In this episode, Zach Norris, the Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and the author of Defund Fear: Safety Without Policing, Prisons and Punishment, shares his story. Born and bred in Oakland, California and trained as a lawyer, Zach shares personal insights on collective efforts to dismantle California's oppressive carceral system. We hear challenges and victories over 20 years organizing inside and outside of California prisons and working with youth, families and lawmakers. He centers a deep commitment to his hometown and a vision of love, liberation, and healing over fear and criminalization.