Safe Space Convos

If we have learned anything this past week in Los Angeles, it's that anybody can be a hero! In response to the wildfires ravaging our hometown of Los Angeles, we wanted to sit down with Eddie Herrera Jr. Formerly an incarcerated firefighter and now a free man working for Cal Fire, Eddie has had an incredible journey of overcoming pain and shame, through hard work and dedication. He shares with us his process of evolution, and the unique path he took to becoming an institutional firefighter 16 years into his prison sentence. We've seen a ton of discourse on the internet about the heroic work of incarcerated firefighters in California, and questions about how the programs work, compensation, and what the pathways are to pursuing a career in firefighting upon release. Eddie had lots of information to share with us in response to these questions, and we are just excited today for you to get to know him. Investing in growth opportunities for our incarcerated population creates safer communities for all of us. Thank you so much Eddie!

We made it! Our final episode of 2024! We wanted to close the year out in the same way we started it: a cozy, silly and honest couch chat. Today we talk about some of the lessons and practices that 2024 brought for both of us. It sounds serious, but we're really just hanging out, laughing and reflecting on self worth, self care, and how fricken important it is to take care of your body and nervous system as the years pass. We love you guys so much, happy holidays, and happy New Year!! See you in 2025!

Today we have the pleasure of talking to Brian James. At 16 years old, Brian had already found himself wrapped up in a life of gangs, drugs and incarceration, following a childhood surrounded by addiction and abuse. By 17, he was sentenced to life in prison. Over the following two plus decades, Brian continued to seek validation and acceptance in violent and self-destructive places, furthering his addiction and ultimately spending 9 years in solitary confinement. He pinpoints the overwhelming loss of his closest loved one, his grandmother, along with changes in the law that provided him hope to one day be released from prison, as his catalysts for change. In his 30's, Brian finally dedicated himself to his sobriety, understanding his emotional landscape, and committing to the hard work of self-exploration and accountability. After spending 29 years in prison, Brian has now been free for 874 days. He has a special talent for articulating what he has felt for so much of his life, and we hope you connect to his journey to find redemption and healing. Thank you for sharing your truth Brian!

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Randall Ellis, who got out of prison in 2021 after 40 years of incarceration, 33.5 of which he served in the SHU and solitary confinement. At the time of his incarceration, prison policy allowed for inmates to be kept in the SHU for decades, even when they had NO disciplinary infractions throughout that time. After decades of isolation and deprivation, Randall participated in the mass hunger strikes that spread across the state in protest of the cruelty of solitary confinement. As a result, he was finally released back to the general population after 33.5 years of suffering and mental fortitude. In spite of his hardship, Randall overflows with joy and laughter. His spirit is contagious, and the level of accountability he takes for his actions over the course of his life is a goal for us all to aspire to. We could not be more grateful for this conversation, thank you so much Randall!

This week we got the chance to sit down with Nick Tirado! As one of the creative minds behind the Anti Recidivism Coalition's social media page, Nick has traveled a long, hard road to get where he is today. From living in an abusive household, to experiencing childhood homelessness, parental addiction and being forced to provide for his younger brothers in dangerous neighborhoods as a teen, Nick bravely and graciously opened up about his traumas as well as the harmful behaviors he has displayed throughout his life. After overcoming addiction and 11+ years of incarceration, Nick shared with us about the progress he has made in healing and accountability. He explained how reading, writing, and now videography have been necessary outlets through which he finds healing and purpose. Nick has big life goals as a creative that we can't wait to see him accomplish. Thank you so much Nick!

This week we decided to have an honest conversation about the journey we're on and the pressures we feel. After being asked the question, "what are your goals for this podcast?" many times over, we decided to take a step back and reflect on our intentions and the lives we're working to create. We discuss the thoughts and worries that trip us up, hold us back, and occasionally throw us off course, as well as the ways that we combat self-sabotage and self-doubt to stay the course of our truth. Success can look like many things, and to us, it's about alignment with our intuition and our values, not rushing the learning process or conforming to outside pressures, and having the confidence to move in the direction that sits right with our spirits. If you've been along for the ride, we thank you and we love you.

Our next guest needs no introduction because… she’s our mommy! In today’s conversation, our mom opens up about parenting alongside an addict, supporting her son through his incarceration, and the depths of grief following her experience with losing a child. Despite it all, our mom has held onto unwavering faith and a deep belief in the power of God and goodness. She's a spiritual warrior and a survivor! There are hard earned lessons from start to finish in this episode and we could not be happier or more grateful to have her on today. We love you momma!

Today we decided it's time to make things a bit more personal. As we've begun to delve deep into conversations with others on the podcast and learn about their lives and lessons, it's gotten us thinking about where we're at in our own lives, and the lessons and perspectives that we've gathered so far. We have a lot of laughs and even a lot of tears in this conversation, so if you're interested in joining some real talk with us, today is your day! Love you!

We are so honored to have gotten to interview Zach Skow for today’s episode, someone that we’ve admired from afar for a very long time. Zach is the founder of Marley’s Mutts dog rescue and The Pawsitive Change Program, which pairs shelter dogs with incarcerated people for training and rehabilitation. Well over 1,000 incarcerated people have graduated the Pawsitive Change program to date, which boasts a virtually 0% recidivism rate for graduates as compared to the US National average of 73%. In today’s episode, Zach shares with us all about his journey through addiction and liver failure, to somehow beating all of the odds and getting sober at 29. He credits his three dogs for being the motivation and love he needed to survive through near life-ending health issues related to his alcoholism, and is truly a walking miracle. This conversation is a powerful one fueled by hope, faith, community and sheer will. We hope you enjoy it! *Trigger warning: We discuss and allude to sexual abuse in this episode. If that will hurt you, please skip this one and join us next time. ❤️

Welcome to a conversation that we are beyond honored to be having with Lamont "Tory" Stapleton. Tory is an incredible human, and today we wanted to talk to him about his program with the incarcerated population, Between the Lines. Tory started going into prisons sporadically as a volunteer starting in 2014, but years later when he coincidentally ran into a formerly incarcerated student of his out in the world and realized the impact of his program, Tory got to work solidifying Between the Lines. His nonprofit provides an opportunity for the incarcerated population to connect as humans in a safe, fun and loving way, and also offers them a platform to tell their stories and share their messages of truth, hope, and wisdom with the world. Between the Lines has quickly expanded into a crucial programming resource for this population of men and women who are desperate for support, and we could not love their mission more! If you're interested in supporting them or the incarcerated population, please go follow Between the Lines on social media and/or donate if you have the means! We love you all, and thank you so much Tory for sharing your light!