Reflecting on Season 2 of American Dreams: Behind the Journey

In this wrap-up episode of 'American Dreams' season 2, the team reflects on the creation and emotional journey of the podcast, featuring insights from team members Erika, Simone, and Will. They revisit significant episodes, share behind-the-scenes moments, and explore compelling stories of resilience and injustice, from Marcus Alston's controversial conviction to Sammy's wrongful imprisonment. The conversation broadens to touch on systemic issues within the prison system, the impact on families, and the enduring quest for justice and humanity. Tune in to understand the profound takeaway and mission behind Season 2 of 'American Dreams.'

American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is hosted, created and executive produced by Erika Washington. 

Associate Producer Simone Endress

Edited by: Erika Washington, Simone Endress and Wil Black

Researcher: Simone Endress

Editing and Music Supervision by Wil Black for Black Gypsy Music

Graphic Design by Mingo Collaso

American Dreams courtesy of Flobots

Special thanks to KUNV 91.5 

This podcast is empowered by Make it Work Nevada, a Project of Tides Advocacy

For more information please visit Make It Work Nevada.org and find us on all the socials to learn more about our work to create a world we all can thrive in.

“A Different Kind Of Pedestal” 

You’re out of prison, now what? 

As we wrap up our journey with Phillip Sample, Alvin Hill and Cincere Al’Talet and this season of American Dreams, we hear directly from them what prison was like and how they navigated their day to day in both state and federal lockup.

How has their family and community ties affected their journey through their newest chapter as advocates for the community? Is this pedestal harder to to stay on and is there a safety net that will protect them. 

Many formerly incarcerated individuals with felony convictions now have access to vote but that doesn’t mean they feel obligated or motivated to cast a ballot. We talk about how they feel about voting and what change could really mean. 

In this episode we also hear from Assemblyman Howard Watts on what the passing of Nevada's question 4 could mean for Nevada. 

Plus, hear the hit song, “Black Exploitation” in its entiretity–the song inspired by season 2 of American Dreams Reproductive Justice. Available on all streaming platforms. 

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/wilblack/black-exploitation-feat-coop-da-real-project-logic-kaliq-sayyid-cierra-nikole--grov-gt-tigue-iv

American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is hosted, created and executive produced by Erika Washington

Associate Producer Simone Endress

Edited by: Erika Washington, Simone Endress and Wil Black

Researcher: Simone Endress

Editing and Music Supervision by Wil Black for Black Gypsy Music

Graphic Design by Mingo Collaso

American Dreams courtesy of Flobots

Special thanks to KUNV 91.5 

This podcast is empowered by Make it Work Nevada, a Project of Tides Advocacy

For more information please visit Make It Work Nevada.org and find us on all the socials to learn more about our work to create a world we all can thrive in.

In this episode of American Dreams: Reproductive Justice we introduce you to three men whose individual stories intersect through violence, struggle and ultimately success and investment into the community that shaped them. 

High unemployment rates, broken infrastructure, crack cocaine and gang violence plagued the inner city of Detroit during the 1980’s. Families struggled to piece together any resemblance of an American Dream without the resources or the comfort needed to rest well or long enough to dream. 

Alvin Hill, Cinceré Al’Talet, and Phillip Sample give us a glimpse into what it’s like to walk in their shoes. Their experiences are laid out in a raw and unapologetic way that gives space for us to understand how you could end up incarcerated and how you can also become powerful educated community leaders.

Their story continues in episode 5. 

American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is hosted, created and executive produced by Erika Washington

Associate Producer Simone Endress

Edited by: Erika Washington, Simone Endress and Wil Black

Researcher: Simone Endress

Editing and Music Supervision by Wil Black for Black Gypsy Music

Graphic Design by Mingo Collaso

American Dreams courtesy of Flobots

Special thanks to KUNV 91.5 

This podcast is empowered by Make it Work Nevada, a Project of Tides Advocacy

For more information please visit Make It Work Nevada.org and find us on all the socials to learn more about our work to create a world we all can thrive in.

Is this a case of being a criminal or being gay?

In this episode of American Dreams: Reproductive Justice we continue the conversation of incarceration and what can happen when women are incarcerated while pregnant. We want to introduce you to Sammy Werkheiser. A wife, mother, and former dance teacher in New York who loved working with children and lost everything after being accused of molesting her own daughter. She spent years in prison fighting for rights to be free and to be a mother. 

