From Homelessness & Addiction to Hope | Brent Nowak | Shine a Light

A recovery story is easy to applaud from a distance, but it sounds different when you hear the details from someone who lived it. We sit down with Brent Nowak, Director of Community Integration at Shine A Light Foundation, to talk about the real path from addiction and homelessness to stability, leadership, and service in Las Vegas. Brent shares what prison taught him, why he was more afraid of returning to the streets than returning to a cell, and how he finally got “broken enough” to listen, follow direction, and rebuild from the ground up.

We also unpack what Shine A Light actually does for people experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder. Brent explains their long-term continuity case management model, how they connect clients to treatment, sober living, primary care, job development, and financial literacy, and why specialised tracks matter, including programs for women, criminal justice involvement, transitional age youth, and LGBTQ-centered support. If you’ve ever wondered why change can feel impossible for someone living unhoused, this conversation gets specific about barriers most people never consider, like replacing vital documents, navigating the DMV without an address, and the way trauma can make “help” feel unsafe.

From daily routine and breathwork to the phrase “show me your five best friends and I’ll show you your future,” Brent keeps it practical and honest. We close with men’s mental health, the importance of checking in, and how a small act of kindness can create a ripple effect you’ll never see. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review with one takeaway you’re taking into your week.

Transcript

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Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Vegas Circle Podcast with your hosts, Pocky and Chris. We are people who are passionate about business, success, and culture. And this is our platform to showcase the people in our city who are making it happen. And we got today just that, man. So we're welcoming a very special guest who I just got a chance to see this man speak on the stage, man. And I was in tears when I heard this brother's story. But he's got the definition of transformation, overcoming addiction, homelessness. He's completely turned his life around, helping others as a barber, an artist, and also he's the director of community integration at China Light Foundation. So let's welcome to the circle, Mr. Brent Nowak. Welcome, Brent. Welcome. Thank you guys. Good to have you in the flesh, man. We're going to be able to do this. This is overdue, man. This is overdue, man. I know we got a chance. I'm trying to remember, we we met in person. I think it was at Bob's. I'm sorry, Rob's birthday party. Yes. I think it was when we first met. Yeah. We got a chance to connect and get each other's numbers and then got a chance to talk with you over the phone. And then was at your guy's gala just recently. Just what you guys are doing with Shine the Light is just is unreal. So I guess we'll start with that.

Finding Shine A Light Through Recovery

SPEAKER_00 0:59

How'd you connect with Shine the Light?

SPEAKER_03 1:01

So uh if I go all the way back to the beginning, it's it in my early recovery. I got connected to a group of people who worked in treatment in behavioral health. And excuse me, I ended up living with two very close friends. And through that friend, I met Paul Vautrineau, who is the executive director of Shinolite.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Okay. And I just met Paul also. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

I asked him for a job. He said no. But he said that he would offer me a different position at another behavioral health facility. And so I got started working in treatment as a as a technician. And I got promoted to uh what's called court liaison. So I was the go-between with uh specialty courts and the clients who were living in our facility, and you know, kind of the the bridge between you know their behavior and and reporting to the courts and making sure that they're staying on track. And from there, I just got to know the Shinolite guys. Rob specifically, he mentored me through my early days in the in the courts. And so I shout out to Rob Banghardt. He's a great guy. Big shout out to Rob. What's up, dude? Love you, buddy. Uh and it it really just was, you know, a series of fortunate events, you know, that put me in, I guess, the spotlight of uh, you know, there was a position open at Shine O Light, and I was offered the position I came on, and you know, the rest is history. I mean, there's there's a lot of history, but uh, you know, over the years, you know, we've we've had a lot of growth, and I I've been able to be, you know, a part of that and play a role in in us evolving, and it's just been amazing.

SPEAKER_02 2:28

And you before you kind of dig into maybe a little bit of like the the personal story and kind of what gets to this level, you know, how important is it do you think to have some of those experiences to be able to give back in that capacity once you kind of find a job in that position? Like, you know, having a history of maybe some of these challenges and battles and understanding what they're going through, and now you're in a position to be able to help. But is there like a direct correlation to like you feeling like you're more able to be adaptable to those situations because you've navigated some some sort of history?

SPEAKER_03 2:55

Absolutely. I'd have to say that you know, you know, uh the first thing I'd like to say is I owe, you know, I owe the community that I took so much from and to be put in a position to be able to help others puts me kind of in a space where you know I can walk into certain situations and understand what people are going through maybe a little bit better than than others. And I think that I have the ability to to speak to people on their level as a peer, as somebody who was in their situation at one time, and also show them that change is possible. And I think that, you know, there's a huge need for the clinical piece and the medical piece of things. But you know, if if you've never walked in somebody's shoes, I don't know that you fully understand, you know, the trauma that they're dealing with or you know, the hell they put themselves through, and you know, to be able to tell them how to get out, you know.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

And that

Prison Release And Choosing Change

SPEAKER_02 3:45

it is possible. You know, what kind of was your breaking point where you're like, man, this is I'm at that point now where I know I'm doing this harm, I know I'm this is advocating to your point I'm taking from the community. Like I'm at a point now where I want to shift and get back to, you know, one being my my version, best version myself, but also a person that wants to help others.

