WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by NBA Foundation
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
S5 | EP6: JOEL AUSTIN ~ Educating & Equipping the World with Tools for Engaged, Informed and Empowered Fatherhood
Joel Austin is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of DADDY UNIVERSITY, INC.® and Vice President of nonprofit, School of Parent Education (SPE) . At these organizations, Mr. Austin has uplifted fathers, transformed families, and rewritten what parent education can and should look like.
As a father of four, his passion for this work is both personal and professional. He serves as a strong, force pushing male parenting and positive fatherhood to the forefront of family and community conversations, and is deeply committed to educating—and re-educating—the world about the importance of engaged, informed and empowered fatherhood. For the past 21 years, his leadership has grown Daddy University Inc. into a nationally recognized authority on fatherhood education, training, and support.
In this episode, Joel breaks down the science, research & data on fatherhood and gives insights & expertise from his 21 years of experience training Dads inside and outside of prison. He believes, "Every father deserves the tools to succeed, and every family deserves the benefit of his success."
So many educational gems & lessons in this episode!
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#WEGOTUSNOW #FathersDay #DaddyUniversity #JoelAustin #Dad #Daddy #Father #Family #Children #Daughter #Son #Boy #Girl #Fatherhood #GirlDad #ParentEducation #PaternalHealth #MaternalHealth #MensMentalHealth #FamilyEducation #KeepFamiliesConnected #WeGotUsNowCommunity
WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by Chicago Beyond
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S5 | EP5: MIKO UNDERWOOD ~ Fashion as a Bridge: Catalyzing Healing, Sustainability & Creative Expression
Miko Underwood is the award-winning Founder / Designer of OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles, the first sustainable brand in Harlem, NY. A denim expert and innovator, with nearly twenty years of wash, product and brand development, Miko has become a leading voice in the sustainable denim space. She is committed to propelling the fashion industry into a more sustainable era where empowerment, cultural responsibility & accountability are at the forefront. She is passionate in telling a more inclusive American Denim story by shining a light on the UNTOLD HISTORY of the Indigenous American and the enslaved Africans contributions that have shaped American manufacturing and American Denim. Miko noticed firsthand the devastating environmental effects of manufacturing denim, inspiring her to research and innovate sustainable alternatives.
Her work in Denim has won her industry accolades including a feature in VOGUE & other global recognition. The CEO of Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Stephen Kolb, recommended Miko as WGSN Future Designer 2021. And she was voted as one of the most influential people in denim for the Rivet 50 2021, an annual index of the most influential people in denim globally. Miko is also the 2021 WINNER of RIVET + PROJECT AWARDS: Best Men Collection. She garnered support from fashion organizations like Harlem's Fashion Row, RAISEfashion & is a CFDA/Bethann Hardison Designer Hub Grant Recipient and Designer Hub Founding Member.
OAK & ACORN was one of 6 brands featured in Nordstrom NYC’s Black Founders x Center Stage Pop-Up in February 2020. The brand made history in Nordstrom as the first Black Designer Brand on the Designer 4th Floor in their New York City Flagship. OAK & ACORN ~ Only for the Rebelles has been listed as “Label to Watch” by The SPINOFF, HIGHSNOBIETY, HYPEBAE and most recently was highly recommended by Essence Magazine's, EssenceGu "Look to Shop" for BEYONCE's Cowboy Carter Tour.
In this episode, Miko takes us along her personal journey and shares who and what sparked fashion and denim design for her. She gives insights into the creative process of fashion design, the importance of sustainability, and how her passion for art & design has been a healing catalyst for spiritual, transformation and creative expression.
This insightful episode is deeply introspective and inspiring!
