Avsnitt
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Rayon Williamson pt. 2
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
00:00:22 Separating Himself from the Gang
00:14:30 Forging His Own Identity
00:22:15 Getting Out of Prison
00:30:00 “Little Freedoms”
00:40:45 Getting to Where He is Now
00:45:59 Meeting Amy @ My Story Matters
00:52:00 Power to Effect Change in the System -
Rayvon Williamson’s story is about wisdom. Incarcerated at 19 and told he wasn’t ever gonna get out, Rayvon set himself on the path of California prison politics. Looking to create a name for himself, he connected with his car and started doing the work as they call it. One day on the yard he jumped a guy and as per prison policy, a corrections officer fired a warning shot from the tower. He felt the bullet land in the dirt beside him as they guy he was assaulting threw him off him. On his way to the SHU, a concerned officer told him to never fight in the yard. “they will kill you”. While in the SHU, he started the process of self-realization. “No matter if I get out or not, I gotta do something I can be proud of”. Listen in as he tells his emotional story.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
00:00:00 Rayvon Williamson
00:01:26 Sponsors
00:02:50 His Young Life
00:07:00 Witnessing gang activity & drug use at a young age.
00:13:30 Building Street Cred
00:15:00 Earliest Charges & Juvie
00:22:00 Back In School
00:29:00 Sentenced for Life
00:32:15 In Prison from 17 to 44
00:44:50 Violence in the Yard
00:47:45 Hope for Release -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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Jessica Sias has never even had a brush with the law. She is a daughter of immigrant parents who was the first in her family to graduate from high school and from University. Her natural sense of service and kindness has led her to a space, Academy of Hope, where she works with formerly incarcerated individuals to transition successfully back into society. She a perfect example of how anyone with the right mindset and desire to help can provide true and valuable service to people who are desperate for change. Enjoy my conversation with Jessica.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Jessica Sias
00:01:10 Sponsors
00:02:00 Finding Purpose through Service
00:05:30 Connecting People to Resources
00:08:00 Academy of Hope
00:10:00 Meeting Amy Chandler at My Story Matters
00:15:00 Success with Former Inmates
00:22:00 The Home
00:29:45 Finding Courage for Herself -
LeRon Barton grew up on the south side of Kansas City. His life in the inner-city was typical. He considers it luck that he escaped that world as many of his friends did not. Spending his time advocating for people still trapped in that world as well as the incarcerated and post incarcerated, LeRon is a well-spoken author who has done multiple TED talks as well. Listen in as he describes his concerns with the criminal justice system in America.
https://leronbarton.com
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 LeRon Barton
00:01:08 Sponsors
00:02:25 Growing Up in Kansas
00:05:40 The Race Factor
00:12:00 Getting Out of the City
00:20:40 “Little Fires Everywhere”
00:27:00 The Substance Abuse Factor
00:34:30 The Road to Reform
00:40:40 “Thank God you fed me.” -
Growing up in North Philadelphia, normal life for Mark Chappell was anything but normal. Dominated by the inner-city street life, he started smoking dope during recess and spent most of his school days high. In and out of boarding schools that did little more than prepare him for prison, by the time he was 21 his was headed to prison for homicide. Listen in how he describes that experience including a long time in 23 hour lockdown and how that experience brought him to himself and with the help of a prison guard helped him realize that he wanted something drastically different. It is nothing short of a miracle that today he lives a good life free of drugs and crime working to help others from his neighborhood and everywhere choose better.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Mark Chappell
00:01:23 Sponsors
00:02:09 His Upbringing & Juvenile Boarding Schools
00:08:00 Communal Standards & Norms
00:15:30 Rewind to Juvie “This place is preparing you for adult prison”
00:19:00 Admitting Addiction
00:22:30 Learning the Hard Way
00:23:19 Back to Prison
00:28:00 Navigating Inmate Politics
00:30:10 Point of Self Reflection — “Belly of the Beast”
00:31:30 The prison guard that took Mark under his wing.