SPEAKER_03 4:01

I don't know if there was a day, but I can tell you this. So I my addiction led me to prison. And you know, I I I did roughly four years, and uh when I got out, I got released to Las Vegas. I I don't have family here. I was never, you know, had never lived in Las Vegas before. And I was scared to go back to prison. Not a prison guy. Yeah, me neither. I'm not prison tough, you know. It wasn't a rite of passage for me, you know. And uh, but uh I I was more terrified of going back to living the way that I was living on the streets. And there was kind of, you know, just kind of you know, that that fork in the road at that time, you know, okay, you could either go back down the same road that you've been living, you know, for the last 20 some odd years of your life, or you can give this program of recovery a shot. And, you know, I didn't buy all the way in at the beginning, and uh, you know, I had I had a little misstep. And I think that it just got to the point where I could just say it best is I was I got in enough pain. I was broken enough to that I just I was ready to listen, I was ready to take advice, I was ready to do what was asked of me. And you know, when I made that decision, I everything started to change for me very quickly. You know, little changes, but they came very quickly, and I started to recognize that I was feeling better, different things in my life were happening, you know, I was saving money, I was I was getting better jobs, I was getting better opportunities, you know, my family was back in my life, my father's answering my phone calls now, you know, and I recognized that you know, because of my actions, I was having positive outcomes. To whereas that was something that I never really paid attention to over the years, that you know, sitting in a prison cell at 38, 39, 40 years old, um, that was because of my own actions. And I never really looked at that. That, you know, I have negative consequences to certain things that I'm doing, right? In recovery, I I recognize that you know you do the right thing and you have positive outcomes, you know. And it's something that's very prevalent in my life today, you know. I wake up in the morning, I I do a daily meditation and a prayer and and some breath work, and I I ask for those things. I ask for the guidance to kind of really just looking for the you know the inner support from the universe to do the right thing so I can have positive outcomes, so I can be the best version of myself to help others. Yeah, that is always the goal. You know, it's it's it's really just you know about giving back. I really think that that's what this life is all about, man. You just gotta help somebody who's struggling, you know, no matter what that looks like. Totally.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

You said a very powerful way you owe. When it when did it get to that point where you're like, I owe it back to because I'm I don't think I've ever heard anybody say it that the way you broke it down.

SPEAKER_03 6:36

It's it's what it is, man. I I lived in a constant pattern of destruction for over two decades. Twenty-six years I was in active addiction.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

And 26 years, wow.

SPEAKER_03 6:46

In that time, I was not a person who contributed anything in a healthy way, right? There was a lot of a lot of destitute, but also a lot of fun. Here's the thing though, I had a lot of good days in my addiction, but for me to have a good day, it meant that somebody else had a bad day because of it. I took a lot, you know. I was I was a thief, man, and I was a liar and I was a manipulator. And the way that I look at it now is I can't go back 26 years and and right all those wrongs for the people that I hurt or you know, the strangers that I affected their lives, right? So today I make it a point to pay back my debt the best way that I can, you know, because I owe.

SPEAKER_02 7:27

Yeah, you know, the obviously Channel, I think, is a great, great foundation. I mean, what they really do is support people, but you know, when you see a lot of these stories play out, there is always this breaking point in some capacity where it is, like you said, you're spiraling down. And is there a way to see somebody during that spiral where you know it's going to that point, but maybe they're feeling in control? Maybe they feel like they're not going to get to that point, but you like you know have a history of seeing, like, yes, this I'm seeing the spiral slowly go down and revert course at that kind of middle point before it gets down to that level of severity. Like, have you seen a lot of those scenarios play out?

SPEAKER_03 8:00

I think so. And I, you know, I think really that's the goal is that's what we're looking for is you know, who's having challenges in their life, and and before it gets to the worst possible point that it can, that's when we try and intervene. We also help people through crisis every single day. I mean, there are days when we are helping somebody through the worst day of their life, and I think that because of the people that we are, as as humbly as I can, we're dope, man. We really are. We are. Uh the the people that I am gifted the opportunity to work with are some really amazing folks who are in recovery and we all have similar stories. You know, we're we're kind of the worst of the worst in our addiction, and you know, we came back from it. And I think that there's something to be said for for somebody who went through through the fire, you know, and and and came back to put the fire out for other people, you know. Those are the people you got to be careful with, man, because their heart just doesn't stop.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Yeah, 100% I totally. You can tell I get that sense. You know, I was talking with you, talking with Rob, you know, the people that have you know really passionate about this part of their life, which is really exciting to see. I really definitely appreciate that enthusiasm. And we're the one I don't I don't know if we talked about this in the last time. Like, what kind of services does Shine Light offer outside of just, you know, what we maybe we think it is? Like what kind of what avenues, what resources, or what does that kind of look like from an overall

What Shine A Light Actually Does

SPEAKER_02 9:16

perspective?

