CW: Su*cidal ideation, self h*rm. Born in the 1970s in Wisconsin, Arno grew up in a turbulent environment with alcohol, fighting, and family dysfunction around him. As a teenager, he was angry, rebellious, and looking for belonging. That led him toward white power sk*nhead culture in the late 1980s. He became a founding member of a major U.S. sk*nhead gang and the lead singer of a hate-metal band that glorified rac*sm and v*olence. Eventually, cracks began forming in his extrem*st worldview and a few things shifted him away from hate: Becoming a father, kindness from people he was supposed to hate and burnout from v*olence — he saw friends go to prison, die, or spiral into add*ction, and he realized the path only led to destruction. By the mid-1990s, he walked away from the white power movement. In 2011, Arno helped found Life After Hate, an organization dedicated to helping people leave extrem*st movements and rebuild their lives. He became a public speaker, sharing his story in schools, prisons, and communities around the world. His memoir My Life After Hate (2010) details his radicalization and transformation. Find and Connect with Arno: Website: www.mylifeafterhate.com IG: @ArnoMichaelis https://www.instagram.com/ArnoMichaelis LinkedIn: @ArnoMichaelis Parental resource: parents4peace.org If you are concerned about someone’s extreme beliefs or behaviors, Parents for Peace has a free and confidential helpline at 844-49-PEACE (844-497-3223) or email at help@parents4peace.org  Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousnessClips Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://www.instagram.com/cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann https://www.instagram.com/sheliseann/ Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://www.tiktok.com/@cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon Chapter Marks **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**