Alvaro Quezada: Vice President 
Founder, From Bars to Brilliance: The Healing Collective
Advocate | Nonprofit Leader | Mentor | Voice for the Voiceless 

Alvaro Quezada is a dedicated youth advocate and mentor whose journey from the streets of Boyle Heights to the prison yards of California has shaped a powerful mission: to break the school-to-prison pipeline and restore purpose to at-risk youth.

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Before his incarceration, Alvaro served his community as a youth basketball coach at the local YMCA and represented the organization in bodybuilding competitions. His early commitment to physical fitness and positive youth engagement reflected his passion for guiding young people toward strength, discipline, and self-worth.

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While serving a sentence in Kern Valley State Prison, a Level IV facility, Alvaro co-founded Education Goals to Endeavors (EDGE)—a transformative mentorship and scared-straight program that sought to disrupt cycles of incarceration. Though the program was eventually shut down by the administration, Alvaro's vision never dimmed. He witnessed firsthand how deeply unresolved childhood trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impacted incarcerated youth, and he committed himself to being part of the solution.

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After over two decades behind bars, Alvaro joined Prison Fellowship, a national organization that reignited his purpose and catalyzed his inner transformation. Through reflection, faith, and service, Alvaro began the lifelong work of becoming the man he was always meant to be—a man who heals, uplifts, and informs. He has since mentored fellow inmates, advocated for program reform, and used his story to educate others on the consequences of unaddressed pain and the power of redemption. Alvaro has successfully completed DEFY Ventures and is currently pursuing an AA in Southwest College. 

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Now, in partnership with From Bars to Brilliance: The Healing Collective, Alvaro is a fierce proponent for youth intervention programs, trauma-informed education, and community healing. His mission is clear: to replace the lure of gangs and prison culture with hope, structure, and love. He believes that society has a collective responsibility to step in where systems and families have failed—and that no child should grow up believing prison is a rite of passage.