Larry Hooks Jr.

Early years: Watts to South Central Los Angeles

My name is Larry Hooks Jr., and I was born on October 19, 1972, in Watts, Los Angeles, California. My mother was a young high school dropout who was only 19 years old when she was pregnant with me. My father, Larry Hooks Sr., was 21 years old when he was killed by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on June 8, 1972, just four months before I was born.

I spent my early elementary years in the Nickerson Gardens Housing Projects in Watts. During my third-grade year, my family moved out of the projects and relocated to South Central Los Angeles, near San Pedro Street and 60th Street. My later elementary, junior high, and high school years were spent in South Central—not in Nickerson Gardens.

I attended 66th Street Elementary School, graduating in 1984, and went on to graduate from Mary McLeod Bethune Junior High School in 1987. My entire primary and secondary education was through the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

As a teenager, I attended Crenshaw High School and graduated in 1990. While attending high school, I joined the LAPD Explorer Program, rising to the rank of Captain before enlisting in the United States Army in 1991.

I remained active in the Explorer Program for five years. It gave me valuable experiences in leadership, discipline, responsibility, and public service—qualities that would continue to influence my life.

After graduating from high school, I attended California State University, Northridge (CSUN) for one year. In 1991, I made the decision to join the United States Army.

Service and leadership

I completed my Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Benning, Georgia, entering the Army as a Private First Class (PFC). My Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 11B, Infantryman. Following my training, I was assigned to Fort Campbell, Georgia, home of the 101st Airborne Division, known as the “Screaming Eagles.” During my time at Fort Campbell, I was promoted to Specialist (E-4) and continued to develop as a soldier and leader.

I proudly served in the United States Army for three years. During my military career, I advanced to the rank of Sergeant (E-5) and served as a Squad Leader, taking on the responsibility of leading and mentoring fellow soldiers. I was honorably discharged from the Army in 1994.

My military service became an important chapter in my life, teaching me discipline, accountability, leadership, teamwork, and perseverance. Those lessons would remain with me throughout the challenges I faced after leaving the Army and would later become important parts of my recovery and commitment to helping others.

Returning home and facing challenges

After returning home to Los Angeles, I continued my education at West Los Angeles College using my GI Bill benefits. I earned an Associate of Arts degree in History. I always intended to return to college and complete my bachelor’s degree, but as life unfolded, those plans were put on hold.

During this period of my life, I began drinking heavily and using marijuana more frequently. At the time, I did not fully understand where my substance use was taking me. Looking back, I recognize that my relationship with alcohol was influenced in part by the culture and environment I experienced while serving in the military. What began as something I considered part of my lifestyle eventually developed into addiction.

In 1994, I met a wonderful woman, and we married in 1998. Together, we had two sons. Although I was able to maintain employment and provide for my family, my struggles with alcohol and drugs made it difficult for me to maintain stability in my life and employment. In 1999, I was incarcerated and sentenced to prison.

My marriage ended in 2001, and for the next two decades, I experienced a cycle of incarceration, addiction, and attempts to rebuild my life. Throughout those years, I did my best to provide for myself and my children, but I remained trapped in the grip of addiction. I experienced countless setbacks and relapses, each one reminding me how difficult it was to break free from the life I had created.

Recovery and renewed purpose

Then, on January 25, 2024, my life began to change. I got sober.

Today, I look at my past not as something that defines me, but as a part of the journey that brought me to where I am now. Since January 25, 2024, I have remained committed to my recovery and have attended Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings daily. I currently serve as a Secretary within AA, giving back to the same recovery community that helped me find a new direction in life.

I also participate in weekly Zoom meetings with the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Clinic at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. In addition, I have become a certified Peer Support Specialist, allowing me to use my lived experiences to encourage, support, and guide others who are facing challenges similar to those I once faced.

My journey has taken me from my early childhood in Watts and Nickerson Gardens to growing up in South Central Los Angeles, from losing my father before I was born to serving my country, becoming a father, struggling with addiction and incarceration, and ultimately finding recovery and purpose.

I cannot change my past, but I can use what I have learned from it to help someone else change their future.

Today, I am committed to recovery, service, family, and giving back to my community. My story is not about where I came from or the mistakes I made along the way. It is about perseverance, redemption, and the belief that it is never too late to change the direction of your life.