03/14/2026
The last time I was at Mount Toro High School was in 1999.
Back then, my path looked very different.
I was told I could go to a regular high school, so I went back to Alisal just to get a work permit to work at Monte Mart, and then I stopped going to school. I tried taking the GED across the street at the adult school, but when I didn’t do well on the test, I told myself I was done with school.
So I went back to the streets. Which landed me in prison for over a decade.
Never in a million years did I think I would return here. Thanks .edeza for the invite.
But today, more than 26 years later, I stood here speaking to students about hope, redemption, and their potential and about the wisdom they already have to make better choices for themselves, their families, and their dreams.
I shared my story, my career, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. We talked about trauma, ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences), and how so many of us grow up in survival mode. But healing begins when we are willing to get to the roots of our life circumstances so we can grow and move forward.
Most importantly, I wanted them to know this:
Your past does not define your future.
Where you start does not determine where you can go.
You’re not responsible for being down but you are responsible for getting back up.
With the right mindset, support, and opportunities, lives can change.
Standing there today reminded me how powerful redemption really is. Sometimes the very places where we once struggled become the places where we return to help others find their path. Grateful for the youth that came and spoke with me during and after the presentations and grateful to know I planted seeds of transformation and watered them today!!!
That’s what it means to be an Opportunity Giver.
Danny Contreras
