Sacred Lessons with Mike de la Rocha

In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with poet, cultural worker, and organizer aja monet for a deeply personal conversation about art, healing, and what it will take to create a world free from violence. Drawing from her poetry, activism, and the lessons passed down by the women who raised her, aja reflects on how creative expression can become medicine and why ending violence requires us to examine not only the systems around us, but the ways they live within us. Together, Mike and aja explore the power of love and tenderness, what men can learn from the women in our lives, and why building a more just and peaceful world requires the courage to listen, change, and become more fully human.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with educator, surfer, filmmaker, and founder of Native Like Water Marc Chavez for a conversation about water, grief, and ancestral connection. Through his work and Indigenous surf film Haagua, Marc reflects on how the ocean can become a place of healing, remembrance, and reconnection with those who came before us. Together, Mike and Marc explore what water can teach us about letting go without forgetting, how reconnecting with culture can move communities from surviving to thriving, and why healing is intimately connected to nature.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with author, spiritual teacher, and creator of The Mayan Oracle Deck Christine Olivia Hernandez for a deeply personal conversation about ancestry, grief, and remembering who we are. From losing her Guatemalan father and feeling disconnected from her roots to finding her way back through ancestral practices, Christine reflects on how grief can transform our relationship with those who came before us. Together, Mike and Christine explore the wisdom our ancestors leave behind, our relationship with nature and sacred time, and how remembering where we come from can help us reconnect with who we truly are.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with comedian, actor, and creator Frankie Quiñones for a deeply personal conversation about laughter, trauma, and the courage to tell the truth. From finding refuge in comedy to speaking openly about childhood sexual abuse, addiction, and therapy, Frankie reflects on what it took to stop running from his pain and finally ask for help. Together, Mike and Frankie explore the silence so many men carry, how vulnerability becomes a form of strength, and why telling the truth about what happened to us can help heal generational cycles and give others permission to heal.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Carmen Perez-Jordan, Chicana feminist and longtime movement leader, for a deeply personal conversation about friendship, grief, and liberation. From their shared roots in Oxnard to decades of organizing together, Carmen reflects on transforming the loss of her sister into purpose and the responsibility of carrying forward the lessons of our elders. Together, Mike and Carmen explore what feminism asks of men, the personal sacrifices of living on the frontlines of history, and why liberation must be practiced not only in our movements, but in how we love, heal, and show up for one another.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Ken Salazar, former U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Interior, and U.S. Ambassador to México, for a timely conversation about immigration, identity, and who gets to belong in America. Drawing from his family’s centuries-long history in the American Southwest and his memoir Borderlands: My Fight for an Inclusive America, Ken reflects on how history continues to shape our understanding of borders, belonging, and one another. Together, Mike and Ken explore the fear and grief underlying our divisions, how men can redefine leadership and strength, and why building a more inclusive world begins with recognizing our shared future.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Mónica Ramírez, founder of Justice for Migrant Women, for an important conversation about gender justice, patriarchy, and redefining power. Recorded live at the five-year anniversary of the Raizado Festival in Aspen, Mónica reflects on decades of fighting alongside migrant women, immigrant families, and survivors of gender-based violence, and what that work has taught her about how patriarchy harms all of us. Together, Mike and Mónica explore how men can help end sexual and gender-based violence, what it means to move from power over others to power with others, and why building a more loving future requires all of us to examine what we've inherited.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with legendary artist Chaz Bojórquez, widely recognized as the Godfather of West Coast Graffiti, for a powerful conversation about art, identity, and remembering who we are. Recorded inside the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City during the historic Aztlán, túnel del tiempo exhibition, Chaz reflects on bringing Chicano art home, the healing power of creative expression, and the responsibility of preserving our stories for future generations. Together, Mike and Chaz explore how art becomes memory, how fathers and culture shape identity, and why reclaiming our narratives is an act of healing.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with comedian, author, and actress Aida Rodriguez for a deeply personal conversation about identity, fatherhood, and finding our way home to ourselves. From growing up without her father to searching for him decades later, Aida reflects on the complicated journey toward forgiveness and what it took to realize that her worth was never dependent on someone else choosing her. This heartfelt episode is a reminder that healing begins when we stop searching for validation and realize that we have always been enough.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Def Sound, Black Afro-Caribbean conceptual word artist, producer, poet, and educator for a thought-provoking conversation about identity, freedom, and the courage to become fully ourselves. Together, they explore the stories we inherit about race, gender, masculinity, and belonging, and what becomes possible when we stop performing versions of ourselves created to meet society’s rigid definitions of manhood.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Leslie Priscilla, educator, founder of Latinx Parenting, and author of Chancla, for a deeply personal conversation about parenting, generational healing, and becoming the safe adult we once needed. Together, they explore how our own childhood experiences shape the way we parent, why healing begins with reparenting ourselves, and how repair, not perfection, is the foundation for raising emotionally healthy children. From healing cycles of fear and shame to honoring culture while telling difficult truths, Leslie shares a compassionate vision for raising the next generation with connection, dignity, and love. 

