In this episode of the FreeHer Podcast, Andrea James speaks with a formerly incarcerated woman who shares her powerful story of survival, injustice, and transformation.At 24, she was arrested, charged with operating a drug production facility, and held on $500,000 bail despite being innocent. She ultimately pleaded guilty to go home.This conversation exposes the broken systems of incarceration, bail, and reentry—and why the FreeHer Campaign is fighting for real change.📢 We don’t need more prisons. We need justice.🕯️ Learn about our upcoming 3-day vigil and how you can get involved: https://www.freehercampaign.org

Is artificial intelligence and surveillance reshaping the future of justice and abolition? And is it already impacting our freedom? In this episode of the FreeHer Podcast, Andrea James sits down with Nick from the Fund for Guaranteed Income to unpack the truth about We talk about bias in AI tools, surveillance threats, data ethics, and why abolitionist communities must shape the future of these technologies before they’re used against us.📢 The future of AI is not set in stone. We deserve a say.🧠 Learn how grassroots organizers and formerly incarcerated leaders can influence AI, and how you can use tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to empower—not oppress—your work.🔗 Mentioned in the episode:https://www.f4gi.org (Fund for Guaranteed Income)https://collectiveintelligenceproject.org

At 14, Fatiha (aka Bam Bam) was a basketball star with dreams of Tennessee. By the age of 17, she was serving a 10-year prison sentence. In this powerful episode of the FreeHer Podcast, she shares how trauma, abuse, betrayal, and a broken system stole her childhood and how she’s now reclaiming her voice. This is a story about survival, injustice, and the fight to be heard.⏱️

Timestamps

00:00 A Troubled Beginning

00:19 The Turning Point

00:41 A Father's Influence

00:58 The Descent into Violence

01:19 Life in the System

01:59 Introducing Bam Bam

02:37 A Tale of Two Lives

04:20 The Double Life

09:37 The Gang Life

11:12 The Setup1

3:56 Facing the Consequences

16:01 Legal Troubles

17:24 A Troubled Youth and Legal Struggles

17:55 A Relationship Turns Violent

20:58 Facing the Consequences

22:25 Life in Prison and Finding Support

25:17 Reflections and Personal Growth

29:18 Advocacy and Future Goals

In this episode of the FreeHer Podcast, Andrea James sits down with former MA State Representative Jonathan Hecht to expose the deep-rooted secrecy in the Massachusetts legislature.

🗳️ 72% of voters approved Question 1 to audit the legislature, but Beacon Hill is resisting.

We uncover how legislative pay, leadership control, and ignored public hearings are silencing change and locking out grassroots movements.

✊ The FreeHer Podcast is where lived experience meets policy reform. This conversation breaks down what’s really happening on Beacon Hill—and what you can do about it.

🔗 Coalition Website: https://malegreform.org📅 People's Hearing on June 17th @ Church on the Hill (Boston, MA)

This episode of the FreeHer Podcast exposes how pregnancy is criminalized in the U.S. carceral system — from abortion bans to forced contraception and inhumane treatment.

Featuring Dr. Grace Howard, author of The Pregnancy Police, and Kimberly Haven, reproductive justice advocate and formerly incarcerated leader, we dive deep into the policies, language, and lived experiences shaping this hidden war on reproductive rights.

Get Dr. Howard's Book https://amzn.to/3H7u37j

The Trump administration has floated a shocking idea: sending incarcerated U.S. citizens to El Salvador’s infamous mega-prison.

NYU Law Professor Rachel Barkow joins the FreeHer Podcast to break down this proposal's legal and constitutional dangers — and what it means for due process, citizenship rights, and the future of democracy in America.

🔎 We explore: 

• The Supreme Court's silence and limits    •    
• Due process violations and mass incarceration
• The terrifying precedent of punishing citizens abroad

📚 Featuring insights from Barkow’s book Justice Abandoned, this episode is a must-watch for anyone concerned about constitutional rights, mass incarceration, and government overreach.Get

Rachel's Book Here 👉 https://geni.us/nBrEYa7

Follow us on IG:

https://www.instagram.com/thecouncilus/

Andrea James sits down with Eric to discuss his wife Brittany Martin and the unjust arrest and incarceration of her at a peaceful protest.

Brittany Martin, the South Carolina activist who was arrested at a protest following the police murder of George Floyd in 2020, has been released after serving years in prison. The S.C. Department of Corrections released Ms. Martin on November 27 2024, just in time to spend Thanksgiving with her husband and children.

Andrea James interviews hit TV show writer and creator Piper Kerman. Piper and Andrea both share their experience incarnated at Dublin. Although they were not there at the same time the bonds created while incarcerated transcended into a real life sisterhood. After the traumas experienced while incarcerated both individuals set out in their own way to spread the awareness of women's prisons and how women are being treated unfairly and forgotten by society. As an abolitionist Andrea's goal is to end incarceration of women and girls around the world. To support go to www.freeherinstitute.com

Andrea James sits down with Ray Harts founder of Healthy Hearts Institute to discuss reimagining communities and what it could look like for future generations.

Ray Harts is a Husband, Father, Son and community member that served time in San Quentin. As a formerly incarcerated individual he has founded an organization dedicated to changing his community and other communities that are disproportionately disadvantaged.

Andrea and Ray share the same vision of reimagining the communities that are underserved and targeted by the system of incarceration.

For more info go to www.freeherinstitue.com

Andrea James sits with Kym Whitley to explore the importance of women with influence to join the mission of freeing women and girls around the world from incarceration.

Kym Whitley is a famous producer, actor and comedian that appeared in many Hollywood film projects and actively tours the United States doing comedy. Andrea believes voices like hers could be instrumental in getting the message of ending incarceration for women and girls around the world.

All things ending incarceration of women and girls.

To support go to www.freeherinstitute.com