We later hear from Dr. Mike Koeings, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin Madison and Aaron Hicks, a formerly incarcerated man who is now a reentry coordinator, who are working together to change how mental health issues caused by incarceration are approached and studied. 

This episode discusses domestic and intimate partner violence and sexual assault. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call 1 800 799 SAFE. 

American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is hosted, created and executive produced by Erika Washington

Associate Producer Simone Endress

Edited by: Erika Washington, Simone Endress and Wil Black

Researcher: Simone Endress

Editing and Music Supervision by Wil Black for Black Gypsy Music

Graphic Design by Mingo Collaso

American Dreams courtesy of Flobots

Special thanks to KUNV 91.5 

This podcast is empowered by Make it Work Nevada, a Project of Tides Advocacy

For more information please visit Make It Work Nevada.org and find us on all the socials to learn more about our work to create a world we all can thrive in.

This season we are following stories of people touched by incarceration, all pushing forward to find their way into a better space. Is it possible to live through tragedy, addiction and incarceration and become an elected official? 

In this episode of American Dreams: Reproductive Justice, we’re continuing the conversation of how the carceral system affects families and communities. Today I’d like you to meet Jovan Jackson. He’s 32, born and raised in Las Vegas, and comes from a family with two loving parents. He’s been an entrepreneur, community advocate and has committed himself to staying both civically and politically engaged in his community. He’s also a convicted felon.

American Dreams: Reproductive Justice  is a podcast that will explore exactly what Reproductive Justice means. A thoughtful framework  born in 1994, by 12 Black women in Chicago.

The four principles of Reproductive Justice are:

1. The right to have a child

2. The right to not have a child (which includes sterilization, which many doctors won’t do)

3. The right to have a child in a healthy environment and then raise them safely free from violence and with access to resources

4. The right to bodily autonomy and sexual pleasure

Season 2 of American Dreams will expand upon last season’s exploration of reproductive justice, centering stories of those touched by incarceration. Highlighting the effects of the carceral system and its effects on the directly and indirectly impacted people through the lens of reproductive justice. 

​American Dreams: Reproductive Justice Season 2 is executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is associate produced, written and edited by Simone Endress. Music by Wil Black for Black Gypsy Music. Graphic designs by Mingo Collaso. A special thanks to Flobots for the use of their song ‘American Dreams’. 

Special thanks to KUNV 91.5 

This podcast is empowered by Make it Work Nevada, a Project of Tides Advocacy

For more information please visit Make It Work Nevada.org and find us on all the socials to learn more about our work to create a world we all can thrive in.

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Information in this episode found on:

Websites:

Childrensrights.org

sciencedirect.org

This season we are following stories of people touched by incarceration, all pushing forward to find their way into a better space. Episode one introduces you to Marcus, a 28 year old serving a life sentence in prison. How does an aspiring actor, who can play the piano by ear and have such a desire to help and inspire people end up serving a life sentence.  He told us his story over the course of dozens of prison calls.

American Dreams: Reproductive Justice  is a podcast that will explore exactly what Reproductive Justice means. A thoughtful framework  born in 1994, by 12 Black women in Chicago.

The four principles of Reproductive Justice are:

1. The right to have a child

2. The right to not have a child (which includes sterilization, which many doctors won’t do)

3. The right to have a child in a healthy environment and then raise them safely free from violence and with access to resources

4. The right to bodily autonomy and sexual pleasure

Season 2 of American Dreams will expand upon last season’s exploration of reproductive justice, centering stories of those touched by incarceration. Highlighting the effects of the carceral system and its effects on the directly and indirectly impacted people through the lens of reproductive justice. 

​American Dreams: Reproductive Justice Season 2 is executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is associate produced, written and edited by Simone Endress. Music by Wil Black for Black Gypsy Music. Graphic designs by Mingo Collaso. A special thanks to Flobots for the use of their song ‘American Dreams’. 

Special thanks to KUNV 91.5 

This podcast is empowered by Make it Work Nevada, a Project of Tides Advocacy

For more information please visit Make It Work Nevada.org and find us on all the socials to learn more about our work to create a world we all can thrive in.

–

Information in this episode found on:

Websites:

Childrensrights.org

sciencedirect.org

This last episode of American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is about the best practices for achieving healthy pregnancies and births, and that involves working together.

