“Difficult conversations are the way change is made” Adam Grant

WARNING!!! THIS EPISODE HAS SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, THERE'S AN ECHO THAT I COULD NOT GET CLEARED UP IN POST-PRODUCTION. I FELT THAT THE CONTENT OF THE CONVERSATION WAS SO VALUABLE THAT I COULDN'T SCRAP THE INTERVIEW. I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ADAM AT A DIFFERENT TIME FOR A PART 2.

PLEASE, BEAR WITH ME AND LISTEN INTENTIONALLY...

27 straight years served for a bank robbery he committed at the age of 22, Lansing native and reentry activist, Adam Grant sat down with me and dug deep into his story. From committing his first robbery at age 12, what led to his criminal career, and the history of the #SheltonBoys gang, the family name. We discussed his time inside; being the "white boy from Lansing", solitary confinement, gangs, and rape. As well as 40 years of incarceration including jail, probation, parole, and nearly 30 years in Michigan Department of Corrections.
We even spent a few minutes reminiscing about the "good ol' days" of prison back when "prison was prison".

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Perserverance is the word for this interview. Convicted of murder at the age of 16, serving nearly 20 years in prison, this brother's dedication to higher education has been his roadmap to successful reentry. In my first over the phone interview, I get deep with my guy Mario discussing mental health, trauma, and the challenges of reentering society after serving a long sentence. If you're looking for the motivation to GO MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! This episode is the one to start your year off with.

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On this episode I sat down with my nephew Amonte (18 years old) and Dawgy Bone (25 years old). We discussed the lack of leadership in the community, women taking charge, and what the men coming home from prison can/should be doing to build the community, ALL sparked from a Facebook post that Dawgy Bone made stating that "there are no men as examples for our youth"...

It's a short, but impactful conversation, check it out!!!

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In one of my earlier recordings, I had a chance to sit down with the Comeback Kid himself, Doug Little! Fresh off of going viral for doing the work and welcoming returning citizens home in the Detroit area with brand new kicks, Doug breaks down the Comeback Kid Brand, his motivation, and what you can do to help. We also did a full walkthrough of his prison experience during 12 years inside the MDOC. Therapy, trauma, prison life, and the reason I started this podcast were all topics of discussion in this one. Must listen!!!

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Check out this episode, a favorite of mine, with me and the Champ Tommy Washington, known lovingly to me and others as Brother Tommy X. We had a dope conversation, discussing his multiple times incarcerated, finally figuring out how to stay out of there, losing his mother while incarcerated, prison politics and more!!! We also spent some time talking about the local music scene, his connection to artist El' Zappo Foreign, and plans for Members Only Boxing.

This episode was recorded prior to the brother's passing and is dedicated to his life and our relationship. REST IN POWER my brother...

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FAMILY REUNIFICATION!

Get caught up on this throwback episode from June 9, 2022, an emotional conversation with my little sister Dottie. I started out the episode reading a letter I'd written to myself, in her voice, from a class on Empathy that I took inside. From there, we just kicked it, she helped me see how my action affected her life after I left. I think this episode was the start of us finally getting that stuff off our chests and made us better able to relate moving forward. Love you sis and I appreciate the conversation...

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Had a chance to sit and build with my brother Marlon Beard about his time served in Federal Prison, being a father, making the transition, and the community. This is one of a few conversations between us, but definitely one you don't want to miss!!!

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