00:38:00 Changing on the Inside Despite A Hellish Environment
00:44:10 Finding Purpose & Resilience -
Brett Booker’s story is one of purpose and power. Unfortunately, as a teen, his focus was in the wrong direction. Living a mostly unsupervised life in the suburbs, his choices led him into a life of dealing and destruction. Finding himself headed to Leavenworth Federal Prison at the age of 20 he soon realized that he was not the big dog he thought. Listen in as he describes his experience there. And how a fateful period during a lockdown led him to realize he was not the person he wanted to be. In tears he started to focus his attention in the right direction; serving and blessing others lives. He describes that transformation for himself and how he shared it with so many others in and out of prison. You will be enthralled by his story.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Brett Booker
00:01:19 Sponsors
00:02:50 Early Exposure to Addiction
00:12:40 Selling Drugs & Graduating Early
00:18:00 Caught by the Feds
00:27:30 Waking Up
00:38:40 Responsibility = Power
00:45:55 Getting Released from Prison & Where He’s At Now
00:53:10 Advice for Younger Self -
Imagine spending 26 years in solitary confinement. Out of your cell 1 hour per day. No windows in your cell. Never being able to look in the a mirror. No physical human contact. The thought is mind numbing. Yet, Thomas Martinez had that experience. One of the first to be incarcerated in Pelican Bay Penitentiary in Northern California, that was his life for 26 long years in total isolation. Thanks to the resilience he acquired in his youth, not only did he survive, he was able to come to himself, developed himself and came out articulate, confident and purposeful. Thomas’ story is remarkable.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Thomas Martinez
00:01:17 Sponsors
00:02:10 Young Life
00:06:28 Fighting His Father
00:09:55 His First Crimes
00:14:20 Personalized Adolescent Trauma
00:19:00 Prison and Solitary Confinement
00:32:00 Transformation of the Prison System
00:41:05 Released from Solitary
00:45:00 A Major Shift in Paradigm
00:51:15 The Mechanics of Denial
00:57:30 Released After 42 Years
01:06:40 Trauma is Real
01:09:50 Advice for Younger Self
“The greatest tool I have in my toolbox is the ability to ask for help”Thomas Martinez -
JP Granillo never stops. In his youth, he was driven in a direction that led him to being arrested for robbing a bank. Being imprisoned in the federal prison system kept him moving in that same direction. Then an 18 month stint in segregation brought him to realize he wanted something completely different with his life and since his release from federal prison in 2013, he has proven that. The founder of a non-profit, Youth Works based in Santa Fe, he uses his leadership talents to help the youth of his own neighborhood better navigate their lives. His endless energy and desire to serve are truly an inspiration. Listen in as we do a deep dive into the great work he is doing.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 JP Granillo
00:02:05 Young Life
00:08:20 Summoning the Feds
00:15:30 Getting Creative
00:18:20 Held Back by Others
00:25:45 CEO for YouthWorks (santafeyouthworks.org)
00:39:13 What can you do right now?
00:40:10 A Society of Skewed Values
00:41:45 Workings of YouthWorks
00:54:00 Final Piece of Advice -
George Smith spent his first years in Compton California in the early 80s. When he was very young, his mom moved him south, out of the city to keep him away from trouble. And it worked, for a while. As he turned 16, a series of events led them back to Compton and in spite of never having any kind of trouble before, by 17 there was an incident that resulted in a double life + 44 years sentence. For 15 years he tells us what it was like in the middle of gang life of the prison system. Then it all changed as he had a spiritual experience that completely changed his path. He calls August 8, 2012 his birthday as he left the gang life and started him down a different path. That change led him to do something incredible that gained him a pardon from the Governor of California. An author, a counselor, and a mentor, he has, since 2012 lived a life of service and peace that is exemplarily. You will be amazed at his story.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 George Smith
00:01:38 Sponsors
00:02:39 Young Life
00:08:38 Back to Compton at 16
00:15:08 Filling a Need
00:23:00 Double Life Sentence at 18 years old
00:30:35 A Moment of Reflection
00:47:40 Discovering Miracles
00:50:30 Being an Agent for Change
01:01:50 From Life-Sentence to Free
01:08:34 Advice for Young Self
“Ask for help… It’s okay…” - George Smith -
This is Part 2 of a 2 part interview with Josh Penrod
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Part 2
00:01:18 Sponsors
00:02:04 Utah’s Most Wanted
00:07:40 Standoff
00:12:17 A Moment of Clarity: Take 2
00:21:00 3.5 Year Sentence
00:29:39 We Want to Change
00:39:00 Finding Vision
00:48:00 My Story Matters | Captain Your Story
00:59:00 Advice -
Hit by a bus while in Portugal on a mission for his church, Josh Penrod's life took a turn for the worse. A subsequent back surgery and addiction to opioids led him down a near 10 year road of lies and deceit, twists and turns that saw him throw everything away for his addiction. Listen in as he describes how, while lying face down in a parking lot, surrounded by the police was the moment when he came to himself and started his path to recovery. He tells of his transformation and subsequent efforts to help others who are traveling bad roads find their way through the help of the Captain Your Story curriculum. Hear how Josh is giving back in a big way.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Josh Penrod
00:01:18 Sponsors
00:02:17 Early Life: Mr. Charming
00:06:25 Young & “Invincible”
00:10:40 Graduation & Party Drugs
00:12:00 Kicked Out
00:15:52 A Moment of Clarity
00:24:42 Serving for the LDS Church for 2 years
00:29:29 Hit by a Bus
00:39:00 Living a Double Life
00:45:35 No Longer “Invincible”
01:00:54 Prison -
In her teens, Sylia Olive started to choose her friends over her family. Thanks to her father, who was her rock, she graduated high school and from his direction started down a road of education at SLCC. However, losing her dad to a car accident through a wrench in the works and life went into a down hill spiral of drugs and crime. Sentenced to two consecutive 5 to life terms in prison, she spent the first 10 years on top of the prison food chain, living that life of hell. Then one day a visit from her family and a question from her little sister helped her come to herself and her life has been a positive uphill climb ever since. Join us on her emotional journey of the personal change and redemption that comes from a commitment to family.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Sylia Olive
00:01:27 Thanks to Our Sponsors!
