From Prison Cell to Rocket Scientist | The Hidden Third with Mariana van Zeller

Marta Barreto's story begins in the darkest of places — years of sexual abuse by members of her own family. That early trauma set off a chain reaction: addiction, exploitation, and eventually prostitution and prison. A cycle that traps millions of people worldwide and that very few manage to escape. In this episode, Marta opens up to Mariana about the psychological mechanisms behind exploitation — the vulnerability predators seek out, the control they exercise, and the barriers that make it nearly impossible for victims to break free. She also talks candidly about her time in prison, and what incarceration looks like when the system fails to address the root causes of why people end up there. But survival was only the beginning. Becoming a mother changed everything. It gave Marta a reason to fight — not just to get out, but to build something. She returned to school, pursued engineering, and eventually landed her childhood dream: joining the Rocket Propulsion Team at Virgin Orbit, working on the technology that launches satellites into space. This is a conversation about what happens when trauma, addiction, and exploitation collide — and what it actually takes to find a way out. Marta's story is proof that even the most impossible dreams — including building rockets and reaching for the stars — can survive the darkest beginnings. 0:00 - Intro 1:50 - Growing up Portuguese in California with big dreams 2:35 - The day everything changed: sexually abused at nine 5:33 - "You shouldn't have worn the dress" 8:54 - When the abuse happened again 12:10 - The suicide attempts nobody talks about 13:48 - Turning to drugs to numb the pain 14:48 - The uncle who trafficked her to his friends 17:45 - Why she never went to the police 18:15 - Ad break 20:30 - Joining the Navy to escape and getting kicked out 23:23 - Breaking into homes to feed her addiction 25:30 - Meeting the woman she thought would save her 26:40 - Getting pregnant with a turkey baster 29:15 - The nightmare behind closed curtains 34:22 - Losing her daughter to adoption 37:20 - Coming home and falling back into darkness 41:05 - Selling herself on Craigslist to survive 44:00 - Facing 40 years to life 49:02 - The miracle: sentenced to two years instead of 24 49:33 - "We believe you now" her parents finally speak 53:00 - Why being believed changed everything 56:44 - The therapist who taught her to let go 1:01:05 - From prison cell to building space rockets 1:04:21 - Getting interviewed by Richard Branson's daughter 1:06:18 - Hearing her daughter's pain for the first time 1:08:24 - Working for Elon Musk's company 1:09:00 - Getting her felony record completely expunged 1:12:10 - Walking back into prisons to spread hope 1:14:52 - The letter that proves redemption is real 1:17:40 - Why second chances matter for everyone 🎙️ From Emmy and Peabody Award–winning journalist Mariana van Zeller comes THE HIDDEN THIRD, a weekly dive into the underground markets that quietly power a third of the global economy. Every episode, Mariana sits down with people who know these worlds firsthand - the hustlers, smugglers, scammers, kingpins, and those trying to shut them down. The series reveals how they function, why they endure, and the profound ways they impact us all. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every Wednesday. THE HIDDEN THIRD: YouTube: @marianavanzeller Instagram: Instagram: thehiddenthirdpodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3n1BBoj... MARIANA: TikTok: TikTok: mariana_vanzeller Instagram: Instagram: marianavz Head to http://factormeals.com/hiddenthird50off and use code hiddenthird50off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year!