Meet the Team

Oscar and Catrina have built one of the few safe spaces and organizations in Zion, IL for at-risk youth, seeking mentorship, guidance, and opportunities.  They understand the power of second chances and opportunities for growth and self-improvement, especially in the Northern Lake County area that houses Zion, IL.

Oscar, the CEO, and Catrina, the COO, are products of the community. However, their journey through life encountered many obstacles. When Oscar was just five years old – the youngest of eight children growing up in Zion, Illinois – his father, a local business owner, had a heart attack and died in front of him. The impact and aftermath of the loss of his father and role model – with ensuing financial, emotional, and family struggles – ultimately led to his decision to drop out of school at age 16 and join a gang that Oscar believed to be his second “family.”

In 1988 when Oscar was 18, while many miles away, others who he had associated with in the gang were arrested for a murder Oscar had no involvement or knowledge of and did not commit. Despite this, prosecutors charged him with two counts of first degree murder. Oscar, maintaining his innocence and unwilling to plead to something he did not do for a six year sentence, was found guilty at trial and sentenced to the only sentence the judge could provide: mandatory life in prison with no possibility of parole. Meanwhile, Catrina spent over 25 years in healthcare as a nurse while raising children.

But Oscar and Catrina’s story didn’t end there.

While incarcerated he achieved more than just his nickname, “Smiley” – the upbeat guy went on a journey of self-improvement, leaving a lasting impact on those around him. Oscar’s compelling life story—together with his relentless optimism, work ethic, and skill sets developed by his educational and personal achievements—fueled his rise in leadership and recognition as a prison spokesperson. He participated in a prison debate team, advocating for the State of Illinois to reinstate parole opportunities for prisoners serving long or life sentences, and spoke regularly with large numbers of state representatives and senators, a local area Congresswoman, the Lieutenant Governor, and other officials about his story and the need for reform.  Oscar wrote his own clemency and post-conviction advocacy briefs, eventually convincing the State to commute his sentence and, in the summer of 2019, to be eligible for immediate release. He became a mentor to many and earned his Master of the Arts degree in Christian Ministry and Restorative Arts. 

Oscar used his experience from incarceration and clemency to ensure that other youth do not go down the same path, so he decided to build an organization that tackles the root of the issues using violence prevention and crime reduction strategies through a strong mentorship program. By cultivating mentors and mentoring youth at younger ages to prevent gang involvement, Home Away From Home works to engage our youth and communities in strategies that support youth exposed to, or at-risk, of violence and juvenile delinquency. The goal — creating a safe space and a second family for youth in the community.