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Sure. So I think a lot of people know us as, you know, the organization that goes underground into the tunnels and builds a relationship with people that are living unhoused. The second part of our foundation is we have a long-term continuity case management program. So it spans 18 months to two years where we connect people to treatment for substance use disorder. We get them connected with uh primary care physicians, vital document retrieval, sober living. Ultimately, the goal is to get people independently housed. So we have a multitude of programming, job development, financial literacy classes. We have a women's program run by one of our graduates, Danica Martinez. She runs the WINS program, all women focused, women treatment, women housing, no boys allowed. Uh, we have a criminal justice track known as Freedom, uh run by two of our other case managers who are also graduates of our program. And that is we work with eighth judicial district court and we case manage 80 of their specialty court participants. We also have uh just a simple independent track, which is you know, the people that we meet in the tunnels, the people that come into our office, drop-in center, and are just looking to get, you know, some recovery in their life. Our goal is to meet somebody again at the worst day of their life and get them to a point where you know they've they got hope in their life and and they're self-sustained and you know, they're in independent housing and they got cars and they got jobs and they have reconnected with their children or whatever the case may be. You know, everybody has it in them to do good, man. We all do, we really do. And I think that we miss this piece, right? Like both of you guys reached out to a friend within this past week to help you through a personal challenge, right? Because we have those people in our lives, and not everybody does. And that's the thing. We need those people in our lives, and we want to be those people for those that don't have anyone, you know, they don't have that human connection. And I I think that that's really what sets us apart from other programs in town. We also, you know, we utilize all the other programs in town. We we don't have treatment, we don't have housing, we don't have these programs. We reach out to our friends who work in treatment, we reach out to these job development programs and these financial literacy classes and all the different sober livings and treatment centers and transitional housing facilities, and we build relationships with them and we utilize their services and we navigate the challenges that our clients face based on what their needs are, you know, and just reach out and make a phone call. Hey, I got a guy, he needs help. Hey, I got a lady, she could use some of your services, and then we connect them.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

That was great because I think you said something that resonated because it really like to me when you're battling addictions, it is a very isolated experience. It's not something you necessarily want to share with the world, right? So I think a lot of times you do internalize a lot of that, and when you internalize things, I think that perpetuates the experience getting worse and worse and worse because now there's no accountability. So I think when you have that layer of being able to reach out to people that have that accountability, it seems like it does that arm little kid definitely break down some of those barriers.

SPEAKER_03 12:05

And that boosts, you know, just having a friend to encourage you to do better, you know, when you're struggling. I mean, I have it in my life now. Today, at five years in recovery, I have people who push me to be better when I'm not doing well and I'm not the best version of myself. And and I need that. I think we all do. That's that's a human condition that you know everybody needs. I don't care if if you're doing the best that you've ever done in your entire life, I know that you want to do better, right? And and we need people to boost us up, you know.

SPEAKER_00 12:31

It's not gonna change anytime soon. It's not no it's something like I feel like in sports, like it's like the locker room. Like, you know, you get to build relationships in the locker room. Like I've got friends that I've play sports with from way back in the day that you just build that bond in the locker room. And I feel like you guys have that. You guys got a great bond, like the locker room of having each other's back, but also not taking any shit and then holding each other accountable when it needs to be. So that's powerful what you guys are doing. How many years now is Shine Night?

SPEAKER_03 12:58

So this is our ninth year. We've been a foundation. Yeah, we've been a foundation now since uh 2017, and we the program that we have now, iPath, instant placement with access to treatment and housing, has been around for about five years. It's when we kind of identified what it is that we're really doing. It took a little bit of time, and that that was even before my time. I've only been with Shine a Light about three and a half years as an employee. I volunteered with them for a little uh before that as a barber cutting hair and and and helping with some of their alumni meetings, but the foundation is pretty solid as it is today, and we're adding different tracks. So I I told you about the women's track and the criminal justice track. We also have a transitional age program, and we're also offering a LGBTQ-centered track, just you know, different resources for different people who might have uh different needs. And I don't think that's gonna change anytime soon when we identify the need for another track. Uh, one will show up, I promise you. You know, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 13:57

Yeah, and it's not just addiction, too, right? Sorry, like it's not just for addictions, like that's not necessarily what the program's meant for. It's just for there's various resources, or it is specifically specifically targeted for people battling those challenges.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

We're we're treatment driven, so we we definitely are treatment focused for substance use disorder. Most of our population is unhoused, and so that's really our demographic where we start. But uh, you know, there are a lot of people in our program that are dealing with you know mental health challenges, you know. And I think that uh the the two kind of go hand in hand, you know. When you're in active addiction, you're gonna be dealing with some mental health challenges too. So it's not just you know, you come in and you stay sober and everything's good. There's an underlying issue that goes, you know, super deep years back that we need to address. So, but yeah, I you know, I think we really got it figured out. I do.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

It sounds like every time we talk, it's like more and more developed, more and more resourceful, more and more branched out to support and help people. So definitely great to see.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Yeah, and they need to and they need to help, you know. You guys need to help too to be able to put more into it. That's what it is, man.

SPEAKER_03 14:57

We are a community project. We're nothing without you know the community that shows up for us and offers us resources, you know, uh whether it be fiscal or otherwise. We have a lot of people that you know donate their time and efforts to you know our secondary programming, which would be you know, anything from yoga and sound bath to vision board workshops, Reiki and and different different hiking groups. They go out to Mount Charleston. It's so so many different things I can go on and off. It really is, you know, just keeping people busy, you know what I mean? I what do people do on the weekends, you know, or go on vacation, like they they want something to do, uh or look forward to.