We spoke to Dr. Saraswathi Vedam with The Birth Place Lab, a division of the University of British Columbia. This lab conducts research and helps provide equitable access to reproductive care. As stated on their website, the lab focuses on four sections of reproductive care: person-centered measurement of equity, quality, and safety; (2) designing and implementing accountability tools and systems; (3) improving health professional education on anti-oppression, anti-racism, and cultural safety; and (4) expanding representation in the perinatal research and clinical workforce. 

We also spoke to Rosanna Davis, the President of CAL Midwives. CAL Midwives is an association of licensed midwives who provide reproductive care to patients and fight for reproductive justice in the state of California.

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American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is co-executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is co-executive produced, written, and edited by Carrie Kaufman of Overthinking Media LLC. Music by Wil Black of Black Gypsy Music, with The Flobots. Artwork by Brent Holmes.

Ashlee Hernanz Alvarez was 18 when she had her first daughter, Mimi. She was on Medicaid, and went to the only public hospital in Southern Nevada. She was not treated well. The labor and delivery nurses were understaffed, her doctor was not around, and when a fill-in doctor walked in, he treated her as if she was disturbing his night. Ashlee describes the birth as "savage." For her second birth four years later, Ashlee turned to a midwife. Her experience was far better. She got to watch comedy when her labor started, so she would be distracted by laughter. She got to use her oils and her birthing ball. And she caught her baby herself, as the midwife was cupping her hands as a back-up. 

These choices are not ideal for everyone, but birthing at home used to be the norm. Until professional medicine took over. We talk to Ashlee, her midwife, Jollina Simpson, and sociologist Alicia Suarez about the history of home birth, and why and how it's making a comeback.

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American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is co-executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is co-executive produced, written, and edited by Carrie Kaufman of Overthinking Media LLC. Music by Wil Black of Black Gypsy Music, with The Flobots. Artwork by Brent Holmes.

Amy Courts Koopman wanted a natural birth, despite a family history of pregnancy complications. She was in good health, but the pregnancy was tricky. Her birthing in-hospital midwife didn't read the notes in her chart. She was at one of the premiere hospitals in the U.S.

Brenda Zamora got pregnant at 18 with no insurance and working two jobs. She knew her diabetes was a complication to her pregnancy, but the high-risk clinic didn't flag anything. She gave birth at 30 weeks. Her daughter was born with a litany of issues, and would face multiple surgeries.

Erika Washington was giving birth to her second child. She went to the hospital and told the doctor to call her regular OB. They didn't. Instead they disbelieved she was in labor and sent her home with Ambien. She gave birth delirious and, as a 23-year-old Black woman on Medicaid, was accused of taking drugs and assumed to have no prenatal care.

These stories are told as one, with no narration. Might wanna grab your Kleenex.

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American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is co-executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is co-executive produced, written, and edited by Carrie Kaufman of Overthinking Media LLC. Music by Wil Black of Black Gypsy Music, with The Flobots. Artwork by Brent Holmes.

In 2014, Tammy Loertscher got pregnant. A few years before, her thyroid had been removed. She lost her job. She lost her insurance. Her state, Wisconsin, had turned down the Medicaid expansion associated with the Affordable Care Act. So she didn't have access to meds. So she self-medicated, just to keep herself stable. When she realized she was pregnant, she went to a doctor to help her get back on a better regimen, so she could be healthy for her fetus. Instead, she was arrested. We talk to filmmaker Jo Ardinger about her film, "Personhood," which follows Loertscher's story, and the personhood movement - which posits that a fetus is a person with rights, at the expense of the rights of the mother.

Personhood also shows up in the bizarre use of a law in Alabama intended to keep children safe in their homes. The Meth Lab Law was passed to criminalize people who were, say, cooking meth in their kitchens while their kids were watching TV in the next room. But, according to journalists Nina Martin and Amy Yurkinan, it was immediately used against pregnant women. Lawmakers, Martin told us, defined a "lab where drugs are manufactured" as a woman's womb. Thus, women who took meth, who smoked pot, who took prescription anxiety meds their doctors approved, were arrested - and got hefty sentences - under this law.

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American Dreams: Reproductive Justice is co-executive produced and hosted by Erika Washington, powered by Make It Work Nevada. The podcast is co-executive produced, written, and edited by Carrie Kaufman of Overthinking Media LLC. Music by Wil Black of Black Gypsy Music, with The Flobots. Artwork by Brent Holmes.