The Prison Post Podcast #49 Lauren Kessler, Award Winning Author of "Free"
On this week's episode of The Prison Post Podcast, we have a conversation with immersion journalist, Lauren Kessler. She has taken a deep dive into looking at the Challenges of Life After Prison. Her book: 'Free' Two years, Six Lives and The Long Journey Home" is powerful, moving, emotional, and revealing. Lauren is both clear-eyed and compassionate, as she follows six people whose diverse stories paint an intimate portrait of struggle, persistence, and resilience.What is the road they must travel from caged to free? How do they navigate their way home?
Lauren Kessler is an award-winning author of ten works of nonfiction, all of which combine lively narrative with deep research and in-the-trenches immersion to explore hidden worlds. The creator of two graduate programs in creative nonfiction, she founded a writersā group for those sentenced to life in prison at a maximum security prison.
There's Arnoldo, who came of age inside a maximum security penitentiary, now free after nineteen years. Trevor and Catherine, who spent half of their young lives behind bars for terrible crimes committed when they were kids. Dave, inside the walls for 34 years, now about to reenter an unrecognizable world. Vicki, a five-time loser who had cycled in and out of prison for more than a third of her life. They are simultaneously joyful and overwhelmed at the prospect of freedom. Anxious, confused, sometimes terrified, and often ill-prepared to face the challenges of the free world, all are intent on reclaiming and remaking their lives.
FREE is a gripping and empathetic work of immersion reportage, FREE reveals what awaits them and the hundreds of thousands of others who are released from prison every year: the first rush of freedom followed quickly by institutionalized obstacles and logistical roadblocks, grinding bureaucracies, lack of resources, societal stigmas and damning self-perceptions, the sometimes overwhelming psychological challenges.
Here's some of the reentry topic
Please donate to Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs Ready for Life program at our website at: https://www.croporganization.org/ or by texting CROP at 91999 or donating and support the Associates who are in our program with training and stipends. Thank you for your support of any amount. Read more about the video below.
It's my hope that not another person has to go to prison where I spent 21 years. However, I realize there will be people going for years to come. I decided to work with the CDCR's Director of Rehabilitative Programs to share my rehabilitative journey and ideas about how to prepare oneself while they are incarcerated for a future worth having, a future that includes a pathway to freedom. When a person arrives in prison, we're given a video to watch about what to expect in prison. The old video they used was outdated, stereotypical and didn't include proximate leadership, and simply not very helpful. So instead of complaining about the problem, I decided to be a part of the solution.
I volunteered to share my rehabilitative journey to encourage my incarcerated brothers and sisters to utilize what's available in the system and do whatever it takes to come home to freedom as soon as they can. Check it out and please share your thoughts in the comments. At Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs we are reimagining reentry and investing in people! The punishment model doesn't work. Our signature Ready for Life Program is providing leadership development, digital and financial literacy training, career training in tech and we pay our participants whom we call Associates a thousand dollars a month to receive our training that will prepare them for careers starting at 60K a year.
#reimaginingreentry #ThePrisonPostPodcast #CROPOrganization #transforminglives #HealingCommunities #dailyreentryquestion
The Prison Post #37 Cornelius Edwards, Incarcerated 26 Years/Founder of Avatar
The Prison Post #37 features my great friend, Cornelius Edwards. He was incarcerated for 26 years (1987-2012). He was one of the founders of what many of you know today as "rehabilitative programming." He created the first parole readiness group for lifers. It included Board of Prison Hearings Prep, Post Board Denial Management, Board Portfolio Readiness, Post Incarceration Syndrome, Relapse Prevention Planning, and even Alternatives to Family Violence. He created this at a time when the window of opportunity for parole for lifers was barely opening up for those sentenced to life terms. He was found suitable 6 times, but the Governor Gray Davis took three of those dates and Governor Schwarzenegger took two of those dates. It was an honor to have Cornelius on our podcast and we'll be recording part two this week. He's a trailblazer and because of him and others that followed his lead, today thousands and thousands of us sentenced to life are now free. Thank you for being a visionary and it's awesome to see you so happy and blessed today.
Today Cornelius is passionate about providing workplace safety instruction and certifications to men and women currently employed; and pre-certifications to single parents, students, veterans, and formerly incarcerated people seeking entry level positions in the labor and food industries; in effect providing employers with knowledgeable candidates for future employment opportunities.
Throughout his previous 20 years of experience as a trainer/speaker and program developer he learned that safety and employment are cornerstones for building responsible men and women, safe workplaces, better communities, and productive lifestyles. He's passionate about empowering those who need a hand up and he is committed to leaving this earth better than he found it. Please watch and subscribe to The Prison Post on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and watch join over 1,800 people who watch our weekly video Podcasts on Youtube.