SPEAKER_00 15:31

Yeah, you gotta have something that you look forward to.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Outside of your day-to-day, absolutely. And so we want to be able to offer all that to people too. Do you mind sharing a little

Rebuilding Trust With His Father

SPEAKER_00 15:39

bit? I got a chance to see you speak at y'all's at your gala. And I'm I'm telling you this to your face. I was like moo. I said, holy shit, like it was it was very intense. Thank you. Can you talk a little bit about how your dad got back in your life and was able to now start taking your calls and things like that? Because what you shared, I was like, whoa, it was very, very deep. Yeah, absolutely. Because I know people deal with that, they deal with not being able to speak with family members and holding grudges and things like that. I know I've done it, you know what I mean, and being able to re-reput that together.

SPEAKER_03 16:09

Yeah, no, I I get it. I uh I gotta start by saying, like, my father's larger than life to me, and he always has, but he's one of those men that people reach out to for advice. You know, there's there's certain men that we have in our lives that you look at, and you know, everybody uh respects them and everybody trusts them.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

They got a presence and they got an energy, yeah. They really do.

SPEAKER_03 16:28

And my dad was the type of of guy who uh he worked his whole entire life to support his family, and he's just brilliant, man. And he's just one of those people that knows a little bit about everything. You know what I mean? I don't know how he does it, but he just you know he pays attention to the universe. You know, he he really can help you through some challenges. And, you know, I I spent a lot of years maybe not living up to the version that I thought that I should be uh of of my father's son, right? And you know, I I don't think that he did anything wrong, to be honest with you. He kind of uh allowed me the autonomy to move through life the way that that I chose to. He always said, you know, you have the choice to make and and and choices have consequences and whatever, and and he let me fall on my face, you know. He taught me uh that's that old school, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

That's not like my policy. That's not old school, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:17

Yeah, definitely. And I can only imagine the things that I put him through too. You know, he uh I I'm not a father myself, so I can't imagine what he went through knowing that I did the best that I could, and my son is living in an alleyway shooting methamphetamines for breakfast, right? And so over the years it got to the point where, you know, he just I would call and you know, I'd ask, I'd beg for money, and I'd give him some story about what I was gonna use it for, and and and so on and so forth. And and you know, that well dried up, you know, of course long time ago, you know, and and then I just remember a time that I don't I don't even know if I was honest with him anymore when I was calling and and he just kind of stopped stopped answering the phone. And you know, I have a lot of people in my family like that. You know, I have my mother's passed away, but uh, I have a stepfather who's he's been in my life for a very long time, and he's he's also somebody that I respect very, very deeply. And you know, I put him through the ring or two, but you know, I got I got sober and I remember calling my dad from prison right before I got out, and I I was like, man, yeah, you know, you'll see, I'm gonna change things around. And I don't even know if I meant it at the time. I really don't, you know what I mean? I don't. And and I think in that moment I I remember him just being like, yeah, okay. And I prayed, you know, if if you get me out of this situation, I promise I will make an effort to to live my life in in a better way. I didn't know what the hell that meant. I didn't. But in that moment, in that prayer, I meant it. And you know, I got out of prison. I remember dad, my dad gave me both my my father and my stepfather both gave me a couple bucks and just you know, something small to get started, get some clothes, maybe buy a phone or something, and and I really hit the ground running, and and I wasn't asking to believe me that I was gonna get better. I was asking for the opportunity to show you that if you give me a little bit of time, I'm gonna show you that I'm gonna change my life. And that's really what happened. And I think that uh, you know, you can't reverse the effects of all the damage that I've done for the last 20 years, you know, in in a month's time. You know, you get out, go to a halfway house, look, hey, I got a job now, like everything's good. No, man, it doesn't work like that. And even now I think I'm still rebuilding that relationship. But uh over time I think that my father sees that I'm serious about the life that that I'm living and the person that I want to be, uh and the man that I know that I I could have been, and and he uh he I I I don't think that there's any any lost time with it, you know. He said to me not too long ago, you know, you you had to learn it the way you did, you know, and so it it took me you know 26 years to figure it out, and I I wish that it didn't, but that's where we are. And you know, today you know, he he calls me, he's got he's got a spot out in San Clemente, out in California, you know, come on out and see me anytime you want to. And and yeah, the gal I had showed you guys a picture of a couple days prior. I flew down there and we got to speak to the to the students at San Diego State University, and he uh he drove down and spent the day with us, man. And uh to me it's it really is everything because you know he he sees me now as a person that has made a concerted effort to change his life. Uh you know, not on a daily basis, but uh you know I guarantee you he's gonna watch it.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Yeah, that's ridiculous. Because I see people look up to you, so I know that's another piece that adds to it was he able to see, like, damn man, my son's also making a huge impact on other people's lives that look up to him. I hope so.