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WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram
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#WEGOTUSNOW #Fashion #Artist #Sustainability #Denim #History #OakandAcorn #OnlyFortheRebelles #ArtistisTheHealer #Designer #MikoUnderwood #Craftsmanship #Creative #CreativeExpression #Incarceration #Daughter #Father #Mother #Family #WeGotUsNowCommunity
WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by Libra Foundation
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S5| EP4: J. MARK EDDY ~ Bridging Interdisciplinary Perspectives to Inform Research on the Issue of Children with Incarcerated Parents
Dr. J. Mark Eddy is a Senior Scientist and Licensed Psychologist. He is also a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education within the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. As a prevention scientist, he develops and rigorously tests prevention and intervention programs intended to benefit children and families, and particularly those who are living in stressful circumstances. His recent work centers on the conduct of randomized controlled trials of multimodal interventions in partnership with school systems, the juvenile justice system, the adult corrections system, the child welfare system, and the military, as well as with nonprofits that work with these and related systems. His research has focused on communities in the U.S. and in Central America
In this episode, Dr.Eddy shares insights into his career journey, from his initial inspirations to his fundamental research. He discusses his work developing family-centered interventions and the crucial role of interdisciplinary approaches in shaping research. This conversation highlights Ebony Underwood's collaboration as a co-author of a chapter in the Handbook on Children with Incarcerated Parents: Research, Policy, and Practice, Second Edition, and Dr. Eddy provides important historical context and clarity on the harmful and persistent myth surrounding children with incarcerated parents. This important discussion offers a glimpse into Dr. Eddy's scholarly leadership, personal reflections, and his anticipated future contributions.
A very informative episode NOT to be MISSED!
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#WEGOTUSNOW #Family #Children #ParentsBehindBars#IncarceratedParents #Incarceration#JMarkEddy #Psychology #Science #Research #WellBeing #WeGotUsNowCommunity
WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by Satterberg Foundation
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S5| EP3: JENNIFER JONES ~ Beauty Marks for Girls: Addressing Trauma for Girls With Incarcerated Mothers through long-term Mentorship, Care & Community
Jennifer Jones is an award-winning educator, entrepreneur, and young professional dedicated to leaving an indelible mark on the globe. She is a graduate of Columbia College and the founder of nonprofit organization, Beauty Marks for Girls.
Beauty Marks for Girls is an organization geared towards empowering the lives of girls whose mothers are incarcerated.
In this episode, Jennifer shares what it is like growing up with an incarcerated mother and her quest to heal her childhood trauma. In 2019, Jennifer founded Beauty Marks for Girls, a 501(c)(3) long-term mentorship program for girls that uses leadership to empower elementary, middle, and high school girls whose mothers are in prison in South Carolina. Before launching Beauty Marks for Girls, Jennifer traveled back to her hometown to volunteer at Greenwood, SC's Leath Correctional Institution. She admits teaching women empowerment in the institution changed her life and is where she found her calling. Jennifer has several years of management experience in the public and private sectors and has overseen the development and implementation of over six effective programs at Beauty Marks for Girls geared towards ages 8–18. Since Beauty Marks for Girls was founded, the lives of countless underrepresented girls have been changed for the better, and they have overcome significant social and emotional challenges. Beauty Marks for Girls has helped four girls get back on track and graduate from high school, and has helped them with entering college on partial or full-ride scholarships.
Jennifer's goal is to establish trauma-sensitive communities where every girl with an incarcerated parent is given the tools they need to face challenges, heal, develop, and flourish to realize her full potential and end intergenerational incarceration.
This is an episode NOT to be MISSED!
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#WEGOTUSNOW
#Girls #Women #Mothers #Family #Trauma#BeautyMarksForGirls #Mentoring #Mentorship #Mentor #WellBeing #Incarceration #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #Childrenofincarceratedparents#WeGotUsNowCommunity
WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by RWJFoundation
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S5 | EP2: FOX & ROB RICHARDSON ~ TIME II: Unfinished Business ~ A TIMELESS LOVE STORY
Sibil Fox and Robert Richardson, affectionately known among their peers as FoxandRob, are a popular New Orleans-based couple who endured and survived twenty-one years as an incarcerated family. In 1997, Rob Rich, a first offender in Louisiana, was sentenced to 61-years as a result of overzealous prosecution. Not to be denied, after her release from prison in 2002, Fox Rich led a valiant charge to regain her husband’s freedom. In June 2018 Governor John Bel Edwards granted clemency to Rob. Ninety days later he was released. Their story is told in the acclaimed, award-winning documentary TIME, and the forthcoming sequel, TIME II: Unfinished Business.
