From the Bronx with Scars: Vinny Cuevas on Survival, Loyalty, and Redemption

Vinny Cuevas grew up Cuban and Puerto Rican in the South Bronx, where survival wasn’t a metaphor — it was a daily calculation. In his raw and unflinching memoir From the Bronx with Scars, Vinny traces a life shaped by violence, loyalty, betrayal, fatherhood, and devastating loss. This episode is not about glorifying the streets — it’s about what it costs to survive them, and what it takes to rewrite your story when the scars don’t disappear. In this episode, we talk about: • What the “scars” in From the Bronx with Scars really represent • Growing up in the South Bronx and what survival looked like day to day • How Vinny understood power as a kid — and how that definition changed • The pull of the streets and why it felt like the only option • Loyalty, betrayal, and the price of trusting the wrong people • The moment Vinny knew he had to change his life • Fatherhood, grief, and losing a child — and how that loss reshaped his purpose • Why people still misunderstand him — and what they get wrong • Advice for anyone who feels trapped by their past • What redemption actually looks like when you’ve lived through real trauma This conversation is about identity, accountability, and the courage it takes to stop surviving and start choosing something more.