SPEAKER_03 20:37

I I I hope he does, and I I think he does. You know, I I know he uh he pays attention to my social media. You know, I I gotta be honest with you, man. Everything I put on my social media, as soon as I see that heart from my dad, cool. That's it. That that's the reason for the post. You know what I mean? I want to show them the things that I'm doing in my life, and you know, it's I I see you're doing social media the right way.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

So it's it's really what it is. Everybody else do it if all the BS. You just just saying that tells what type of person you change into.

SPEAKER_03 21:04

Telling the story of my life. You know, that's what I'm doing. Really, I'm capturing the story of my life. I go through it, man. You know, and you know, you'll scroll back years and you go, man, I remember that day. You know, I remember what I was doing, I remember what I was going for. But I'm telling the story of my life to to my father, to my stepfather, to my brothers, to my sisters, to my stepmother, and and to all the people that uh, you know, maybe I wronged. And I'm also telling it to strangers and to people who have never met me. I want them to see that change is possible. That really, at the end of the day, is one of my biggest goals. I'd like to think that I'm an advocate for recovery and and for mental health challenges. I want people to know that no matter how far you know down the ladder you went, you can always climb back up. And I think it's important to be as vocal as possible. Yeah. I I I can be a pretty private person with a lot of things in my life, but when it comes to to recovery, you know, I'm I'm pretty loud about it.

SPEAKER_00 21:53

Yeah, you're very transparent, at least what I saw. You know, that's that's that's real, man. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

One of those things like uh I'm sure your dad's proud of the person you're becoming. I think you you can always look backwards, but you could always be also proudful, uh proudful of the people who you're going into. So absolutely I would assume that your dad's looking at you in that capacity.

SPEAKER_03 22:11

No, I I I I believe he is, man. I I really do. Yeah, he's uh you know, again, larger than life to me. And uh, you know, I hope that one day I live to be half the man that he was.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

I like him already. I know he is, but I want to know.

SPEAKER_00 22:22

I can already tell you you can just see what the seeing pictures and stuff, man. You said, What's your dad's name? Brian. Brian, okay. Yeah, shout him out. Yeah, that's good stuff, man. Yeah, I'm just curious your

Misconceptions And Barriers Like ID

SPEAKER_00 22:30

perspective. I know we we're we're staying in this lane as far as, but what like what is something people completely misunderstand about homelessness and and just addiction and in just Vegas in general, man? What what do you think that they're missing? I think a lot of people say that it's a choice. It's a choice.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

And and I I don't necessarily disagree with that statement. However, I I look at it from a different perspective. Um, a lot of people say that those that are on the streets and are dealing with with you know substance use disorder, you know, they're out there, they they made the choice to do drugs, they made the choice to just live on the streets. Maybe they're making it's the lesser of two evils. Okay. Maybe if they were to accept help into a state-run facility, they've dealt with some trauma in a place like that before. You know, you don't know that people grown up in group homes and and might have been sex trafficked, or even worse, you know, in in a in a in an institutional setting. And so a lot of uh programming they look the same. You walk into these buildings and they're sterile and and all the artwork looks the same and all the furniture is the same color, and you know, they're they're trained exactly the same, and so they speak to people the same way, and so that could trigger something in someone to say, No, I'm okay. I'm okay, I don't want this, you know. I might not be choosing to live in a tunnel, but I'm choosing not to accept help in this certain facility. And I don't want to speak for anybody else's story for me when I was out there. I I was choosing not to address all the destruction that I had caused, right? And so it was a cycle. I was methamphetamine was my driver in the end. I definitely had a love affair with heroin, but meth was my thing, and I was, you know, I was on the streets and I, you know, I'd be out for a few days, find a place to sleep, and and I'd wake up and I'd I'd be so incredibly depressed about the things that I had done the last couple of days just to stay high and just to stay on the streets. And so the cycle would start all over again, right? And so mental health is is another thing that I don't think that people pay enough attention to and might have a misconception about. You know, we're ranked last in the country in this state for mental health resources. I was having a discussion today with somebody. Why?

SPEAKER_00 24:39

We've got so much money, I don't understand why.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

Yeah, you know, I I have my opinions on that. I want you to slip up and say it. One of those things I think I'm gonna kind of keep private to myself because you know, I don't know what the homelessness and and substance use disorder, addiction and and mental health challenges, those are problems that I don't think that we're gonna be able to solve in our lifetime. I don't that that is my truth.

SPEAKER_00 25:01

There's a lot of layers. There really is.

SPEAKER_03 25:03

There's a lot of layers, but I think we can make a dent in it. I I think that we miss uh the fact that, you know, just because somebody's living in a tunnel and they're on drugs and they have a mental health disorder, uh, they're still part of our community. You know, they still deserve human connection and a little bit of kindness and five minutes of our time to maybe get to know them a little bit better and find out what are the barriers in your life, you know. I don't know if you guys have ever tried to get a driver's license without a phone or an address, you know. Can you imagine? You know, you get your wallet stolen, right? And and maybe you're living outdoors, but you know, you're a tradesman and and and you can work construction or something, right? But you can't get a paycheck without an ID, social security card or certificate, right? You need two forms of ID, you know, to get your WN9 filled out, or or 1099, whatever the case may be. And if you have difficulty getting a driver's license, that's gonna keep you in the same cycle of destruction, right? And you're gonna get discouraged.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

And I thought it was a different road, but like I don't know, and I don't want I don't wanna assume, but uh you would think those documents are lost for most people in this scenario. Like they don't have access to like their social security card or birth certificate.