In this episode, Fox and Rob give us an inside look into their timeless love story. Together a total of 38 years total and survived 21 of those years as an incarcerated family. They share their story of love, surviving the criminal justice system and raising six successful sons. Their work continues through their advocacy for incarcerated families through the NOLA chapter of Participatory Defense Movement, an initiative of Rich Family Ministries, which they founded with the vision of “changing lives and laws through love” and dedicated to empowering families and marriages to thrive.
Take a moment to absorb this Unforgettable Journey of Love, against all odds!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram
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#WEGOTUSNOW
#FoxAndRob #Mother #Father #Children #Justice #Freedom #Sons #Family #Reunification #Love #Marriage #Partnership #Incarceration #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #WellBeing
#TIMEIIWATCH #UnfinishedBusiness #JusticeForGenerations
#WeGotUsNowCommunity
WELCOME to Season 5 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by NBA Foundation
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
For our 7th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S5 | EP 1: BREE ANDERSON: A Mother's Love ~ Reproductive Justice Changemaker
Bree Anderson is a WE GOT US NOW Actionist and the Co-Founder & Executive Director of A'sani Heartbeat Foundation. As a New Orleans, Louisiana native, her journey into social justice started as a daughter impacted by the wrongful conviction of her father, Robert Jones. This led her to empower women and girls as the Co-Founder of Daughters Beyond Incarceration. However, her passion and mission transformed to Reproductive Justice, fueled by her own direct experience of parenthood, preterm birth, prematurity, maternal health and infant mortality.
Today, Bree and her loving partner, Andre Apparicio, are co-founders of A'sani Heartbeat Foundation and Dad-A-Port dedicated to creating laws that will support infant mortality, maternal & paternal health, and neonatal infancy. Bree has served on several boards and transition teams dedicated to providing restorative healing to communities. Through her dedication to social justice, she has been called a Millenium Changemaker making a positive impact on the lives of countless children and families. She is the author of the book, In My Own Words, which has sold over 1000 copies and her work has been recognized and featured in The New York Times, Forbes 30 under 30, BBC, BET and other national outlets.
In this episode, Bree shares her story and gives our audience an up close and personal insight into what ignited her to become a Reproductive Justice Changemaker dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of families and communities. She shares her continued motivation to support children of incarcerated parents through WE GOT US NOW with mentorship, policy, and advocacy towards the goal of dismantling unjust systems and providing healing to those affected by them.
Bree continues to strive to make the world a better place. This Episode is Not to be Missed!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | LinkedIn
LISTEN to the WE GOT US NOW Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all podcasts platforms.
#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #BreeAnderson #BreeofNola #ActionistinAction #ChildWellBeing #Community #Allies #Wellness #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 4 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by The Just Trust
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 6th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
Dr. Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MBA | MSc | FAAP is a pediatrician and a physician-investigator at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and in the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She examines the influence of social adversities experienced in childhood and subsequent child and adolescent health. Dr. Heard-Garris is also interested in the factors that contribute to thriving and resilience despite these experiences. Dr. Heard-Garris completed a prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Fellowship at the University of Michigan. She earned her Master of Science in Health and Healthcare Research. She received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Howard University College of Medicine and helped to launch the student-run free clinic serving DC residents. Dr. Heard-Garris earned her Bachelor of Science in biology at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Heard-Garris is also an active member in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Dr. Heard-Garris has had numerous media appearances, including CNN/Sesame Street, NPR, NBC, and numerous others.
