Vinny Cuevas grew up Cuban and Puerto Rican in the South Bronx, where survival wasn’t a metaphor — it was a daily calculation. In his raw and unflinching memoir From the Bronx with Scars, Vinny traces a life shaped by violence, loyalty, betrayal, fatherhood, and devastating loss. This episode is not about glorifying the streets — it’s about what it costs to survive them, and what it takes to rewrite your story when the scars don’t disappear.In this episode, we talk about: • What the “scars” in From the Bronx with Scars really represent • Growing up in the South Bronx and what survival looked like day to day • How Vinny understood power as a kid — and how that definition changed • The pull of the streets and why it felt like the only option • Loyalty, betrayal, and the price of trusting the wrong people • The moment Vinny knew he had to change his life • Fatherhood, grief, and losing a child — and how that loss reshaped his purpose • Why people still misunderstand him — and what they get wrong • Advice for anyone who feels trapped by their past • What redemption actually looks like when you’ve lived through real traumaThis conversation is about identity, accountability, and the courage it takes to stop surviving and start choosing something more.Vinny’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Bronx-Scars-Lessons-Streets-Raised-ebook/dp/B0FHKTJS4H🎧 Subscribe, rate, and share Miss Understood with Rachel Uchitel — especially if this episode made you think differently about what it means to be misunderstood.--- --- —VISIT OUR AMAZING SPONSORS!ROGERS HOOD APOTHECARYGo to rogershood.com and use code RACHEL at checkout for 10% OFF--- --- ---PLEASE LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, AND GIVE US A 5-STAR REVIEW!: ratethispodcast.com/missunderstood Become a Patreon Member: https://www.patreon.com/c/MissUnderstoodwithRachelUchitelShop Miss Understood Merch https://missumerch.com/Follow Rachel on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/racheluchitelnyc/?hl=enFollow Rachel on TikTok! https://www.tiktok.com/@itsracheluchitelExecutive Producer: George Carmona