SPEAKER_03 26:15

99 times out of a hundred. Really? And that's what you guys help with was trying to like, and that's what you started, right? That's what you started with. Yeah, that's wow, that's you know, from day one, we take a look at that. Do you guys have do you have your vital documents? No, okay, cool. We're gonna order your birth certificate, we're gonna set you an appointment at the DMV, we're gonna get you into the social security office. I want you to have all three of those things because that that really is a it's a tough barrier, right? You know, as what just a couple months ago, like you couldn't even get on a plane unless you had a real ID, right? They just they just started that, yeah, you know, and I had people in my life who've been in recovery for you know five, six, seven years that didn't have it, couldn't get on a plane because of it. And they have all the resources at their disposal, but you know, setting an appointment two, three months out, uh, you never know how that could go. And that's that's just one scenario, you know.

SPEAKER_00 26:58

And I think I never thought about that. But that simple scenario that you're saying, I mean shit. Create so many barriers to be able to do anything. You get lazy with just screw it. I can't, it's such a so far ahead of me trying to just get my ID. Yeah, but then yeah, I mean, I would I wouldn't even think about that.

SPEAKER_02 27:14

But as you're going, I would assume that through that recovery portion of the period, the first three more depression. And that's the last thing you're thinking about once you get to that recovery portion, then it's another three to six months to get back on track.

SPEAKER_03 27:25

How discouraging that's gotta be for some people, you know. I mean, that was that was my story for a very long time. I never thought about that. You know, and I I had warrants too for for silly stuff, uh, you know, when I was on the streets, you know, uh uh petty larcy and jaywalking and you know, failure to pay whatever fine, whatever. So I could never go into the DMV, even if I had to do it.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

You can get arrested, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:43

You know, and so that kind of kept me in the same cycle of, well, I guess I'm not getting a job this month. You know, I mean, all right, cool, I might as well go get I and run around the streets and cause more destruction. And that that again, that's just one scenario that might, you know, keep somebody on the streets. And there's there's so many more. So those misconceptions, I'd I'd really like people to take a look at, you know, how grateful and uh just how lucky we all are and blessed, you know, to to have the ability to to get these things together that we need to get together to live in a normal society, you know.

Routines That Protect Recovery

SPEAKER_00 28:16

Super real, man. Super real. How important is just a routine, just physical health, accountability, maintaining recovery today? Like, how's that routine? Because you guys are obese with just keeping everything so organized. But I'd love to hear your perspective on that.

SPEAKER_03 28:29

No, thank you. I I I think that I'm a creature of habit. Routine for me structures everything. It really is. My recovery looks a lot different than it did when I first started, but my day-to-day always consists of you know the same thing. It really does. You know, I wake up at, you know, my my morning meditations, I drive to work, I you know, I I usually uh try and say a prayer on the way to work too. It's you know, take me out of out of out of my own self so I can better do God's will and and and help other people. And if when I miss those days, I notice, you know, a shift in in my day and how things, how things are. But for me, health and wellness is a big deal, paying attention to you know what you're putting in your body. And I think that just getting around the right people is is the routine that you have to keep. You know, so agree if you're sitting at tables with with people who are talking about, you know, all the things that we used to do, uh, that's not getting you to the places that you want to be. It really isn't, you know. And so those routines I think we try and push on people is you know, the thing that I stand by the absolute most is show me your five best friends and I will show you your future. That's true. Who are you kicking it with? You know, that's true. Sitting at the table with five clowns, you're gonna be the sixth, you know. It's the truth, man. You know, 100%.

SPEAKER_00 29:41

It's all the things our parents used to tell us, man. We don't want to listen to it. We just then go preaching it.

SPEAKER_03 29:46

My dad used to say, you live in a house with a bunch of people who play tennis for a year, you know, you're gonna end up playing tennis at the end of the year. So right. And uh it's it's kind of the same thing for us. You know, that structure I think really plays a role in seeing people progress. You know, when they're disciplined and they're doing the right thing every single day, it's not easy, man.

SPEAKER_00 30:04

It is not at all, yeah, because we're human. Human nature kicks in.

SPEAKER_03 30:07

That's when the change comes, though. You notice that uh it doesn't come in in big drastic moments, it comes in these small, little structured moments of discipline when when you're doing the next right thing, when you don't want to, when you're tired and you don't want to go to the gym after work or whatever the case may be, but you go anyway, right? You know, maybe you know, I got a craving for a cheeseburger today, but I don't. I'm gonna go home and I'm gonna make my little fish. Yeah, whatever the case may be. I I I don't want to isolate, so I call a friend when I'm not feeling good. You know, all of those things are super important. I I really believe in that.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

I agree. So being an artist, you're an artist, which I've seen some of the artwork we kind of shared when I was at was that your artwork, or you were just helping. That was your artwork. Okay. Amazing artist. Thank you. I don't know if I'll share that with you. No, I didn't know that either. Yeah, my dad was an artist, so yeah, yeah. So that's why I've got a big passion with it too. And I've recently lost my father too. But being an artist, barber, advocate, and a leader now, what is next? What's the next chapter for you?

