Artie Gonzales is the creative who almost never was. A juvenile-tried-as-an-adult at the age of 16, he spent 21-years of a Life sentence in the California prison system, eight of which included housing within Pelican Bay’s notorious super-max Solitary Confinement unit. It was here that he evolved past the brutality of his surroundings, as well as the highly political stature he held as a gang leader, committing himself to rehabilitation and non-violence.

Released as a model prisoner by the Board of Parole Hearings in 2015, he then dedicated himself to building a new life. Applying the same acumen and intelligence that helped him survive the inhumane conditions of the prison system, he has become a leader in his community, an advocate for legislative reforms, and a member of several social justice organizations.

After graduating from a Hollywood-oriented workforce development program, ManifestWorks (of which he is a current member of the Board of Directors), he rose through the ranks from production assistant to television Location Scout (Local 399 & LMGI member) to Producer. He currently works in the TV world.

His ultimate goal is full-time, high-level producing. He and his writing partners at Spirit Medicine Productions are currently shopping several ready-to-pitch projects, including a TV Prison Drama, “Lemon Grove,” and raunchy Comedy Feature, “Tres Papas.” Additionally, he is the Creator and Executive Producer of developing series, “Lessons From A Lifer,” which seeks to shift the culture between the system-impacted and society by highlighting universal wisdoms and commonality. He is writing a book of the same name, a collection of lessons in essay form.

“When the door to high-level producing opens for me, I will seek to use this platform to challenge preconceived notions about what it means to be “System-Impacted,” and create a fresh narrative as a new voice for this generation of bold storytellers. My entire brand combines my passion and purpose: My passion for filmmaking and my purpose, which is to inspire social justice reform and human empowerment, especially for those seeking diversity, equity and inclusion.