E— Taylor Klahn smokes a cigarette across the street from the Walden House sober living environment facility on Sunday, May 31, 2026, in San Francisco, California.

Klahn has lived a tumultuous life—one full of mistakes, hardship, and great personal change. Klahn, now 43, grew up in Southern California and was involved in gang violence as a young man. His time in gangs shaped his youth, it also landed him in prison. “I grew up in a really bad neighborhood,” said Klahn, who recalls stealing cars for drug traffickers by the time he was 13-14 years of age. Reflecting on his past, Klahn says. “I really didn’t think I was gonna be alive this long.”