Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dewayne Johnson.

🎙️ Interview Summary

Guest: Dewayne Johnson
Organization: Silver Lining Project
Mission: To empower, employ, and include individuals from the IRP community—Incarcerated, Reentry, Parole, and Probation—through partnerships, job placement, and holistic support.

🧭 Purpose of the Interview

To share Dewayne Johnson’s powerful journey from incarceration to community leadership, and to highlight the work of the Silver Lining Project in helping formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society with dignity, opportunity, and support.

🔑 Key Takeaways 1. Personal Transformation

• Dewayne was incarcerated twice, first for armed robbery and later for drug-related offenses.
• He used his time in prison to reflect, grow, and educate himself—including becoming bilingual in Spanish.
• His entrepreneurial spirit, once misdirected, is now channeled into community empowerment.

2. Foundation Origins

• The Silver Lining Project was born from Dewayne’s realization that incarceration could be a turning point.
• He began planning the foundation while still incarcerated, despite skepticism and limited resources.
• The name symbolizes finding hope and purpose in negative circumstances.

3. Mental Health & Forgiveness

• Dewayne candidly discusses the emotional toll of incarceration: depression, shame, and suicidal thoughts.
• He emphasizes the importance of self-forgiveness and spiritual grounding as tools for healing and resilience.

4. Community Impact

• The Silver Lining Project provides:
  • Job placement
  • Housing assistance
  • Financial literacy
  • Health care access
  • Clothing donations
• The organization focuses on non-judgmental reintegration, recognizing the potential and ingenuity of formerly incarcerated individuals.

5. Empowerment Philosophy

• “We’re not the judge. We don’t attach stigma.”
• “We represent hope and turn challenges into change.”
• Dwayne encourages others to walk by faith, not sight, and to build a life of purpose beyond their past.

💬 Notable Quotes

• “I had to find the silver lining.”
• “You either get branded or you get labeled.”
• “I’m walking by faith and not by sight.”
• “We’re here for those people—even if no one else forgives you, we forgive you.”
• “You have to be calculated about the people you allow in your circle.”

📞 Contact Info

• Website: slproject.org
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: (713) 940-1454
• Facebook: The Silver Lining Project
• Instagram: @thesilverlining_project

 

 

#STRAW

#SHMS

#BEST

 

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