What separates those who merely survive from those who transform their pain into purpose? Today's guest knows that answer intimately.

Adriene Caldwell is the author of Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines—a raw, unflinching memoir that has been compared to Educated and The Glass Castle.

Her story begins with a gun pressed to her temple, the trigger pulled twice, saved only by a safety mechanism that engaged by less than a millimeter. But that harrowing moment is just one chapter in a life marked by schizophrenic abuse, traumatic foster care, sexual assault, addiction, and homelessness.

Yet Adriene didn't just survive—she earned her way an education, reconciled with her past, and now shares her journey to help others find light in their darkest moments. Her book is accompanied by actual CPS case files and psychiatric evaluations, making it not only a beacon of hope for survivors but essential reading for anyone studying trauma and resilience.

This is a conversation about what it truly means to be unbroken—not undamaged, but untamed, undefeated, and refusing to stay within the lines.

Adelante, Siempre, por tu Mente / Forward, Always, for your Mind

Love & Strength,Oscar Luna, Creator/HostFYI - I Am Damaged Podcast

Instagram: FYIiAmDamagedSpotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts: FYI - I Am Damaged

This podcast. FYI - I Am Damaged. I sit in this chair pulling stories out of others.

But today, the mic turns on me. In this episode, I'm not the interviewer. I'm the one being asked to look at my own cracks.

My wife, Argelia, sits across from me and asks the questions I may have spent years avoiding. What happens when your passion becomes the only place you still feel alive while the rest of your life is burning you out?

How do you hold a 9 to 5, bills, expectations, stress that eats at your bones while still chasing the one selfless passion that makes your heartbeat? And how do you keep creating when you're carrying trauma, disappointment, and the quiet grief of feeling unseen?

This isn't a highlight reel. It's not a motivational speech.

It's a moment of honesty, my honesty, about what it really costs to build something meaningful while life keeps throwing weights on your chest. If you've ever questioned whether you could hold it all together and still build your dream, this conversation might be the permission you've been waiting for. Let's begin!

Adelante, Siempre, por tu Mente

Forward, Always, for your Mind

Love & Strength,

Oscar Luna, Creator/Host

FYI - I Am Damaged Podcast

Instagram: FYIiAmDamaged

Spotify & Apple Podcasts: FYI - I Am Damaged

What if the cure for isolation wasn’t technology or social media—but simply telling your story aloud? In today’s episode, I sit with Raquel, founder of MomsWestchester, a movement that began in her living room and is now sparking deep connection across Westchester County.

She reveals why small talk is limiting us, how storytelling heals mothers across generations, and what happens when strangers become family through truth-telling.

This isn’t just about motherhood—it’s also about humanity.

Stay tuned, because what Raquel shares will make you question how you connect, and maybe even inspire you to join and support her circle of storytellers for Mothers.

Adelante, Siempre, por tu MenteForward, Always, for your Mind

Love & Strength,Oscar Luna, Creator/HostFYI - I Am Damaged Podcast