By Andrea Ramos
Chula Vista – Appearing in iconic films like Desperado and Heat, actor Danny Trejo paid a visit to Chula Vista this week.
Trejo came to speak at Southwestern College on Friday with guest host Rick Najera of Latino Thought Makers. He also came in support of Southwestern’s Restorative Justice Program. This program aids those wanting an education, but have been affected by the law.
Danny Trejo shared what he believed to be one of the keys to rehabilitating from a life touched by crime, “For me, it was being of service, to anyone, it didn’t matter … that gave me a feeling of self worth.” Trejo empathizes with participants in programs like the Restorative Justice Program, having been incarcerated himself in years past.
The actor also touched on how he lives by a motto of paying it forward and that’s what has kept him motivated in mentoring the youth for all these years,
“You have to do things for other people and not expect any kind of reward. Yet the rewards come. Everything good that has happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else. Everything.”
More of Danny Trejo’s thoughts and words of wisdom upon the subject matter can be observed in his new book published last year, Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood.