Between The Lines: The Pod' With Ivana Rojas

#21 - He Reached the Top of Gang Life… Then Realized It Gave Him Nothing

Luis Lopez grew up in South Central Los Angeles, where the streets seemed to offer the things he felt were missing at home: acceptance, attention, money, status, and belonging. By 14, Luis says he had dedicated his life to gang culture. What started as a search for love and identity eventually led him into years of destructive choices, a life sentence, and the painful realization that the path he once gave everything to had given him nothing in return. In this episode of Between the Lines, Luis opens up about growing up as the oldest child, joining 18th Street, chasing reputation, becoming a father from prison, and the moment he realized the life he once believed in was not what he thought it was. Today, Luis says he is no longer the man he was in 2003. He has walked away from gang life, taken accountability for the harm he caused, and is working to become a better father, husband, and mentor. His message to young people is simple: it is not worth it. This conversation is about choices, consequences, fatherhood, accountability, and the possibility of change after years behind bars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

#20 - He Has Life Without Parole… Now He Mentors Young Men in Prison

Joe Moore has been incarcerated for 23 years and is serving life without parole. For years, he says anger, trauma, and violence shaped the way he saw himself and the world around him. But after years in prison, Joe says one prayer changed the direction of his life. Today, he has earned multiple degrees, found purpose through mentorship, and now works with young men entering prison so they do not have to go through the same obstacles he did. He may never go home. But he says he wants to help someone else make it home to their family sooner than he ever will. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

#19 - Former Content Creator Now Serving Life in Prison

Before prison, Donel was filming interviews, building a YouTube channel, and chasing a dream. Then one night changed the course of his life forever. In this conversation, he shares the story behind the 72-years-to-life sentence and the perspective he's gained since. Interviewee: Donel Poston Host: Ivana Rojas (@ivanareds) Interview Date: April 16, 2026 About The Program: Between The Lines is a nonprofit organization focused on reducing recidivism through mentorship, educational programming, and sports as a form of therapy. Additionally, we provide a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their unique stories, connecting them with the outside world and offering a deeper understanding of their experiences. Our mission is to build bridges between the incarcerated population and society, creating opportunities for growth and rehabilitation. SUBSCRIBE ► https://www.youtube.com/@betweenthelinesus?sub_confirmation=1 FOLLOW ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweenthelines/ ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@betweenthelinesus ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betweenthelinesus ► X: https://x.com/btl_us WEBSITE ► https://www.betweenthelinesus.com/ #prison #reform #testimony #human #humanity #love #understanding #prisonreform #rehabilitation #justice #growth #redemption #compassion #forgiveness #education Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

#18 - Former Prison Shot Caller Explains How He Climbed the Ranks

Teiquon Lewis is serving 150 years to life with five separate life sentences for second-degree robberies and attempted robbery as a third-strike case. In this episode of Between the Lines, Teiquon opens up about growing up in Vallejo, California during the crack era. After losing his father at a young age and growing up around poverty, drugs, and street life, Tyquann says he became known in his town for the wrong things — selling drugs, robberies, and violence. At 14 years old, he started selling crack. By 17, he tried the drug he was selling and says he was hooked from the first time. His life quickly shifted from making money to addiction, robberies, and repeated prison sentences. After being sentenced to 150 years to life, Teiquon says he was angry at everyone except himself. That anger pulled him deeper into prison politics, where he became involved with prison gangs, drugs, violence, and life as a shot caller on Level 4 yards, including Pelican Bay and New Folsom. But after losing family members, his wife, and decades of his life behind bars, Teiquon began asking himself who he really was and what kind of legacy he wanted to leave. Through faith, self-help programs, accountability, and service, he says he has become a changemaker — someone committed to helping others avoid the life that cost him everything. This is a story about the crack era, addiction, three strikes sentencing, prison politics, power, loss, accountability, faith, and redemption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

#17 - Life in Prison for a Robbery? Michael Montes Tells His Story

Michael Montes is currently incarcerated for two counts of second-degree robbery and two counts of intimidating a witness from reporting a crime with gang enhancements. He has been locked up since 2009. In this episode of Between the Lines, Michael opens up about growing up in Colton, California, surrounded by gang life, domestic violence, and chaotic environments that shaped what he thought was normal. His father, grandfather, uncles, and mother were all connected to gang culture, and Michael says he grew up wanting to be like the people around him. At 19 years old, Michael confronted two men he believed had stolen from one of his friends. He took their belongings, punched one of them, and threatened them if they called police. At the time, he says he thought it was “nothing.” But because of the charges and gang enhancements, he received a life sentence. Michael was eventually sent to Pelican Bay, where he says he had to adapt to one of the most intense prison environments in California. For years, he wore a mask, tried to survive, and continued living out the destructive identity he had carried most of his life. But through disappointment, accountability, education, the Defy program, carpentry, Healing Through Art, and learning how to serve others, Michael says his life began to change. Today, he says he wants to use his story to help young people, support those impacted by domestic violence, and show others that there is another way. This is a story about childhood trauma, gang life, domestic violence, accountability, prison, transformation, service, and finding purpose after a life sentence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]