When Martin Lockett drove drunk on New Years Eve 2003, it changed everything. Upon learning that the two people who died when he crashed into their car that night were volunteers in the drug and alcohol recovery community, Martin chose to dedicate his life to helping others through addiction counseling and drinking and driving prevention.

This episode is a special one for me because Martin and I are friends. And, after 17 years in prison, Martin is finally home.

About Martin:

Martin Lockett is a writer and speaker whose words have impacted thousands of people, even before leaving prison. While incarcerated, he earned his Master of Science in Psychology with honors and his state certification as a substance abuse counselor. He has published two books and, home for just a month, he’s already a sought-after speaker for his story and wisdom.

“The thing is, most of us, we’re exhausted.” Rashid Hughes wants to change that. In this episode, we dive into not only what it means to rest (hint: it’s not about sleeping), but contemplative practices that hold space for those tired and weary from systemic injustice and transgenerational trauma.

Rashid Hughes is a certified Mindfulness and Yoga teacher and restorative justice specialist in Washington DC, and the co-founder of Heart Refuge. He’s also the creator of R.E.ST., a contemplative practice for the tired & weary.

Rashid's Website: https://www.rashidhughes.com

Heart Refuge: https://www.heartrefugemindfulnesscommunity.org

Rashid on Instagram: @justbeandbreathe

“The [basketball] court is not a prison…When I step on the court…it’s like the air is different.” At 16 years old, Anthony Ammons was sentenced to 102 years to life in prison. But, while locked up, he found home, peace, and authenticity on the basketball court.

Anthony is one of the stars of the documentary film Q Ball, which follows the San Quentin Warriors, the basketball team made up of men incarcerated in San Quentin prison, throughout one season. In this episode, we explore his early life in a gang, his realization of his own self-worth, basketball, and what it was like to be on the Covid Strike Team inside prison. We also laugh quite a bit as he shares funny stories about returning to life in the free world 3 months ago.

You can find Anthony on Instagram: @ant_ammons

“If it’s a human rights issue, then there’s no both sides.” Photojournalist Natalie Keyssar believes journalists have an obligation to be honest, not necessarily neutral. For about a year during the pandemic, Natalie focused her lens on the lives and deaths of the elderly who were behind bars in New York during Covid, sharing their stories and the toll it took on their families. “It’s so easy for society…to dismiss people in prison as people who deserve what they get or who don’t deserve humane treatment,” she said, but Natalie wants to use her camera to make sure the most vulnerable in prison are seen.

You can see Natalie’s photos and reporting in the Rolling Stone article, Prisoners and the Pandemic: https://www.rollingstone.com/covids-most-vulnerable-population-elderly-prisoners/

Natalie’s website: http://nataliekeyssar.com/splash

Natalie on Instagram: @nataliekeyssar

When I used to think about men in prison, I didn’t picture Mannie Thomas. I didn’t picture guys in their prison blues gathering to talk about the f word—feminism. I didn’t imagine their shared vulnerability, honestly looking at their trauma and their fears and their truths together. I didn’t expect this much love and brotherly support.

But that’s what our conversation today is about.

My guest is Mannie Thomas III. Mannie served 15 years of a 32 years-to-life sentence, during which time he joined a transformational feminist program for people who have caused harm. Today, Mannie is the Co-Executive Director of the organization that led that program, Success Stories.

Connect with Success Stories:

Website: https://www.successstoriesprogram.org

Instagram: @prisonfeminism

Twitter: @prisonfeminism

Facebook: @SuccessStoriesPrgm

The Feminist on Cellblock Y (Documentary): https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/04/18/the-feminist-on-cellblock-y-doc-orig.cnn

“If I could describe prison, it’s like you’re in the middle of the ocean and the only thing you’re trying to do is tread water and keep your head above [it].” This conversation with London Croudy is unapologetically about the women in the midst of that ocean, women who are directly impacted survivors of mass incarceration and other systemic trauma. London possesses a spirit, knowing, and purposefulness that is hard to capture in words but is undeniable. She’s currently a Program Manager at The Ahimsa Collective and has dedicated her life’s work to advocating for social and restorative justice for survivors of oppressed communities.

Learn more about The Ahimsa Collective here: https://www.ahimsacollective.net

When we think about those who have committed sexual offenses, we often conjure up images of evil, vile people. People who deserve to be thrown in cages and listed on public registries to protect our safety. Sex crimes expert Alissa Ackerman (who is also a survivor) is on a mission to ensure sexual harm never happens again—but not by dealing only with survivors. She’s getting to the source: those who have sexually offended. Leaning into connection, meaningful accountability, and even compassion, Alissa is changing the way we approach justice, community, and prevention.

Alissa Ackerman, PhD, is an Associate Professor at California State University, Fullerton. She is a co-founder of Ampersands Restorative Justice, and the co-host of the popular podcast Beyond Fear: The Sex Crimes Podcast.

Connect with Alissa:

Ampersands Restorative Justice: https://ampersandsrj.org

Alissa's website: https://www.alissaackerman.com

Twitter: @AlissaAckerman

Instagram: @alissarackerman

Facebook: @AlissaRAckerman

Beyond Fear: The Sex Crimes Podcast: https://beyondfearpodcast.com

“We have a country that, at its core, is rooted in racism and slavery.” We can’t untangle mass incarceration from this country’s deep and ongoing history of oppression if we truly want to transform our notion of justice and prevent harm. After serving nearly 2 decades in prison, Troy Williams is on a mission to abolish what he considers a modern day form of slavery—prison—and to use his voice and his camera to help people like himself tell their stories.

Troy is (among many things) the Executive Director of Restorative Media and a 2018 Soros Justice Fellow. While incarcerated, he founded, hosted, and produced the San Quentin Prison Report.

Connect with Troy:

Instagram: @troywilliamsjournal

Twitter: @troywmsjournal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troywmsjournal

Website: https://troywilliamsjournal.com

This is I’m Curious: Friends Edition. I’ve known my guest, Zach Minuto, since high school. This episode is called Unchurched, and we’re getting into all of it: Catholic sexual repression, did Jesus have a wife?, false gods, climate change, reimagining Eve, and more.

Zach Minuto is, among many other things, a writer, musician, and instrument-maker who resides in New Haven, Connecticut. He completed his MA in Religion at Yale Divinity School and began a Ph.D in History of Religion before dropping out to pursue other projects independently. As a musician, his work foregrounds homemade instruments, and his debut album, /our father has left us but our mother is all around/, will be out digitally this fall. His writing combines musical and cultural criticism with a postmodern theological outlook as he seeks to understand the things that bring us together. His book about noise is in its infancy, but he promises it’ll be out eventually…

The first time Rodolfo Buenrostro had a gun pointed at his head, it was by police. He was 8 years old. In this episode, Rodolfo talks about gang life, how having brown skin shapes the way the world treats him, the unifying power of music, and more. I think my favorite part of our conversation is when we talked honestly about coming from two different worlds, and what it takes to understand each other without judgment.

Rodolfo is a California Justice Leader, which is a collaboration between Impact Justice and Americorps. He’s a Reentry Life Coach placed at Breaking Through Barriers to Success in Northeast LA. He’s a Hip Hop MC and Performing Artist, and a Mixing Engineer-Producer.

Connect with Rodolfo:

Instagram: @mrgoodface