The work of supporting the lives of young people who experience struggle has allowed me to go from sleepless nights to more fruitful days. This is what I have dedicated my professional career to. To paraphrase the writer, David Viscott, the purpose of life is to discover your gift and the meaning of life is to give it away. I am living my purpose—to leverage resources for young people growing up far-from-opportunity—and I hope this book helps readers get one step closer to finding and sharing their own gifts.

In this updated edition, Dr. Rios shares his remarkable journey and, more importantly, offers practical pathways to transformation that resonate with today’s youth and provide a gold mine of entry points for educational settings to engage students. Street Life isn’t just literature, it’s a roadmap for success. Use Street Life as a catalyst for compelling classroom discussions about issues like youth violence, poverty, resilience, healing, mentorship, and achieving your dreams. Turn its pages into a mirror reflecting your students’ lived realities, struggles, and experiences, and empower them to overcome obstacles while building literacy skills.