This week Kevin and Niseema welcome guest Richard D. Smith, MA. He is a nationally recognized expert on trauma and healing for survivors of interpersonal and systemic violence. His father was murdered, his mother struggled as a single parent, and he experienced a childhood that was often chaotic, unstable, and frightening. By age 16, Richard was incarcerated in an adult jail and was eventually sentenced to spend all of his twenties in prison.

In part one of this two-part interview, we talk with Richard about how the behaviors that put him in jail were directly linked to "what happened" to him as a young person. Richard makes a distinction between "what happened to me" and who I am as an individual self. When he made the distinction, he was able to be free of the cycle of violence that shaped his young adult life.

Richard is now a leader in community-based programs, with over 20 years of experience. He is currently a doctoral candidate at SUNY Albany’s School of Social Welfare. His research focus is on male survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Richard is a Robert Wood Johnson Forward Promise Leadership Fellow.