In this episode, she takes our listeners on a deep dive about the impacts of structural racism on the lives of children with incarcerated parents. She believes in using research to better inform clinical practice and policy that supports youth, their families, and their communities to become their healthiest selves and thrive. Don't Miss This Insightful Discussion!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | Twitter
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#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #ChildWellBeing #Community #Allies #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 4 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by The Just Trust
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 6th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
Tony Lewis Jr. is an Author, Community Leader, Re-Entry Expert, WE GOT US NOW Actionist and champion for children with incarcerated parents. Tony Jr. has fought relentlessly to uplift and empower men, women, and children impacted by mass incarceration. His work and advocacy has been featured on CNN, BET, and in the Washington Post. He is the winner of many awards including the Steve Harvey/Ford Motor Company “Best Community Leader” award and the Presidential Call to Service award.
In this episode, we celebrate the reunification of Tony and his father Tony Lewis, Sr. after 34 years in prison. As his father's only child, Tony Jr. was relentless about advocating for his father's release and while doing so changed the negative narrative associated with his namesake into a pillar of positivity, as a native Washingtonian, for his DC community. Today, Tony Sr. is FREE - listen as he shares his story of redemption, restoration and how elated he is to be able to reunite with his family, spend quality time with his granddaughters, and finally be reunited with his son, Tony Jr. LISTEN TO THIS COMPELLING CONVERSATION!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | Twitter
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#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #ActionistinAction #Fathers #Sons #Children #GrandChildren #Family #Community #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 4 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by The Just Trust
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 6th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
Hena Ali-Bernard, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Masters in Educational Leadership, an Adjunct Professor at the NYU Silver School of Social Work and WE GOT US NOW Community Member who has been impacted by her father's incarceration.
A Brooklyn NY native, Hena has been in the field of service since 2010. In 2020, she was appointed Supervisor of NYC Public School Social Workers where she remains committed to creating safe, healthy, equitable opportunities for vulnerable students. In this episode, she shares her lived experience, growing up as a vulnerable youth not looking like what she has been through, the impacts and trauma of her father's incarceration, and her dedication to the students in her community. She is a vital asset to the social work field where she offers a vast array of knowledge from a private and organizational lens. This episode is A MUST LISTEN!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | Twitter
LISTEN to the WE GOT US NOW Podcast on SPOTIFY, APPLE Podcasts, iHEART and all podcasts platforms.
#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #ChildWellBeing #Community #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 4 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by The Just Trust
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 6th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
Kemba Smith-Pradia is a Mother, Advocate, Author, Motivational Speaker & Executive Producer of the new film, "KEMBA". Growing up as an only child in Virginia, Kemba Smith graduated high school and continued her education at the prestigious Hampton University. What happened to Kemba in her new campus environment was a nightmare. She went from college student to drug dealer’s girlfriend to domestic violence victim and in 1994 she was sentenced to 24 1/2 years in federal prison. Kemba’s case drew support from across the nation and after serving 6.5 years, President Clinton commuted her sentence to time served.Kemba shares her traumatic real life experience as the Executive Producer of the new film, "KEMBA", streaming on BET Plus & Amazon Prime Video.
Today, Kemba advocates around the world regarding a variety of criminal justice issues, including: fair sentencing, women incarceration and re-entry. She has worked with senior officials at The White House, the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Members of Congress, and has led trainings for Federal and State Probation organizations across the country. Kemba is a graduate of Virginia Union University, a past recipient of the Soros Justice Postgraduate Fellowship in 2014, was appointed a member of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, and is a popular speaker at colleges, universities, high schools, juvenile facilities, churches and national conferences around the nation. She is the author of the book, “Poster Child: The Kemba Smith Story" and has received numerous awards and recognitions for her courage and determination as a motivational speaker and advocate to humanize people who are impacted by incarceration and believes in sharing her story as an educational tool to prevent youth from going down a similar path. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | Twitter
LISTEN to the WE GOT US NOW Podcast on SPOTIFY, APPLE Podcasts and all podcasts platforms.
