Tracy and I met 9 years ago when she commented on the Facing Homelessness Facebook page. Her sharing was, you could say, a tour de force of emotional outpouring.

Today I want to revisit that exchange because something important happened, something I believe is available to all of us and provides a path for moving forward when discussing difficult societal issues.

In this episode with David, I wanted to talk with him about the work he has been doing since leaving the prison system. We cover his work at the Freedom Project and the Black Rose Collective.

At the end of our last episode, David, who was just 16 years old, took part in a serious crime. His life was about to change in a profound and now unavoidable way. This pivotal moment was put into motion when he asked someone older, someone he refers to as “the adult”, for a ride to his girlfriend's house. Once in the car, along with others, he learns he’s not going to his girlfriend’s place, but rather, being taken on a crime spree.

In this episode we explore David’s life in prison, how he educated himself, began his journey of healing, and the remarkable turn of events that led to his release.

David knows first-hand the impacts of mass incarceration, after receiving a life sentence at the age 16. In his words, “being thrown away at 16 years old wasn’t the event. It was an exclamation point” on the consistent messaging he’s been receiving his whole life from systems that failed to see his humanity. He was released after serving 24 years, following legislative reform of juvenile sentencing standards due to a new understanding of youth brain science.

He now works to develop community partnerships with individuals, groups and movements who share an alignment with and affinity for dismantling systems of oppression.