Meet The Team

Erasmo Reyes has worked as a licensed contractor for over 20 years. He has founded LA Reset Los Angeles and several private Construction companies over his career. He has successfully raised capital through private sources and markets. With his extensive background, he has been able to synthesize solutions requiring various technical expertise to create successful investments. Mr. Reyes is dedicated to providing opportunities to underserved populations in the community. He is also active in local civic organizations in the San Fernando Valley and Greater Los Angeles County area.

Joel's journey began at 17 when he was sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole. However, this setback became a catalyst for profound personal transformation. During his time incarcerated, Joel devoted himself to a path of nonviolence and personal growth. He pursued higher education, completing college classes within the confines of the prison walls. In addition, Joel took on a leadership role by facilitating self-help groups and fostering a positive environment for fellow inmates.
Legal advancements spearheaded by organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition eventually paved the way for Joel's chance at freedom. Witnessing firsthand the transformative power of advocacy and activism, Joel became deeply involved in criminal justice reform initiatives. His advocacy work extended to the legislative realm, where he testified before the legislature to advocate for change and bring hope to countless individuals behind bars.
Released in 2015, Joel wasted no time pursuing his academic ambitions, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. He then transitioned into roles within youth and adult transitional housing, where he provided crucial support and guidance to those navigating the challenges of re-entry. In his most recent role as a citizen coach and program manager at Mass Liberation, Joel has continued to inspire and empower Returning Citizens through coaching, facilitating re-entry classes, and sharing his experiences of resilience and growth.
Today, Joel brings firsthand re-entry experience, education, and unwavering passion to his work with young adults. As he continues to advocate for justice reform and support individuals on their journey to reintegration, Joel is driven by a profound belief in the potential for positive change within individuals and society.

Roberto is the Program Director of Mass Liberation, an Independent Forensic Gang Expert, and Co-Founder of the Restorative Academic Mentorship Program (RAMP) focused on youth housing. A proud Angeleno, Roberto grew up in the 1980s in the Pico-Union neighborhood in Central Los Angeles. As a teen, he found himself caught up in the wave of violence, gangs, a crack cocaine epidemic, and police brutality, leading to his incarceration at the age of 16. During his 28 years of incarceration, Roberto mustered the courage to confront the consequences of his actions and made a profound change in his life. He honed his skills in facilitation, leadership, and curriculum development while earning a Victim Advocacy Certificate from John Adams State University, starting his formal post-secondary education. Upon his transition, Roberto not only continued his education but also began working to support other Returning Citizens. He contributed to various programs, including housing, workforce development, vocational training, and educational initiatives, showcasing his profound knowledge of opportunities available to Returning Citizens. In 2018, Roberto served as a student leader at Rio Hondo Community College and actively participated in The Opportunity Institute Leadership Research Supporting Formerly Incarcerated Students for California Community Colleges. Additionally, he worked as an Advocate for the Amity Foundation and an Apprenticeship Life Coach for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC). Roberto’s involvement with the Los Angeles Measure J Advisory Committee in 2021 further demonstrated his commitment to creating positive change. Presently, he holds important roles, including being a Co-Chair on the Executive Steering Committee (ESC) and a Sub-Committee member for the Secure Youth Treatment Facility(SYTF) for the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).

Dr. Luis S. Garcia is a senior program manager at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), a behavioral health consulting/research firm focused on improving health and human services systems. He has more than 20 years’ behavioral health experience in both administrative and clinical aspects across multiple sectors. As a practitioner-scholar, he holds a steadfast commitment to addressing societal issues through a person-centered approach, including behavioral health access and the complex clinical needs of justice-involved populations. Garcia remains active in the decarceration movement, building bridges of opportunity for marginalized groups. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Street Symphony, a Los Angeles–based non-profit that promotes onsite outreach concerts for greatly underserved / incarcerated members of the community. He also serves as a core project collaborator for Future IDs, a long-term social engaged art project which investigates how artist advocates can come together to respond creatively to social challenges, instigating meaningful social change. Dr. Garcia is passionate about building cross-sector collaboration, networks, and movements to improve community well-being. This commitment is shaped by his own lived experiences. In 2022 he was appointed to the County of Los Angeles Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He received his Ed.D. in educational leadership for social justice from Loyola Marymount University and M.S.W. from the University of Southern California. He earned his B.A. in theology from Loyola Marymount University. He is also an associate psychotherapist providing private-practice psychotherapy.

Darlene Luca is the Southern California Regional Program Manager for California Justice Leaders, which provides training and leadership opportunities to people with prior involvement in the justice system to become credible messengers and provide reentry coaching and navigation to other justice-involved young people. Darlene’s commitment and passion for working with communities impacted by the carceral system stem from her own experience of incarceration. For the last 20 years, Darlene has worked to shift the narrative of what formerly incarcerated person looks like and what they can accomplish. Darlene graduated in the second cohort of the Independent Forensic Gang College through Loyola Marymount University. She has held multiple roles as a reentry professional and draws from the lessons she has learned from the men and women she’s met over the years to continue to help other returning citizens. She values the power of hope, healing, and forgiveness and believes that redemption is achievable.