Sacred Lessons in Accountability Part I: Power, Gender & the Work of Repair.

Sacred Lessons in America & A.I. with Baratunde Thurston.

In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Baratunde Thurston at the BOOST Conference for a thought-provoking conversation about masculinity, America, and the future of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. Together, they explore how the stories we inherit about power, work, and manhood continue to shape our culture, institutions, and emerging technologies, and what it means to rewrite those stories before they are coded into the future. From Indigenous frameworks of interdependence to the emotional impact of AI on identity and purpose, Baratunde challenges us to imagine a version of masculinity rooted not in control or production, but in care, connection, and community.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Sacred Lessons in Violence Prevention with Cuco Rodriguez

In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Refujio “Cuco” Rodriguez from the Hope and Heal Fund for a powerful conversation about gun violence, masculinity, and the stories boys are taught about power and protection. Moving beyond policy and headlines, Cuco explores how trauma, silence, and harmful ideas about manhood shape violence in our homes and communities, and why healing must be at the center of prevention. Together, Mike and Cuco reflect on firearms, domestic violence, accountability, and what it means to build a culture where men are taught that strength is rooted not in control, but in care, vulnerability, and connection. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Sacred Lessons in Perception with Tonatiuh

In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Tonatiuh for a powerful conversation about gender, identity, and the cost of living inside expectations that were never ours to begin with. From his acclaimed performances in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Vida, and Promised Land, Tonatiuh reflects on how masculinity is often shaped by perception, performance, and power, and how the world responded to him based on how closely he aligned with traditional ideas of masculinity. Together, Mike and Tonatiuh explore gender as a social construct, the pressure to conform, and the freedom that comes from embracing a more expansive understanding of identity and self-expression.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Sacred Lessons in Radical Love with Father Gregory Boyle.

In this deeply moving episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries and a father figure to thousands, for an intimate conversation about love, belonging, and the fathers we find along the way. Together, they explore what happens when men grow up without the guidance, tenderness, or affirmation they needed and how healing becomes possible when we are received with compassion instead of judgment. Drawing from decades of walking alongside formerly incarcerated individuals, Father Greg reflects on chosen family, unconditional love, and the radical belief that no one is outside the circle of belonging. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Sacred Lessons in Accountability Part II: Power, Gender & the Work of Repair.

In this live episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha continues a powerful series on gender violence with Damariz Vasquez and Ozzy Cruz, two practitioners working on the frontlines of healing at the East L.A. Women’s Center. Moving from awareness to action, this conversation centers the day-to-day realities of supporting survivors, working with men, and creating pathways for true accountability and transformation. Together, they explore how shame, silence, and harmful beliefs about power and gender prevent healing and what it truly takes to break those cycles. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.