00:02:40 Young Life
00:06:56 Tragedy & The Spiral
00:12:40 Prison at 23
00:25:00 Twenty-Eight Years?!
00:35:00 “When is it our turn?”
00:41:20 Harnessing Responsibility, Leadership & Education
00:54:22 Things are Looking Up
00:56:40 “If you could give your younger self some advice?”
Thank you! -
Baylen Parada grew up in a near perfect life. For him, teenage recreational drug use turned into an escape which morphed into an addiction. Listen in as he describes his fall from grace to serve two prison terms, first in California where he talks about the prison politics, then doing nearly 10 years in Oregon. Finding himself in an artistic talent he never knew he had, he talks about the emotional day he walked out the prison gates to greet a grateful mother and how he now uses his artistic talents to serve others. We discuss Peaceful Prisons Project and his association with a non-profit group set on changing the system and thus the people in the system. Enjoy.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Baylen Parada
00:00:22 Thanks to our sponsors!
00:02:10 Baylen’s Upbringing
00:07:04 Drugs as a Means
00:09:50 Dropping Out, Getting a Job, Rehab & Graduation
00:19:37 First Time in Jail -> Prison
00:25:53 White Knucklin’ It
00:29:45 “Just Once” & The Spiral
00:36:33 Ten Years & Ten Months in the Can
00:47:09 Picking Up The Pen
00:54:55 Peaceful Prisons Project
01:06:29 Baylen’s Advice for Others
“Slow down & ask for help”- Baylen Parada -
This is part 2 of Jordon Holdaway’s story. He describes his time in prison and then as he was headed back for very long time, his good fortune of being accepted into The Other Side Academy where he was able to completely change the direction of his life.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Jordan Holdaway
00:00:51 Sponsors
00:03:48 One More Shot
00:11:54 The Spiral Continues
00:21:08 The Breaking Point & The Other Side Academy
00:33:34 A Different System -
Jordon Holdaway was born with a rebellious spirit. Mix that with some difficult circumstances in his life and it was a recipe for disaster. At about 10, he had the great idea of selling pies to all the people in the neighborhood, never mind that he had no intention of delivering any pies. Finding his identity in going against the grain, his single mother could do little to reign him in. Finding drugs in his later teens, he continued down the rebellious road into a life of drugs and crime and violence. Facing another very long prison term, he convinced a public prosecutor to allow him to go to The Other Side Academy in SLC. There he found his way and came to himself bringing out the potential that everyone but himself recognized. Listen in as he tells his story, including some of the powerful change agents in The Other Side Academy.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Jordan Holdaway
00:00:34 Episode Intro
00:01:29 Sponsors
00:02:16 Early Life
00:11:15 Becoming an Outsider
00:17:50 The Influence of the City
00:23:06 The Influence of Stone Casters
00:30:03 Discovering a New Community
00:37:38 Moving Out at 17 & Spiraling
00:44:41 Escalating Criminal Behavior -
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
00:00:00 Part 2 with Destiny Garcia 00:00:15 Sharing Her Story 0:03:26 Finding Employment 00:05:19 More on Operation Rio Grande & Finally A Livable Wage 00:09:10 Obstacles of Criminal Records 00:13:33 Expungement 00:16:17 Accepted Into A New Community 00:21:40 The Role of Local Government 00:25:10 Discovering Her Passion for Passing it Forward 00:26:15 Clean Slate Utah 00:43:13 Advice if You Need Help -
Destiny Garcia grew up in a life of drug and violence. Not knowing anything different, she thought abuse, violence and drugs were normal. At 16, she started into the drug life and remained that way for the majority of life. She tells her heart wrenching story of trying to raise her kids in that world. She spent 7 years as a “prisoner” to her husband before breaking free and ending up on the streets living a life of constant drug use, theft and depravity. Listen in as she comes to herself and thanks to a program called Project Rio Grand finally gets the help she needs. Her tale brings her through rehab to the support of her son who never gave up on her and finally to work in the county mayor office. Now the CEO of Clean Slate Utah, she is showing others the way out of dysfunctional and into true normal. Buckle up as she tells her emotional story of survival and redemption..