The Prison Post #36 Dee Marie, Co-Founder of Locked In
The Prison Post #36 features a friend of ours in the Criminal Justice Reform Movement. DeAnne Knipschild was one of our favorite guests and she shared several verses of "Amazing Grace" at the end of the episode that was powerful and inspiring. She is the Co-Founder of "Locked In" and the Host of the podcast, "Breaking Bread." Her partner is currently incarcerated in Soledad where Jason and I spent a combined 28 year of our 42 years of incarceration. She's featured several of The Prison Post's guests like Johnny Howe and Hugo Gonzalez. After she records her show she makes her guest the meal of his or her choice. We think this is one of the best forms of community building, intimacy, and love for our formerly incarcerated brothers and sisters. Check out DeAnne's work on her website and on her podcast. Here's a bit more about her and the work she's doing. It was a delight to have her on our show and to even talk about some of our brilliant friends.
DeAnne Knipschild (Dee Marie) is an alum of La Sierra University. She got her B.A. in Liberal Studies in 2004 and M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction in 2007. She currently works in the School of Education as an Administrative Assistant and Advisor for students getting their teaching credentials and Master's Degrees. She also is a contract teacher for the university teaching classes on how to survive college and the history of education. Outside of work she wears many hats keeping herself busy. She is a singer who has traveled all over the country and world singing gospel music with several groups. She is currently the lead singer of a Country Rock band called āSweet Mischiefā. DeAnne believes in giving back and service to the community and so she volunteers her time singing and leading praise for churches, and helps out with community events such as free health clinics, feeding the homeless, and bible studies. She is also on the Board for a non-profit organization called Black Girl Hockey Club which promotes diversity
Release Robert Herrera, Support AB 1509
The Prison Post Podcast would like to bring awareness to AB1509! Assembly bill 1509 is a law that would remove or drastically reduce gun enhancements to crimes. Under California law, an enhancement is a penalty that is added on top of an existing crime. One of the reasons why enhancements are so disproportionate is because often the enhancement is more of a punishment than the actual crime itself. A person might be sentenced to seven years for a burglary but then get 10 years added on because of a gun in one's pocket. AB 1509 would almost totally remove these gun enhancements.
Our friend Karen has spoken out against this law to anyone and everyone that she could talk to for years. Her son Robert received three enhancements that put him in prison for 20 years as a 17 year old. Please support AB1509 and listen to this Mother's perspective, watch her video, spread this message and use toolkit link below to write your assembly person in support of this life changing legislation.
"Up until my son was arrested at the age of 17 in 2010 I have never heard about Enhancements. I was a believer "if you do the crime you do the time". However, I was shaken in disbelief when I heard my son's District Attorney tell us that he is charging him with (3) enhancements in addition to his base charge of 6 years. For what my son did in participation in his crime the charges were 6 years however with the (3) enhancements it brought my son's sentence up to 20 yrs and 4 months. I honestly don't know how a DA can sleep at night locking up minors who did not personally hurt anyone. I'm not here to say my son didn't deserve punishment but in the form of a 20-year sentence, this was traumatic and excessively harsh.
My son Robert would benefit greatly if AB1509 passes. I've been praying for this day to come when finally these excessive pile-on sentencing enhancement laws be amended and changed to be retroactive. Without the law becoming retroactive this change does nothing to help him. Sittin
The Prison Post #26, Michael Stone, Freed Three Striker & Artist
Jason and I had a great podcasting conversation with our good friend Michael Stone. We were incarcerated together for over a decade. Michael was released just a few months ago after serving over 20 years on a 25 to Life sentence as a 3 striker. Growing up he was a star athlete with opportunities to play professional baseball. He is a tremendously talented artiste who signed a rap contract with the son of the famous Quincy Jones. He is a brilliant artist who also draws, paints, tattoos, and is a deeply contemplative and introspective poet. He had a learning disability growing up and was super proud when he earned his GED. He was never able to deliver his poem at his graduation, but he generously decided to share that piece of his poetry in this episode.
We played softball and basketball with Michael. We watched him thrive as one of the creators of "Louder than these Bars" a group of slam poetry artists! Before paroling he joined CROP Organization on the inside for a program we co-created called, "Coaching for Life." Coaching for life invites coaches to leave the toxic male way of coaching in the past while teaching that players should love one another, be people of character, and live for causes outside of the sport that are bigger than themselves. We had our first Coaching for Life event out which featured world champion athletes from the Giants, Dodgers, Seahawks, and Patriots. Michael joined us and delivered a phenomenal piece of poetry sharing his personal transformation from toxic masculinity to healthy manhood.
