The United Community Center, known as the UCC, is more than just a community center. It seeks to transform the lives of Hispanic families and all lives within the community, regardless of race or religion. For some, like Prince Xilla, a member of their boxing community, the UCC has been a life-changing institution.

Xilla was once a rising star in the boxing world.

"I was projected to be a star. I was going to go around the country boxing. I was going to go to a semi-pro at the end of 2013," Xilla said. "I had a lot of scouts. I had a lot of potential offers."

However, in September 2013, life took a sharp turn. At the age of 22, Xilla was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison after being convicted of a violent crime.

"Hearing 8.5 years just took me out of space. I didn’t know how I would make it through, it felt like a life sentence," he said.

Xilla spent time at both Kettle Moraine and Racine Correctional Institutions. He now appreciates the basic freedoms people often take for granted, like eating and showering.

"It's more so on the mental. It’s chaotic. the fights, the arguments, the control from the staff. I can’t even shower when I want to if I'm not permitted to in prison. I can’t even eat if I'm not permitted to. Those are the freedoms we take for granted," Xilla said.

Upon his release in February 2022, Xilla knew he wanted to turn his life around. He returned to the UCC and the boxing ring, saying, “I feel like I'm in my place of tranquility here. It lets me think.”

More than just a boxer, Xilla has now become a mentor and role model.

Angel Villarreal, a fellow boxer at UCC, said, "He’s been a great role model. He’s changed his life, so just to have him around the kids and they know he made some mistakes. He’s trying to be a better person."

"When he walks in [to the center], he's just like, 'what up.' He just gives off good vibes and I know he means well to everyone," Violet Lopez, another member of the community, said.

"It makes me have a responsibility to do even better. It makes me feel like a phoenix," Xilla said. "Not that it’s the end, but this is a new beginning for me."