foundation. He was named Palm Springs Person of the Year in 2023 and has received Congressional Recognition for his work. His memoir Hey White Boy: Conversations of Redemption is the raw, unfiltered story of how a child failed by the world around him found his way back — and decided to make sure others don't walk the same road. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week THE HIDDEN THIRD: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoCiI8nJacn8gDiHxr6aQGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehiddenthirdpodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hidden-third/id1845989117 Spotify…
People in this episode
Host: Mariana van Zeller
Guest: Sonny Von Cleveland
Topics covered
- redemption
- juvenile justice
- solitary confinement
- mentorship
- advocacy
Keywords
- Sonny Von Cleveland
- mentorship
- solitary confinement
- juvenile detention
- redemption
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Von Cleveland Foundation, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Riverside County's Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council
Books & works: Hey White Boy: Conversations of Redemption
Places: Southern California, Palm Springs
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