#WEGOTUSNOW #MentalHealthMatters #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #FREEMICHELLEWEST #keepfamiliesconnected #Mothers #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 4 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by The Just Trust
HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 6th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
Anna R. Haskins is the Andrew V. Tackes Associate Professor of Sociology and Associate Director of Notre Dame's Initiative on Race and Resilience (IRR). Her research examines how three of America’s most powerful social institutions—the education system, the family, and the criminal justice system—connect and interact in ways that both preserve and mitigate social inequality, with emphasis on early educational outcomes, intergenerational impacts, and disparities by race/ethnicity. Her work has been published in the American Sociological Review, Sociology of Education and Social Science Research, among other scholarly outlets, and she is co-editor of a recent book – When Parents are Incarcerated: Interdisciplinary Research and Interventions to Support Children (2018, APA Press). Her research focuses on how a parent’s incarceration impacts how they interact with schools and its impact on a child’s educational outcomes. Anna is a former elementary school teacher and prior to coming to Notre Dame she was an assistant professor of sociology at Cornell University. In February 2024, Notre Dame Student Government awarded Haskins the Black Excellence Faculty Award to honor her work as an outstanding Black community member.
In this episode, Anna shares about her research on children and youth with incarcerated fathers and highlights their optimism, hope and resilience, and the dampening effect that hampers their view of success due to lack of access to resources.
This episode is NOT TO BE MISSED!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | Twitter
LISTEN to the WE GOT US NOW Podcast on SPOTIFY, APPLE Podcasts and all podcasts platforms.
#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #ChildWellBeing #Research #SocialConnection #Community #MentalHealthMatters #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #keepfamiliesconnected #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 4 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series POWERED by The Just Trust
For our 6th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight voices from our community, and uplift our allies working across the field to create a just and equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
Chesa Boudin is the founding executive director of Berkeley’s Criminal Law & Justice Center. He is an attorney and graduate of Yale College and Yale law school. He attended Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship. He clerked for two federal judges, worked for years as a deputy public defender in San Francisco, and became district attorney of San Francisco in 2020 until his recall in 2022. Boudin’s work has appeared or been profiled in The Yale Law Journal, The Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, and many more.
In this episode, Chesa talks about what it was like growing up as a child with incarcerated parents -- his Mom, Kathy Boudin and his Dad, David Gilbert, spent a combined 62 years in prison from the time Chesa was 14 months old. He discusses being raised by his adopted parents in a privileged environment, the challenges he grappled with growing up visiting his biological parents, and the significant resources and supportive community that helped him harness his energy as a child into a resilient adult able to face challenging circumstances.
This episode is dedicated, In Loving Memory of Chesa's biological Mother, Kathy Boudin.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram | Twitter
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#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #ChildWellBeing #SocialConnection #Community #MentalHealthMatters #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #keepfamiliesconnected #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series. HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected
S3 | EP 7: THE SENTENCING PROJECT ~ 50 YEARS & A WAKEUP (BONUS EPISODE)
In the wake of 50 Years of Mass Incarceration, this BONUS EPISODE spotlights WE GOT US NOW ally and partner, The Sentencing Project with an in-depth discussion featuring Acting Executive Director, Kara Gotsch and Senior Director of Advocacy, Nicole Porter. about the state of mass incarceration in the United States.
Launched in 2023, the year-long public education campaign, #50YearsAndAWakeUp: Ending The Mass Incarceration Crisis In America includes a coalition of advocates, experts, and partners, such as, WE GOT US NOW, all working towards raising awareness about the dire state of the U.S. criminal legal system, the devastating impact of incarceration on communities and families, and proposes more effective crime prevention strategies for our country.
