GANG LIFE to GREAT LIFE .....a JOURNEY from HOPELESSNESS to INSPIRATION Nano is a 58 year old Mexican/American born in San Diego, California. He attended all his schooling in the San Diego area, graduated from High School in 1984. After doing many prison terms, drugs, and everything that comes with growing up in and living the Gang Life, Nano retired from that life, attended College and earned an Associate Degree in Business Management & Accounting. Nano grew up in a world that seemed normal at first but in time, evolved into a very dangerous one, where drugs, violence, betrayal, and prison rule the day, with horrible and sad deaths. One can easily give up hope in life. When a gang runs the streets of your once quiet neighborhood, families can be broken or destroyed. Nano, once a promising young boy was faced with many of these obstacles, became a drug user, and a violent gang member. He saw the madness unfold around him, and he was written off by society and his family. But through inner strength and the advice and mentorship of a couple of good men in his life, he was able to leave his old ways and become the productive citizen of society everyone is meant to be. There is hope, you just have to want to find and keep it. Today Nano has been over 25 years drug free and lives a quiet life away from the mean streets in the Barrios of Southeast San Diego with his youngest son. After working numerous jobs since his release from prison, Nano now works for an environmental company in the Hazardous Materials Industry for the last 15 years. ¿ "...I've known Nano for many years, I knew a little about his past. I had no idea the extent of the violent life he lived. He's come along way." C. Perez, Truck Driver, Washington, USA ¿ "...It's a life I can relate to, growing up in the streets of Southeast can be tough on anyone." D. Rojas, San Diego, CA