Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 3135

Tonight's special guest is Lang Martinez from Oxnard, California, a returning NAASCA family member. Lang was abused sexually and raped as a young person and has struggled to heal from the trauma and his alcohol and drug abuse ever since. When the topic of homelessness is brought up in Ventura County, a single name comes quickly to mind: Lang Martinez. Martinez has built a reputation for himself as the only homeless advocate to have come from the same streets he now walks through with his head held high. He knows the community well, and shares his methodology by writing in VCRreporter, Monticito Journal, Fillmore Gazette, Vc Star, Citizens Journal, La Crescenta Valley Weekly, Keys To Recovery Newspaper and more. He recently wrote, "Being homeless and being a vagrant are two completely different set of problems." His peer-to-peer approach has cemented his name among other professionals in his field and Lang sees a lot of waste. "In my estimation, the funds being allocated to address homelessness lack public scrutiny and transparency." Although his entire adult life has been marred with risky behavior, drug addiction, imprisonment, and homelessness, he has managed to legitimatize himself with a career, family, and an unwavering passion to help others. Today, Lang shares his story of what it takes to recover from the serious addiction that left him homeless and dead on the streets. Lang Martinez is fighting for his life, to stay sober and to stay out of prison. He has surrounded himself with surrogate professionals who believe Lang can survive. He's like a candle blowing in the night searching for a destiny that is elusive, yet he lives deeply inside the salvation that will allow him to finally live in peace.