Michael was willing to be vulnerable in this episode. We are grateful for his willingness to share his transformational story in such an honest way. You can reach out to him about his various forms of art on Instagram @528stoneyboyart and on Facebook Mike Stizzy
The Prison Post #25 Johnny Howe, CROP Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Transformational Coach
Johnny is one of the most inspiring and transformed people we have had the pleasure of being friends with for over a decade. He graduated from CROP Organization's Alcohol and Drug Counseling Programs while incarcerated, served others more than anyone we knew in there, and strived daily to transform the culture of prison. Johnny was born in Hawthorne California, raised by a single mom, sought validation and acceptance outside of the home, and joined a gang at an early age. He was sentenced to life as a teenager and served 28 years in the California prison system. His powerful and moving transformational story is documented in our book, "Men Built for Others." He believes that every person has value and the ability to transform. His work as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Los Angeles centers on helping people realize that another future is possible for them.
Today, Johnny empowers people to get sober, change their lives, and helps other formerly incarcerated people reenter society successfully. He serves at the non-profit, "Getting Out by Going In" (GOGI) which offers valuable life-skills to the incarcerated. There he spends time several days a week writing letters to men and women who are still incarcerated and in need of restoration. He is happily married to his wife Cynthia, and she joined in service with Johnny at GOGI. Together they written hundreds and maybe thousands of letters to the incarcerated and have also gone back into the prison system to offer hope and GOGI books. He is the epitome of a man of character, service, and love. Please watch and subscribe to The Prison Post or on any of the major podcasting platforms where you listen to your favorite podcasts. Please consider donating to our work of reimagining reentry at http://croporganization.org/
The Prison Post #23 Katherin Hervey, Artist and Filmmaker of the documentary, "The Prison Within."
The notion that the prison system is broken is nothing new. Whatās far more interesting is how to fix itāwhich is the focus of Katherin Hervey's award-winning documentary, "The Prison Within." The documentary takes viewers inside a unique program at San Quentin Prison focused on restorative justice and transforming the prison system.
Katherin is a world changer and Jason and I were able to have a conversation with her about her life, her films, and restorative justice. She is highly passionate about restorative justice and transforming narratives about the incarcerated or formerly incarcerated.
Katherin is an artist and filmmaker whose work focuses on those of us who live in the margins but refuse to be marginalized. She is interested in what is hiding in the dark crevices and corners of the American landscape and our collective psyches, believing truth is often found in the dark before it shines in the light.
Katherin is currently at work on a new film. She received her Bachelor's degree in Cross-cultural Communication in America Studies from the University of Washington and is a graduate of Vancouver Film School. She also holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School. Her mixed media artworks and creative fiction have been exhibited in galleries and published in online and print literary journals.
During meetings of the San Quentin Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG), the incarcerated and survivors come together in a restorative justice program that encourages the incarcerated to see how the trauma theyāve experienced contributed to their criminality and helps them understand the impact of their crimes on those they victimized.
I would like to invite you to watch The Prison Within, which can be found here: https://vimeo.com/355387389 Katherin Hervey, speaks nationally on prison reform, restorative justice, and the ideas central to the film ā hurt people hurt people, intergenerational trauma, unpacking trauma as the path to personal and
The Prison Post #22 Phil Melendez, Director of Organizing at Re:Store Justice
Welcome to the Prison Post! Iām excited about our guest for today's show. He actually had Jason and I on his Facebook Live show (The Parole Show) a few months ago. I first met Phil 12 days after I was released and again 90 days after I was released at the California State Capitol. We were fighting for various pieces of criminal justice reform legislation. I thought Phil was either an Assembly Member or a Senator. I didnāt know He was a formerly incarcerated lifer or on the forefront of criminal justice policy reform. Philip Melendez is the Director of Organizing for Re:Store Justice. Philās work revolves around community organizing, coalition building, and advocacy. Phil returned home in September of 2017, after serving a life sentence. While he was incarcerated, he facilitated many self-help and restorative programs, mentored neglected and traumatized youth, and organized numerous events linking community members with incarcerated people at San Quentin. He also worked closely with Re:Store Justice on numerous events and initiatives while he was incarcerated. CROP Organization and Re:Store Justice are both working hard in the reentry space for returning community members to excel and succeed. Learn more about CROP Organization's work at https://www.croporganization.org/ Learn more about Re:Store Justice at https://restorecal.org/author/adnan/
Welcome you to The Prison Post. This is your podcast for conversations surrounding the need to refor
