You don’t meet many people like Eldra Jackson III.

A man who once lived behind the walls of New Folsom Prison, Eldra doesn’t just talk about transformation—he embodies it.

What began as a sentence meant to contain him became the very soil where his healing took root.

Inside a maximum-security yard, Eldra sat in his first men’s circle. He showed up with walls, but walked out with something deeper: truth, vulnerability, and the terrifying freedom of being fully seen. That journey led him out of prison—and into purpose.

Today, Eldra is the Co-Executive Director of Inside Circle, a writer, mentor, and public speaker whose TED Talk on healing and masculinity has impacted thousands around the world. His work is a lifeline for at-risk youth, incarcerated men, and anyone ready to stop performing and start healing.

In this episode of The Brave Wrk Room to Grow Podcast, Eldra and I talk about:

• Why emotional honesty is the foundation of true masculinity

• How systems break men—and how circles can begin to rebuild them

• What it means to lead from love instead of fear

  
  

This isn’t just a story of rehabilitation. It’s a call to all of us to stop pretending, go deeper, and lead from the heart.

To learn more or support the work, visit insidecircle.org.