SPEAKER_03 31:03

What a great question, man. And it's one that I've been asking myself a lot. I think we all ask ourselves that, yeah. So, God willing, man. I'll take five years in recovery next week. And thank you very much. I I don't know the answer to that. I really don't. So I I've been talking to some people recently. Here's the metaphor. So I feel like I'm on a ladder and I hit a glass ceiling and I broke through the glass ceiling, and now I'm at the bottom of a new ladder. I think for me, I'm really into more so now than I've ever been, into kind of holistic healing and health uh health and wellness. I think I'd like to really kind of explore that type of lifestyle a little bit more, learn how to. I just took a psychotropic breathwork facilitator course, and so now I'm certified through the National Yoga Alliance to facilitate breathwork classes. I'd really like to explore, you know, Pilates more and out outdoors. I like hiking. Shout out to Papa Joe uh for putting me on game. Yeah. And, you know, just getting into things that here I am at 45 years old. You know, I'm in the second half of my life at the time.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

I'm with you, man. I'm 46. I'm right over you. The beginning of the second halves of our lives, right?

SPEAKER_03 32:07

And I just want to make sure that I walk into this next phase of my journey as healthy as possible. Um that goes to that really speaks to you know, your physical health and your mental health are are two, you know, uh, they're one and the same. They really are. You know, that's they, you know, if one is off, the other's off. And so I want to find a place in my life, not only in my recovery, my professional life, but in my personal life where the everything is integrated, you know, because um I don't really see a whole lot of separation. Like there is no, we don't clock out. It's not a thing, man. You know what I mean? Yeah, I guarantee you I'm gonna walk out of here and have a few texts and phone calls, you know, and I and I welcome that, you know. My blessings are not burdens. And so I just want to find a way to incorporate health and wellness into what I'm doing as as a you know, community liaison, as a director of integration, and somebody who hopefully can can help build the culture, you know, around us, because that's really what we're doing, man.

SPEAKER_00 33:05

Brother, you're doing it, man. You're doing it because you got an energy around you, man, that that you really are able to be a connector because the stuff that you went through is real and been able to just not be a mouthpiece is different. You know what I mean? So you're a connector. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 33:19

It's I always hope that I show up as genuine as possible, you know, and I present as as somebody who cares.

SPEAKER_00 33:24

You said something that which shout out to, and I don't want to blow up his spot, but TK Kirkland, I don't know if you know who TK Kirkland is, comedian. He's hilarious, you know. He's been our pod for a couple times, but I I'm blessed to be able to have build a relationship with him. And it's funny, he said something, because you mentioned 45 being in the second part of your life, he's 66, right? And he's always he's always telling me you don't become a man until you're in your 40s. And I was like, What are you saying? Like, and I've been able to talk with him about it. And it's like you went through so much shit in life, right? Whatever those scenarios are, right? But that growth and experience when you get into your 40s, like I feel like a completely different band from my 40s. Same brother, completely different, same. But I feel like a puppy. Yeah, you know, I really do.

SPEAKER_03 34:10

I feel like a puppy that's that has a lot of knowledge, you know, and I know I don't necessarily know what I want, but I definitely know what I don't want now. Yeah, you know, and that's what's good, yeah. You know, I uh you know, learning how to walk again, you know, metaphorically, but you know, I'm I'm excited about it, I'm not scared anymore, you know.

SPEAKER_00 34:27

Yeah, that's good. Yeah, that's powerful.

It Is Never Too Late

SPEAKER_00 34:29

So just for business and life advice, a lot of people feel like you know they've gone too far, they're wasting too much time. What would you say to somebody that feels like it's too late? Oh yeah, never, man.

SPEAKER_03 34:40

Never, you know.

SPEAKER_00 34:41

It's never this is late in everything, you know late in business, child, you know, being a father, you know.

SPEAKER_03 34:46

Just rebrand, you know what I mean? We all we all start over every morning, you know, and you have the ability to to be anybody you want. You really do. I I've seen people change in ways that I don't even know how to verbalize, man. And you know I've noticed that you know, I I I've learned that about branding, you know, as uh somebody who who works in you know fundraising and and community collaboration, it really is about branding. It it's uh you know, it could be business branding, it could be uh emotional branding, it could be just you know personal branding, and that's that's what I think it is. That's where it starts, right? Yeah you learn who you don't want to be, you step into things as genuine as possible, right? And you you come in with humility and and you say, Okay, I'm ready to start over. These are the goals that I want to accomplish, and and you don't stray from it. I think a lot of the times we miss the mark when when we're talking about growth, and we don't realize that a lot of the times growth doesn't mean adding stuff to your life, it means taking away stuff. And that's something that I'm learning right now, whether it comes to you know, people in my life or you know, just different ways of thinking or modalities that might have served me before, you know, they gotta go. If if they don't serve me anymore, you know, it's all love. It really is. It's all love, and there's no there's no room for things that are not gonna help me achieve the goals that I I set out to achieve. And I might have a list of paper, and there might only be two or three things on that list of paper, but I want to add to that list. You know what I mean? And I'm open to that. When you ask me, you know, what what's the next step? I I don't necessarily know, but I'm about to fill that piece of paper up, and I know that I am, you know. You're gonna make it happen. I can make I can feel that. Yeah, you're gonna make it happen. Thank you. It's it really just about about shedding those things, you know. And and and uh so my advice to anybody else would be don't be afraid to let some stuff go and and start over, you know, and don't judge that guy in the mirror the worst. Yeah, you know, be a little bit better to that person, you know. Let's start with that person.

