Rising Stars: Meet Mike De La Rocha of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike De La Rocha.

Hi Mike, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story begins with deep roots in education. I’m the son of two lifelong teachers: my father, a community college professor who immigrated from Chihuahua, México and taught for over 41 years, and my mother, a first-generation Chicana from San Jose, CA, who has dedicated over 50 years to early childhood education through HeadStart.

I was born in Oxnard, CA and raised in Ventura. As a child of the 80s, I was one of the few students of color in my school and learned early on how to code switch as a way to survive and to fit in. It was very difficult for me growing up in a predominately white environment and I found community in punk music, skateboarding, and surfing. I joined my first punk band at the age of 12 and instantly fell in love with the power of music to bring different people together.

My political and cultural awakening really came about at UCLA, where I organized alongside a multiracial coalition of students fighting for policy changes on and off campus. That experience shaped my life and influenced how I see the world. It raised my consciousness and provided me with a political framework for how to change the conditions in our neighborhoods and communities. Even till this day, I still organize with some of my closest friends who I met while at UCLA.

Since then, I’ve been blessed to work in nonprofits, in government, in the creative sector, and now as a business owner of two incredible companies-Revolve Impact, an award-winning creative agency that centers movement-building, and Tepito Coffee, which creates jobs for formerly incarcerated people in partnership with Homeboy Industries. I also recently released my first book, Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How To Love, which is now a USA Today bestseller, and I sing in ON/NOTICE, an electronic punk rock band.

At the heart of everything I do, whether through storytelling, music, or entrepreneurship, is a commitment to healing and community-building. I absolutely believe in the power of arts and culture to bring people together and I’ve dedicated my life to doing all I can to move us forward as a country, and as a globally connected world.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A dear mentor of mine, Luis J. Rodriguez, once told me: “The only way to truly heal is to go straight through the wound.” That wisdom changed my life. He taught me that the medicine we need often hides in the very moments that tear us open and that our deepest pain can also be our greatest teacher.

That lesson has carried me through some of my hardest struggles, moments when I wrestled with feelings of not being good enough, or when I felt like I didn’t belong because of my race or background. But once I began to understand the larger systems at play—our interconnected histories, the structural inequities, the unrealistic pressures—I was able to meet myself with more compassion. That shift in perspective gave me permission to move through any obstacle with grace instead of judgement or shame. It gave me context and helped me recognize that I am not alone. It allowed me to better understand that many of us share common obstacles and challenges. And it provided me with a roadmap for how to bring people together to create the world that I know is possible.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I just released my first book, Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How To Love, on June 3rd via Regalo Press and distributed by Simon & Schuster. The process of writing the memoir took me seven plus years where I began to unpack the reasons why my father died too soon. Through this process, I realized that I had inherited many of the same unhealthy patterns and beliefs that led to my father’s premature passing. Like my father, I thought that being a “real man” meant that I couldn’t cry or show any kind of emotion. I learned that the ways that I had been conditioned to be as a man – emotionally unavailable to my loved ones and suffering in silence rather than asking for help – literally killed my father. It was this lie, rooted in patriarchy, that was underlying many of the reasons why I sometimes felt depressed or unworthy of giving and receiving love. And it was this realization that propelled me to write Sacred Lessons.

Since the end of May, I’ve been traveling the country on a 25-city tour speaking about the struggles men face in connecting with themselves and with others. The response has been overwhelming and the book continues to resonate with a growing audience. And while I have heard heartbreaking stories of men unable to express their feelings and emotions, I’ve also found a sense of sacred connection in every city. I’ve met men who are holding their children a little longer and telling them that they love them, I’ve met men who are going to therapy and working on healing themselves. And I’ve met men and so many incredible organizations doing the important work of walking men back home to themselves.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Healing isn’t meant to be a solo act, it’s a collective journey. One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned is that we choose our mentors. Western culture often tells us that mentors select us, but the truth is, we have the agency to seek out those who share our same values, passions, and purpose.

We don’t heal alone. We heal in community with people who remind us of who we are and who we’re becoming. My advice? Find your people. Find your elders. Find those who carry wisdom, who’ve walked the path before you, and who can offer guidance not just on how to survive, but how to remember your life’s purpose and destiny.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sacredlessons.com
• Instagram: @mrmikedelarocha
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrmikedelarocha
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmikedelarocha
• Twitter: https://www.x.com/mrmikedelarocha
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIJ4oK06kgM
• Soundcloud: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4RZzDSmGMAwQUiR5Jrn01I
• Other: https://www.revolveimpact.com

Image Credits
Wade Brands – Pictures at the beach and in the study
Alex Villareal – Picture at the LA Times Book Festival and Tepito Coffee (Mike and Jose)
Adriana Torres – Picture of the Urban Native Era Collab
Efe Ozalp – Picture of Live Performance