The title for this campaign was born out of a colloquial phrase that incarcerated people sometimes use to describe the life of their sentence, plus one day (e.g. “I have 20 years and a wake up”). It also serves as a double-entendre, calling for our country to “wake up” to the harsh and dangerous realities of mass incarceration in America. To learn more, go to, https://www.sentencingproject.org/advocacy/50-years-and-a-wake-up-ending-the-mass-incarceration-crisis-in-america/
This informative, educational BONUS episode is not to be missed!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org| Instagram: @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
LISTEN to the FULL SEASON of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast on SPOTIFY, APPLE Podcasts and all podcasts platforms.
#WEGOTUSNOW #50YearsandAWakeUp #TheSentencing Project #10MillionInspired #WellBeing #SocialConnection #Community #50Years #endlifeimprisonment #massincarceration #endmassincarceration ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #keepfamiliesconnected #WeGotUsNowPodcast
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series. HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S3 | EP 6: FATHER'S DAY EDITION - RICKEYRA JIVENS: 32 Father's Day ~ Seeking Freedom for Her Father Serving a Life Sentence
Rickeyra is a Savannah Georgia native who works as a Film + Media Entrepreneur in the Entertainment Industry. She is a 2022 WE GOT US NOW ACTIONIST and Daughter of incarcerated parent, Ricky Jivens, who has seved 32 years of a life sentence. ️
In this episode, Rickeyra speaks about her journey uncovering her father's life sentence from childhood into adulthood. Her father, Ricky, has been incarcerated since he was 20 years old and at 52 years old is the ONLY person in his case that remains incarcerated. ️
Rickeyra was just 3 months old when her father went to prison and has no memory of meeting him outside of prison walls. ️ She shares about the challenges she experienced at school, home and in her community as a daughter with an incarcerated father. ️
It's been 32 Father's Days separated from her Dad in prison. Rickeyra is determined to end the trauma, stigma and shame of parental incarceration. Her father is a changed man that deserves a second chance.
This episode is not to be missed!
#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #WellBeing #RickeyraJivens #SocialConnection #Community #Actionist #ActionistinAction #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #keepfamiliesconnectedseries #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO: www.WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram: @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
S3 | EP 5: DeRonte Craig ~ Redefining Life's Journey ~ Utilizing Principles for Success Amidst the Pain Points of Parental Incarceration
DeRonte was born in Washington DC and a few months after his birth his father, Ronald Craig, was sentenced tp prison and had been there his entire life. The absence of his Dad played an intricate role in DeRonte's life and left alot of responsibilities on him as the eldest child. The prressures of being the parent child almost derailed DeRonte's lifepath. However, the influence of his strong family support system -- his mother, paternal grandparents and his father from prison -- propelled him from the pathway towards becoming a statistic and into a focused student with a 4.0 grade point average that led to him completing college at HBCU Bowie State University, becoming an Entrepreneur, adjunct professor and WE GOT US NOW Actionist.
In this episode, DeRonte shares powerful principles with our WE GOT US NOW community on how he has maintained his success and motivation to thrive personally and professionally. His commitment to get his biggest supporter, his Dad, Ronald Criag, home who after 24 years in prison is not eligible for release until 2040 and his journey to creating digital marketing agency, nine27.co.
This episode is not to be missed!
#WEGOTUSNOW #10MillionInspired #WellBeing #SocialConnection #Community #Actionist #DeRonteCraig #ActionistinAction #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #keepfamiliesconnected #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org| Instagram @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.
⭐ S3 | EP 4: RACHEL E. BARKOW ~ Navigating Punishment in America
Rachel Barkow is the Charles Seligson Professor of Law at NYU School of Law. She also serves as the faculty director of the Zimroth Center on the Administration of Criminal Law at NYU.
From 2013 to 2019, she served as a member of the United States Sentencing Commission. She is the author of Prisoner of Politics: Breaking the Cycle of Mass Incarceration (Harvard/Belknap, 2019). She has also written more than 30 articles, and she is recognized as one of the country’s leading experts on criminal law and policy. Barkow teaches courses in criminal law, administrative law, and constitutional law.
