Recently released from prison, convicted felon Daniel Collins uses his platform on social media to fight for prison reform and activism. JD and Suzy talk to Daniel about his transformation from racist to activist and the detailed experience and lesson of prison life.

What You Will Hear:

Daniel’s story starting from his professional baseball career and his release from that life.

Seeking acceptance and validation through drugs

Mentorship and financial education

Addiction

Using your privilege responsibly

Prison life, racism and closet racism

Believing and accepting others' truths

The history of the prison industrial complex, white supremacist system of injustice

Restorative justice and generations

Lesson learned: To thy own self be true and This too shall pass

Mental health issues in the prison system and how Daniel handled his own

Substance abuse programs in prison

White fragility and where it shows up

Changing the narrative by letting egos go, taking down our barriers and having conversations

Quotes:

“It is so hard to engage with people that don’t agree with you.”

“Sometimes people want to see how much you care before they hear how much you know.”

“When we start to show compassion then it becomes easier to have empathy for people and love for mankind.”

“The system has no heart, it has no soul.”

“We have to rehabilitate and restore the perpetrator to right relations with the victims, themselves, the communities and their families.”

“You can’t fix something that’s broken with something that’s broken.”

“Putting people in prison doesn’t eliminate crime, it just displaces crime. You take crime from the public eye and you just put it inside the system.”

“Knowledge is power but wisdom is application of that knowledge.”

“The drugs are just a symptom of the problem”

Mentioned:

Tiktok and IG @confessionsofaconvict

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