SPEAKER_00 36:46

Yeah, you know that's powerful, man. We got some of the best food in in Vegas, man. What's your favorite restaurant in Vegas?

SPEAKER_03 36:51

Whether it's hole in the wall, strip all right, gorilla sushi, man. Hands down. Gorilla sushi. Gorilla Sushi. Nobody's ever heard of that one. This has got to be good, okay. Trop and Eastern, basically. Okay. It it is kind of a hole in the wall place. You know, it's not not the best uh fish I've ever had. Okay, but uh the vibe is there, and you know, I'm always with the right people. My buddy Curtis uh uh turned me on to Gorilla years ago, and you know, I got a little punch card. You go, yeah, okay. I probably run through you know 30 of those punch cards already, you know, the 10 L Ts.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Laring about places nobody's like Gorilla Sushi, Tropicana and Eastern.

SPEAKER_03 37:29

Yeah, kind of. Okay, it's it's uh right uh a little a little further west from Eastern. But uh I'm gonna come check you out. I like sushi. I'll take you guys there after here. Let's set that up, man.

SPEAKER_00 37:38

I love it. What else, man? Anything that we forgot to that you want to leave us out on, man. You you were very layered, but I was getting emotional for a second there, which I'm gonna share with you why afterwards, but I appreciate that. Anything you want to leave us out on, maybe we forgot to

Men’s Mental Health And Daily Kindness

SPEAKER_00 37:51

ask you.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

Yeah, I you know, I do I really do just want to push, you know, the the mental health component because that's what we're in men's mental health right now, right? Rob just typed me on something yesterday. We are okay. You know, I I think it's it's important that we pay attention to it's a tough time for everybody. It doesn't matter your your economic status.

SPEAKER_00 38:09

Checking on people, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:10

You know, just check in with the people that you love, check in with a complete stranger. You never know what the ripple effect is. And you know, you could be doing really great one day, you know, and really terrible the next. I I've learned that that uh mental health challenges are not linear. I I went through a difficult season this this past winter, and you know, I thought I was coming out of it and things were great, and and you know, recently I've I've kind of been feeling the effects of of the same challenges and things that come up, and you know, these self-worth questions and you know, just the insecurities that that as men, as humans, yeah, I'm sure we all face, right? Of course. And and I think that it's really important to pay attention to the fact that not everybody is having a good day. And and I think that we could just help each other out a little bit more, you know. Let's just be a little bit more kind to one another and and learn to apologize when you make mistakes or you come at people sideways because I'm guilty of that every day. I'm not afraid to say it. You know, I I'm in my own head, I can be very selfish at times, and and I think that the world should kind of adhere to the emotions that I'm feeling in that moment, and I present maybe not not the best sometimes. And I think that it's important to recognize that and be self-aware and to verbalize it to the people you love. I'm sorry, I'm working on being better. You know what I mean? Please be patient with me. And I think that if we you know had a little bit more communication, it would go a long way.

SPEAKER_00 39:32

It's grace, man. Have a little bit of grace on it. A lot of grace. Because that's what you never know what people are dealing with. So you're right.

SPEAKER_03 39:37

You know, but pay attention to that. Everybody that's listening, you know, let's do something nice for a complete stranger. You know, why not?

SPEAKER_00 39:43

Yep. Yeah. Shout out to Brent, man. He'll be the next governor of Baker's Day. Let's go. Great speaker, man. You're a great speaker. Absolutely. I appreciate that. Yeah. What's

How To Connect And Get Involved

SPEAKER_00 39:53

your social handles, man? People reach out to you and all that stuff. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 39:55

Uh Brent Nowak, Facebook, Brent John Nowak, Instagram. I don't even know if I have a TikTok. It might be out there. I don't have it on the phone. Dancing on there, man. Check us out at shinolite.com, all the Shinolite socials. Um, you can always find me there, definitely. If anybody wants to get involved, we're intentionally super informal, and I'd love for people to just kind of come out and learn about what it is that we do. I'd love to give anybody that's listening a tour, you know, whether it be in the tunnels or, you know, our offices, our community event space, come out and learn what we're doing and and be a part of this thing. Because again, as a community project, we're driven by contributions from people in our neighborhood, man. So, you know, I'd love to meet everyone that's that's willing.

SPEAKER_00 40:34

Tell me great foundation support what they're doing, man. I'm I set my date up, so I'll I'll give you the feedback after we go uh with Rob. I can't wait to I can't wait, man. So I'll give you my feedback, man, and I'll I'll share with Vegas Circle also. But definitely follow up what they're doing, support everything you're doing, Brent, and uh check us out at the VegasCircle.com. So appreciate you, brother.

SPEAKER_01 40:51

Gentlemen, thank you so much for having me. We really appreciate you.