In 2013, she was the recipient of the NYU Distinguished Teaching Award. The Law School awarded her its Podell Distinguished Teaching Award in 2007. After graduating from Northwestern University (BA, 1993), Barkow attended Harvard Law School (JD, 1996), where she won the Sears Prize. She served as a law clerk to Judge Laurence H. Silberman on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Justice Antonin Scalia on the US Supreme Court. Barkow was an associate at Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd & Evans in Washington, DC.
This episode is not to be missed!
#WeGotUsNow #10MillionInspired #WellBeing #SocialConnection #Community #RachelBarkow #MassIncarceration #endmassincarceration #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #ParentsBehindBars #Family #RankedTop10 #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series
WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.️
S3 | EP 3: SYLVIA TASCON ~ Stepping into Greatness: Advocacy for Family, Justice, Fairness + Freedom for Her Incarcerated Father
Sylvia Tascon is a 2022 WE GOT US NOW Actionist from Houston, TX.
She is an Entrepreneur, Loctician and Daughter of Omar Torres Montalvo who continues to be incarcerated for the last 28 years in federal prison.
In this episode of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast, Sylvia describes growing up as an introverted little girl due to the collateral consequences she experienced as a result of her father's incarceration. She highlights the wonderful, encouraging relationship her father has maintained with her throughout the years, despite the prison walls that separated them.
Motivated by the movement for social justice, Sylvia's interest in advocacy was peaked. She stepped out of the shadows of fear and pain and into the light of strength and advocacy. Yearning to be reunited with her father in the free world, she describes taking her sons to visit her father for the first time and the injustices they faced. As a daughter who experienced the devastating impact of parental incarceration for the majority of her life, she courageously advocates for the reunification of her family, fair sentencing, her father's freedom, and the wellbeing of all children and young adults with justice-impacted parents.
This is an episode, not to be missed!
#WeGotUsNow #SylviaTascon #10MillionInspired #WellBeing #SocialConnection #ActionistinAction #Actionist #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #MassIncarceration #endmassincarceration #ParentsBehindBars #Family #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org| Instagram @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series ⭐ WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.️
⭐S3| EP 2: KELLY WOOLF ~ Acknowledging & Uplifting an Unseen Community
Kelly Woolf is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Psychotherapist at Sixth Street Wellness and WE GOT US NOW Board Member. Her personal commitment to social justice and the desire to make an impact in the world has helped her create parallel careers in the fields of social work, mental health, and nonprofit leadership. Her experience as a daughter of a formerly incarcerated parent led her to WE GOT US NOW. She serves on the Governing Board of Directors at WE GOT US NOW, and has been instrumental in the strategic development and growth of the organization since its inception. Principles of equality, social justice, and rehabilitation drove her to the field of Social Work. But it is the incredibly rewarding experience providing clinical services and advocacy for both adolescents and adults that has helped her to develop an incisive and expanded understanding of these principles.
As a trusted nonprofit leader, her expertise is in strategic visioning, brand building, and content creation. She is the former Chief Impact Officer at Multiplying Good, where for 8 years she held a multifaceted position, dividing her time between partnerships, development, programs, and communications. Prior to Multiplying Good, she was at Fran Drescher's cancer organization, Cancer Schmancer. She began her work with non-profits in 2009, when she assisted in setting up the U.S. branch of The Startfund. She graduated with a BA in Psychology from The New School and received her Masters in Social Work from the Silver School at New York University. Kelly is a native New Yorker and avid world traveler, with over 10 years of non-profit experience.
WE GOT US NOW is extremely honored to have the opportunity to spotlight our Board Member, Kelly Woolf.
This episode is not to be missed!
