From Street Survivor to Storyteller, Martha Trujillo Now Helps Others
Martha Trujillo’s early years were steeped in uncertainty. Born into a broken home, she shared a single-room apartment with her sister and her mentally ill mother. Her father had been incarcerated and later deported. The nights were long, her mother often absent due to work or lost in cycles of mania and depression. Love and safety—things every child should take for granted—were luxuries Martha never knew.
“I grew up fast,” Martha recalls. “When you’re walking through life alone, childhood ends quickly.”
From the outside, Martha’s life might have looked like a downward spiral waiting to happen. And in many ways, it was. As her home life unraveled, the streets began to fill the void. She bounced between unstable homes, eventually entering foster care. But instead of finding security, she felt more disconnected than ever.
The Reality Behind the Struggle
For millions of American children like Martha, trauma, poverty, and mental illness form the backdrop of their lives. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, over 11 million children in the U.S. live in households where their basic needs are not being met. These environmental stressors often lead to outcomes like chronic absenteeism, addiction, and criminal behavior.
Faced with a void of love and stability, Martha turned to substances—marijuana and alcohol—as a way to escape. By thirteen, she was using regularly and began selling drugs to support her habit. Expelled from school in the eighth grade, she lost one of the few stabilizing forces in her life. She found solace and belonging in a gang.
Her experience mirrors national trends. The U.S. Department of Education reports that over 1.2 million students drop out of high school each year, with disproportionate numbers coming from low-income, minority, and trauma-affected communities. Many of these youth fall prey to the streets. The FBI estimates there are over 33,000 gangs in the U.S., and recruitment often begins as early as middle school.
“I wasn’t looking for trouble,” Martha says. “I was looking for family. I was looking for love.”
What she found instead was addiction, exploitation, and trauma. By age twenty, Martha had been arrested over 30 times. Methamphetamines had replaced marijuana. Days were spent chasing the next high. And when that wasn’t enough, she was coerced into selling the only thing she had left—her body.
“It was four years of hell,” she says. “I didn’t believe I deserved anything better.”
The Courage to Change
Escaping this lifestyle is statistically rare. According to SAMHSA, only 10% of individuals with a substance use disorder receive treatment. Of those who do, many relapse due to lack of support, housing, or opportunities. And those caught in cycles of trafficking or gang life face even more formidable odds.
But Martha defied the statistics.
At 20, she discovered she was pregnant. Something shifted. For the first time in years, she had something—and someone—worth fighting for.
“It was my wake-up call. I was tired of surviving. I wanted to live.”
She turned to her family and began the long, grueling road to sobriety. Conquering addiction, especially when combined with trauma and poverty, is one of the most difficult things a person can do. It demands not just strength, but profound courage—every single day.
“I had to learn to believe I was worth saving,” Martha says. “That was the hardest part.”
From Rock Bottom to Rising Star
Martha didn’t stop at sobriety. She turned her entire life around. She was able to graduate high school with her class and then enrolled in Fullerton Junior College. With her life still straddling the streets, she failed miserably. Another wake-up call.
After a rough start, she successfully repeated her failed courses and received a 4.0. With renewed confidence she then went on to obtaining a bachelor’s degree and ultimately a master’s degree. She now wants to add a law degree to her journey. She was leaving her past behind.
Years later, and with special support from the Fullerton School District and Rosanna Fonseca, she went back to receive her 8th-grade diploma—not because she had to, but because she wanted to show that no part of her story was too broken to fix. The lesson to all those students that were present was one of perseverance and courage.
“The moment I realized I had power over my life was the moment everything changed,” she shares. “You can either be a product of your past or the author of your future.”
Today, Martha is the founder of Full Circle Orange County, an organization dedicated to helping young people rewrite, redefine, and reclaim their stories. Through mentorship, advocacy, and education, she’s giving others the second chance she fought so hard for.
A Story of Human Potential
Martha’s story isn’t just about survival—it’s about transformation. It speaks to the power of resilience, the importance of community, and the incredible strength it takes to choose healing in a world that profits from your pain. She is one of the few who made it out, but her mission is to ensure others do too.
Her journey reminds us that even in the darkest of times, a spark remains—and with courage, it can become a fire.
“You are never too far gone,” she says. “You are never beyond healing. Your story isn’t over.”
To learn more about Martha’s work or support her mission, visit www.fullcircleorangecounty.org.