Former hustler turns his experience into purpose, teaching solar installation to the next generation.
Boston’s story of resilience and reinvention takes another turn with Carlos “Ka,” a Cape Verdean American from Brockton whose journey from federal prison to renewable energy education was recently highlighted on The Bounce Back Podcast.
Ka’s early years were shaped by instability and family legacy. By 15, he was a new father searching for a way out of low-wage factory work. That search led him into the drug trade, a path familiar to many in his community. By 2004, he was moving large quantities of heroin, earning hundreds daily but living in constant paranoia. His operation came to an end when federal agents raided his home, leading to a multi-year sentence across several facilities, including the Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island.
During his time in custody, Ka began to reassess his life. After transferring to a halfway house, he enrolled in a solar installation class to fill time, a decision that would redefine his future. What began as a way to meet probation requirements turned into a profession and a calling.
Ka’s classes mix technical training with mentorship, aiming to break the barriers that have historically limited access to trade professions in urban communities. His message is grounded in lived experience: the same determination that once fueled his street hustle can power a legitimate, sustainable career.
The peace he once chased through fast money, he now finds on purpose. Teaching, something he once thought he’d never do, has become his form of redemption.
