Human Amplified

This episode is Erica Hines’ firsthand account of what happened when the FBI, DEA, and one other unidentified law enforcement agency erroneously descended on her apartment around 7:15 am on September 10, 2020. 

She tells us every detail she can remember from the time she was awakened by officers yelling and banging on her door, to thinking she was going to die, to them miraculously leaving. She describes one thing she did to ensure people would believe her story after the fact. And her quick thinking did come in handy.  

Now that we’re several months out from the incident, Erica is still experiencing mental health impacts. It affects her every day while she has to work toward staying calm and trying to remain untriggered while working and living in a space that makes the event replay in her head. 

She says, “to this day, I hear these men yelling at me.”

So, it wasn’t easy for Erica to tell this story. But, her story is her quest for justice. 

Erica found an attorney to take on the case, but explains there are so many cases like this, many go unheard and people drop them.

This begs the question - how can we stop this from happening? 

Before we jump into Erica’s traumatic experience, at the beginning of the episode, we spend some time getting to know her as a human - a fellow human who brings invaluable joy and beauty into the world. We wrap up with defining justice and Erica’s hopes for the future and our society - one that right now is marred. 

I implore you to listen closely, think about what Erica is saying and what it all means, and think about what happened as if it happened to you. The defeat. Helplessness. Anxiety.

Erica is a graphic designer and crafter known for her creativity, layout, environmental design, and ability to curate beautiful custom gifts. She’s smart, driven, and puts her heart and soul into everything she does. She loves to play video games in her spare time, is a self-described blerd, and is inspired by childhood memories of the holidays. 

She grew up in Memphis, Tenn. in a single-parent home with support from both parents and an artistic ability that runs in her family. She credits her mom for her strong work ethic.  

Erica currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is trying to heal and move on from the lasting impacts of the erroneous raid.

It's easy to assume the way we see the world is the way it really is.

What if we're actually seeing it through a lens shaped by our strengths, fears, experiences, and unconscious habits?

In this conversation, Corey Hatfield explains how character strengths influence the way we think, connect with others, and make sense of the world.

We discuss anxiety, cognitive dissonance, mindfulness, and the challenge of recognizing both our own blind spots and the strengths we overlook in ourselves and other people.

Long before launching the Hey Human podcast, Susan Ruth built her career around storytelling.

As a songwriter, artist, and creative entrepreneur, she spent years exploring what motivates people, what shapes their beliefs, and why some conversations bring us closer while others drive us further apart.

In this conversation, Susan reflects on the importance of being heard, what she learned from interviewing hundreds of guests with radically different perspectives, and why curiosity is often more powerful than judgment.

We also discuss creativity, identity, human connection, and the surprising ways a single conversation can challenge assumptions and create meaningful change.

I’m your host, Brandi Fleck, and this is Human Amplified. 

We’re on a mission to revamp society by amplifying your humanity. 

We tell highly personal, experiential stories sprinkled with expert advice to uncover humanity at its most raw and messy, yet beautiful. We challenge you to dig deep, crack open, and spark your inner badass. 

If you’re looking for connection, improved relationships, and understanding, but are tired of the small talk, you’re in the right place. 

This is your starting point to get real about life and be the person you want to be so the world can be what you want it to be. 

Dude - that feels good, yeah? 

So come hang out with us. 

Subscribe on your podcast platform of choice and learn more at humanamplified.com.

We’re on a mission to revamp society by amplifying your humanity.

THE WAY SOCIETY & (COUNTER) CULTURE IS...STARTS WITH YOU.

Yes, the messy, but also the beautiful parts.

So grab your cuppa Joe and settle in.

 We’re gonna dig deep into our humanity to get real and raw about who we are and why. What we uncover will challenge you, but then it’ll spark your inner badass to blaze that next trail, so your moxie can rub off on the world.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and check out the new website at humanamplified.com.

I’m going to be flying solo to talk to you about the 6 helpful habits to finding your purpose. This is a lesson in using introspection to nurture a relationship with yourself through 6 habits that are tools, which will help you reconnect with your true core self and values. Once you reconnect in that way, finding your purpose in life becomes much easier, leading to more positive experiences and fulfillment in many areas of your life.

Season 2 of the On Being Human podcast wraps up after running in parallel with natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, and civil unrest. Host, Brandi Fleck, and Sound Engineer, Ryan Sauls reflect on the impact, the making of the music that underscored people's powerful stories, and how the voices were the most important part.

We reflect on the highlights of the season, shout out to all the amazing guests and assistance along the way, and describe the difference between pre-COVID-19 episodes and post-COVID-19 episodes.

Listeners, come back between now and season 3 for so many goodies!

Belinda Harvey learned early that some people experience America differently than others.

Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, she witnessed gang violence, lived with constant uncertainty, and learned not to expect help when police were called. 

Those experiences stayed with her as she built a successful career in corporate America, raised a son of her own, and watched the events of 2020 force long-overdue conversations about race into the national spotlight.

Belinda reflects on the realities of growing up Black in America, the emotional toll of code-switching, her family's deep roots in the civil rights movement, and why she remains hopeful that meaningful change is possible.

Purpose didn't arrive all at once for Wendy Yates. It emerged through creativity, service, entrepreneurship, and a willingness to start over when life wasn't aligned with who she wanted to become.

Wendy shares how growing up in a military family, rebuilding her life after divorce, and building a design business from scratch shaped her understanding of purpose, community, and meaningful work.

We discuss why success and service don't have to be opposites, how our environments influence our well-being, and what it means to create a life that reflects your values.

If you've ever wondered whether you're on the right path, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on purpose, reinvention, and the ongoing work of becoming yourself.

For much of her life, Lori Reising was trying to understand a feeling she couldn't quite explain.

Adopted as an infant through a closed adoption, she grew up surrounded by love. Yet underneath that love was a persistent sense of abandonment, a question of belonging that followed her into adulthood and shaped the way she moved through relationships, loss, and healing.

Lori reflects on the impact of adoption trauma, meeting her biological mother for the first time, the devastating loss of a stillborn daughter, years of grief, chronic health challenges, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life she never expected to live.

Along the way, she shares what these experiences taught her about trust, resilience, spirituality, and the lifelong search for connection.