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Douglas Miles, acclaimed Apache artist, photographer, activist, and founder of Apache Skateboards, for a powerful conversation about art, storytelling, and reclaiming the narratives that shape our lives. Recorded live from the We The People exhibition in South Los Angeles, Douglas reflects on the importance of Indigenous communities telling their own stories, the healing power of creative expression, and the responsibility of passing culture from one generation to the next. Together, Mike and Douglas explore how art can become activism, how fathers help shape identity, and why preserving our stories is essential to building a more honest and inclusive future.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Rocio Navarro for a deeply personal conversation about water, healing, and the ancient wisdom of letting go. Recorded beside the ocean, Rocio shares how water has been used across cultures as a source of ceremony, renewal, and connection, and how it can help us reconnect with our bodies and release what we’ve been carrying. Drawing from Mike’s own experience participating in a water ceremony led by Rocio, together they explore what water can teach us about grief, surrender, trust, and transformation.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with acclaimed chef Eduardo “Lalo” García, the visionary behind Máximo in México City, for an important conversation about food, resilience, and the possibility of beginning again. From being deported from the United States to becoming one of Latin America’s most celebrated chefs, Lalo shares how hardship, determination, and a deep connection to food transformed his life. Together, Mike and Lalo explore how food can become medicine, how feeding others can be an act of love and service, and why our past does not have to define our future.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Carlos Avendaño Mendoza, founder of Pécora 1909 and the coffee grower behind every cup of Tepito Coffee, for a deeply personal conversation about the land, legacy, and living with purpose. From humble beginnings in Veracruz to becoming one of México's most respected coffee growers, Carlos shares how his father, his family, and the land taught him that patience, humility, and care are the true ingredients of a meaningful life. Together, Mike and Carlos explore how coffee connects generations, cultures, and communities, why the land is one of our greatest teachers, and how the love between fathers and sons can help heal generational cycles.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Chris Spencer, comedian, writer, producer, and actor, for a heartfelt conversation about comedy, vulnerability, and the truths we often hide behind laughter. Together, they explore why so many men learn to make people laugh before they learn to express their feelings. From marriage and fatherhood to the healing power of brotherhood, Chris reflects on how trusted friendships give men permission to ask for help, speak honestly about their emotions, and become more fully themselves.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Bryan Ramirez, founder of Reservoir Tattoo Studio, for a deeply personal conversation recorded while Bryan tattoos a Mesoamerican serpent, a symbol of transformation, healing, and rebirth, onto Mike's arm. Together, they explore why the tattoo chair has become one of the few places where many men feel safe enough to tell the truth about their lives, and how tattoo artists often become unexpected therapists, witnessing grief, heartbreak, and healing one story at a time. From Chicano identity and entrepreneurship to ritual and the power of being seen, Bryan reflects on why tattoos are about far more than ink, they're about marking the moments that change us. 

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Carlos Guzman, founder of the influential clothing brand Brown N Proud, for a heartfelt conversation about pride, culture, and identity. From immigrating from México to building a movement that has helped tens of thousands embrace their roots, Carlos reflects on the healing power of representation, faith, and entrepreneurship. Together, Mike and Carlos explore how culture can become medicine, why so many people struggle to feel seen, and what it means to create spaces where our communities can show up fully as themselves. 

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Marisa Renee Lee, author of Grief Is Love and Waiting for Dawn, for a deeply personal conversation about loss, uncertainty, and what it means to keep loving after someone is gone. Drawing from the loss of her mother, the heartbreak of losing a child, and her own journey through illness and uncertainty, Marisa shares why grief is not something we get over, but something we learn to carry with grace and compassion. Together, they explore the myths we've been taught about mourning, how men experience grief, and how to find hope when the future feels uncertain.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Anna Malaika Tubbs, New York Times bestselling author of The Three Mothers and Erased for a powerful conversation about patriarchy, masculinity, and the stories that shape our understanding of power and identity. Together, they explore how systems of gender, race, and hierarchy are woven into our culture, how those systems impact men and women alike, and what it takes to unlearn beliefs that no longer serve us. Drawing from history, research, and lived experience, Anna invites us to question what we've been taught and imagine a more honest, connected, and liberated future.

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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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In this powerful live episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha convenes a critical conversation at the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center with Barbara Kappos and Jerry Tello on sexual violence and the urgent need for accountability, healing, and community transformation. As the first in a series confronting violence against women and children, this episode moves beyond awareness to examine the difficult truth that much of this harm happens within families and is sustained by silence and shame. Drawing from decades of frontline experience, Barbara and Jerry explore how we support survivors, challenge harmful patterns of masculinity, and create pathways toward repair. 

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits down with filmmaker and novelist Kevin Abrams, whose feature film, Marisol, follows a 17-year-old undocumented teen confronting her identity and fighting for her future. Drawing from his Mexican-American heritage and activist roots, Kevin reflects on how storytelling becomes both resistance and healing. From documentaries like I Got a Monster to his debut novel Mt. Forgotten, he shares how art can challenge stereotypes, reclaim humanity, and restore belonging.

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In this deeply personal roundtable episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with four men from the DENA Heals Men’s Circle for an unfiltered conversation about sex, consent, and the conversations many of us never had growing up. Together, they reflect on coming of age without guidance from fathers or caregivers around intimacy, respect, and responsibility, and how that silence shaped their understanding of masculinity. Through vulnerability and brotherhood, they speak honestly about the messages they learned, the harm those messages can carry, and what becomes possible when men gather to tell the truth and heal generational patterns so the next generation of boys can grow up with a different understanding of manhood.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with Fernando Deveras, educator, father, and trauma-informed facilitator, for a powerful conversation on history, masculinity, and healing. Together, they explore how understanding our roots can transform the way we see ourselves, navigate fear, and show up as men in a rapidly changing world. From breaking down inherited ideas of masculinity to reclaiming culture as a source of strength, Fernando shares how remembering our past can become a pathway to healing for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

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In this episode of Sacred Lessons, host Mike de la Rocha sits with his brother Yancy "YD" Comins, co-founder of Hands In The Soil, for a powerful conversation on men’s healing, brotherhood, and the medicine of gathering in community. Rooted in their shared experience building the men’s circle at DENA Heals, this conversation explores why so many men are hurting, and how nature, ritual, and honest connection can help us return to ourselves. Together, Mike and Yancy reflect on what happens when men are given space to breathe, to feel, and to heal in community. 

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