#WeGotUsNow #KellyWoolf #10MillionInspired #WellBeing #SocialConnection #Community #Unseen #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #MassIncarceration #endmassincarceration #ParentsBehindBars #Family #RankedTop10 #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org| Instagram @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series WELCOME to Season 3 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 5th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day, WE spotlight our community voices, bring awareness to 50 Years of Mass Incarceration in 2023, and uplift our allies working to reform the criminal legal system and create a a just, equitable society that seeks to keep justice-impacted families connected.️
S3 | EP 1: TIFFANY BROWN ~ Developing Despite Distance: 3Dimensional Leadership, Lived Expertise & Elevating Black Boys ️
Tiffany Brown is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a WE GOT US NOW Actionist from the inaugural cohort representing Detroit, Michigan. She is the Founder/ Executive Director of Developing Despite Distance ~ a Michigan based nonprofit that supports young men of color, ages 10-18, with a justice impacted parent, and works to empower these youth to develop positively despite the distance of their incarcerated parent. Fueled by her own lived experience and professional expertise, Tiffany has created a phenomenal program that addresses the challenges and intricate details that these youth face and helps them to develop coping strategies that empower them to keep going and on a trajectory towards success.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Developing Despite Distance Member - Armone
This is an episode, not to be missed!
#WeGotUsNow #TiffanyBrown #3DDetroit #DevelopingDespiteDistance #10MillionInspired #FortheYouth #WellBeing #SocialConnection #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #MassIncarceration #endmassincarceration #ParentsBehindBars #Family #RankedTop10 #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
S2 | EP 6: UPDATE: ASHLEY JACKSON + FATHER, ORRIN JACKSON ~ EMPATHY, JUSTICE & REUNIFICATION AFTER 30+ YEARS
WE GOT US NOW #KeepFamiliesConnected campaign series⭐
WELCOME to Season 2 of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast series HOSTED by Ebony Underwood
For our 4th annual #KeepFamiliesConnected multimedia campaign series that runs from Mother's Day through Father's Day this year WE will highlight directly impacted advocates as well as allies in the work to reform the criminal legal system and create a fair and just society that seeks to keep families connected.
S2 | EP 6: UPDATE: ASHLEY JACKSON + FATHER, ORRIN JACKSON ~ EMPATHY, JUSTICE & REUNIFICATION AFTER 30+ YEARS
Ashley Jackson is a Charlotte, North Carolina native and the only child of father, Orrin Jackson. She has been relentless in her advocacy to bring her father home after decades of separation. During the first season of the WE GOT US NOW Podcast, WE highlighted her story where Ashley shared, "My Father has spent more time IN prison than he has been alive."
A few weeks after the episode aired and right before Father's Day 2021, her father, Orrin Jackson, her Uncle, Cecil Jackson and Cousin, Eric Whitener ALL received reduced sentences from 98 to 145 years to TIME SERVED from federal prison after 31 years of incarceration due to Ashley and her family's staunch advocacy and persistence.
In 2022, they epitomize what the meaning of a Second Chance can look like for a daughter, a father, a family and a community as the Dream Corps Justice North Carolina Empathy Network Leaders. Together, they hosted the North Carolina Dream Corps Justice #DayofEmpathy ~ an event that consisted of three different sessions centering on Expression, Impact and Community from the experiences and voices of the directly impacted. Today, Ashley and Orrin are leading the charge, as subject matter experts, from North Carolina on the importance of the proposed EQUAL ACT by educating and informing legislators and policymakers.
This EPISODE is one NOT TO BE MISSED!
#WeGotUsNow 🌍 #AshleyJackson #OrrinJackson #ReunificationCelebration #ActionistinAction #FortheKids #DreamCorpsJustice #FortheFuture #SecondChances #ChildrenwithIncarceratedParents #ParentsBehindBars #WeGotUsNowCommunity #WeGotUsNowAllies #WeGotUsNowPodcast
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO www.WEGOTUSNOW.org | Instagram @WE_GOTUSNOW | Twitter: @WE_GOTUSNOW