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
PART 1
00:00:00 Destiny Garcia
00:01:36 Thank You Sponsors!
00:02:37 Her Early Life
00:12:55 Later Adolescence -> Early Adulthood
00:17:27 Hooked to Abusive Relationships
00:22:23 Escape
00:24:46 College, Jail, Meth & Heroine
00:31:53 Operation Rio Grande
00:36:29 Odyssey House
00:39:24 Success! -
Nena Walker-Staley lives her life with intention. Growing up in a household where her parents taught her leadership, courage and purpose, Nena didn’t hesitate to apply those principles in every aspect of her life. Her service as a warden in the South Carolina prison system was exemplarily. Fearless in her efforts, she constantly sought out ways to find opportunities for those incarcerated under her care. Her no nonsense yet companionate nature were the recipe for incredible growth in her responsibilities. In 2021, South Carolina was recognized as having the lowest recidivism rate in the United States. Her straightforward fearless approach had a great deal to do with that outcome. Working now to help formerly incarcerated people navigate healthcare.gov so they can keep their medical needs taken care of, Nena continues to be a force for good in this marginalized space.
Sponsors & Partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
(00:00:00) Nena Walker Staley
(00:01:17) Thanks to Our Sponsors
(00:02:57) From Childhood to Warden
(00:14:24) How She Worked Her Way Up Through the Prison System
(00:18:45) Becoming Warden Staley - A Story of Change through Reluctance
(00:25:53) Earning Her Reputation Through Example
(00:32:30) Up & Up - Getting Organized
(00:36:18) Preparing Them for the Real World
(00:44:48) The Impact of Education
(00:49:07) All My Friends Are Felons Too
(01:04:48) What She’s Doing Now - Free Healthcare For Affected Individuals
(01:07:05) Advice for Those Affected -
Normal life to Chad Christofferson was anything but normal. His mom was addicted to Meth. He had 9 siblings. His uncle provided his mom meth and on and on and on. Jumped into his gang in his own front yard, his was a life of drugs and crime and violence. Sentenced to 6 yrs to life, his first years in prison were more of the same, gangs and violence. However, he left the drugs behind. He tells his story of finally leaving his gang and the problems that both created and solved. Then thanks to a fellow inmate, he starts working in prison and moves from one job to another gaining valuable work experience and for the first time feeling what it was like to work and feel good about the prospects of another day. Finally, he tells the experience of when his victims mother comes to see him in prison and the feeling in his heart when she said she forgave him. Chad tells an amazing story of transition and change and redemption.
Thank you to our sponsors & partners
The Other Side Academy - theothersideacademy.com
The Peaceful Prisons Project - peacefulprisonsproject.com
My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org
To support our cause and learn more, check us out - allmyfriendsarefelons.com
Instagram, Facebook & TikTok handles @allmyfriendsarefelons
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Chad Christoferson
(00:00:34) Sponsors: The Other Side Academy, Peaceful Prisons Project & My Story Matters
(00:01:21) Introduction
(00:02:39) Early Life
(00:07:01) Early Influences
(00:10:03) Family Drug Use
(00:12:09) Kicked Out of 12th Grade
(00:14:33) Homicide
(00:17:15) His Prison Experience
(00:31:51) Working Up
(00:43:37) The Victim’s Mother
(00:46:53) Change is Hard
(00:54:11) Employment
(00:59:58) Advice for Others
“Even one person forgiving me for something like that is huge, especially being his mother, ya know?... That’s another reason why I want to better myself and thrive in life and show people that it can be done… She needs to see me doing this...?” -
Paul Pace’s story is a classic tale of how good and bad choices can change the trajectory of your life. For much of his life, Paul walked the line, teetering between those easy-to-make bad choices, and the difficult-but-worth-it good choices. One day, he decided he was done and he gave in to the temptations surrounding him, feeding the bad wolf which then took over. That led to him becoming known as the Chipped Tooth Bandit. Indicted on 23 counts of armed robbery, he found himself serving first in the Utah prison system, and then afterward flying all over the country on Con Air in the Federal prison system. Listen in as he promises his judge that he is going to spend his time in prison changing. From there on, he started feeding only the good wolf. Listen in as he, in spite of the prison system, transforms his life through determination, education, and a commitment he made to himself and his judge some 20 years ago. Paul tells a powerful story.
Paul’s story 1:50Trying drugs for the first time 13:00Drugs, pregnancy, and elopement… 28:00Doing every crime possible 32:50Sentencing 37:45Flying all over the country 55:30Getting out of prison in 2019 63:20
“After several times going back and forth, getting married, having another kid, a period of sobriety with her for like 9 months while she was pregnant, and for a few months of my son’s life. Then, she and I relapsed again when he was about 6 months old and I threw him away and her away. Just gave both of them up and walked away.” 32:00 - Visa fler
