David Luis Gonzalez

David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez is an artist and activist who was sentenced to life without parole at age 17. He was released from prison in 2017 on lifetime parole, after a Supreme Court ruling that banned life sentences for juveniles. The podcast Suave, winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 2022, recounts his story as someone re-entering society after three decades in prison.

Prison Gonzalez grew up in the South Bronx. After his grandfather was murdered in front of him, his family moved to Philadelphia. When he was 17 years old, Gonzalez was arrested for the first-degree homicide of a 13-year-old boy. He was accused of shooting the boy while trying to steal his leather jacket. Gonzalez was sentenced to life without parole, which he served at State Correctional Institution – Graterford. Gonzalez later stated that he did not commit the crime.

According to Gonzalez, he was suicidal in prison and took part in many fights. After eight attempts, he completed his GED and later attained a bachelor's degree in education and marketing from Villanova University. In 2014, Gonzalez gave a TEDx Talk at Graterford about LACEO and his life.

While Gonzalez was in prison, his mother died, and he was not permitted to attend her funeral. Four years later, in Montgomery v. Louisiana, the Court found that this also applied to people who had previously been sentenced.

At age 48, Gonzalez was released on November 20, 2017, on lifetime parole. That same day, he visited Esperanza College in Hunting Park, Philadelphia, to ask them to provide educational programs to incarcerated people. Additionally, he gave a speech at Esperanza Academy Charter School in which he asked for forgiveness from the community and urged students to stay out of prison. Season 2 premiered in April 2025.

Art Gonzalez is a painter and mixed media artist. In collaboration with other artists, he painted a mural called Healing Walls in Graterford that was later installed in Philadelphia. After his release, Gonzalez participated in the 2018 Reimagining Reentry Fellowship run by Mural Arts Philadelphia. His artwork has been included in shows with other formerly incarcerated artists including "We are all doing Time" at the Morton Contemporary gallery in Philadelphia and "Faces of Resilience" at Mason Exhibitions in Arlington, Virginia. He continues to incorporate a wide variety of materials into his art including notebook wire, shoelaces, paint chips, and court documents.