Edwin is the Program Coordinator for Initiate Justice’s Institute of Impacted Leaders program. Edwin is a dedicated community organizer and advocate whose life’s work is rooted in service, rehabilitation, and civic engagement. Sentenced to Life Without Parole at 17, he served 17 years before being resentenced and released. That experience fuels his commitment to organizing system-impacted people to build collective power and lead change. Edwin uses his expertise in peer support and trauma-informed care to mobilize communities, helping formerly incarcerated individuals not only heal and reintegrate but also become active civic participants. Edwin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Cal State LA, is a Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist with a Justice Involved Peer focus, and is a 2025 graduate of the San Diego cohort – Institute of Impacted Leaders.