This week on the special edition Bruce Lee Foundation takeover of the Bruce Lee Podcast for the month of May, Shannon welcomes Rudy Mata to the show.

Shannon first met Rudy at the LA County Youth Mental Health Summit hosted by the Department of Youth Development, where his story and message left a lasting impression. Rudy’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and purpose. In the face of overwhelming odds, he committed himself to his growth and education and continues that path as he works toward a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. Today, Rudy is a registered Substance Use Disorder Counselor, youth advocate, environmentalist, artist, and poet—and above all, a father!

Rudy is a true testament to the truth that our past does not define our future but it can influence and cultivate a meaningful future if we let it. His life’s work centers around self-worth, generational healing, and creating safe, nurturing spaces for youth. Through his involvement with organizations like InsideOUT Writers, the Arts for Healing and Justice Network (AHJN), Youth Justice Coalition (YJC), ExpandLA, and Green Arrow Co-Lab, Rudy is building therapeutic and creative environments where at-risk youth can reconnect with their inner strength and break cycles of trauma.

Whether through poetry, healing circles, or community gardening, Rudy leads with heart. He is a living reflection of Bruce Lee’s philosophy of self-actualization, sharing one’s learnings and paying it forward. Their conversation explores how they met, the impact of Rudy’s work, and what it truly means to support youth mental health with intention and love. Tune in and enjoy!

Rudy Mata

Rudy Mata is a registered Substance Use Disorder Counselor, youth advocate, environmentalist, artist, and poet—but his most important role is that of a father. He is system-impacted, a former foster youth, and formerly incarcerated. Rudy completed most of his education while incarcerated and continues to pursue his academic goals as he works toward earning a Bachelor's degree in Social Work.

His dedication to youth empowerment has led him to work with organizations such as ExpandLA, the Arts for Healing and Justice Network (AHJN), InsideOut Writers (IOW), Green Arrow, and the Youth Justice Coalition (YJC), among others. He has also participated in the Department of Youth Development Youth Summits, where he and his partner first met Shannon and the Bruce Lee Foundation.

Rudy’s lived experiences have deeply informed his path and purpose. He sees himself as a generational curse breaker and is passionate about encouraging young people to believe in their own power to do the same. For him, real change begins with our youth.

Connect with Rudy….
Learn more about these organizations Rudy works with and supports:

Flow Youth Center
InsideOUT Writers
Green Arrow Co-Lab
Arts for Healing and Justice Network (AHJN)
ExpandLA Youth Justice Coalition (YJC)
Help support local small businesses, like Rudy’s partner Alina: @NailedBy.Muva

Write to us at hello@brucelee.com or tag us @brucelee on social media with #bruceleepodcast.

#904 Flowing with Rudy Mata