Choppin' It Up With Jimmie C. -- Life After Wrongful Conviction

William Berkley developed a curriculum and organization called Recovery U, LLC. His organization is a curriculum-based recovery home for men who are returning home from prison in Charleston, West Virginia who suffer from addiction and other issues. His 67-bed transitional facility is changing lives and is reducing recidivism in his community. 

Many times we think that big changes can only come from government leaders, but local leaders are also out here getting things done. Lajuna Logan is a community activist out of West Virginia. She is a freedom fighter and social justice activist. She also works with grassroots organizations, helped start an annual Juneteenth celebration, and works with nonprofit organizations to implement youth programs.

From a West Virginia police officer to an emotional intelligence trainer, Errol Randle is using his past to impact his community in a positive way. Self-awareness and the ability to manage your emotions can make all the difference in defusing conflict and effective communication. Errol shares how he uses his experiences to improve relationships within organizations and even within policing.

Spirituality provides strength for many people, it keeps us grounded during difficult times. True compassion starts with humility and being able to put differences aside and appreciate people for who they are. Iman Salahudiin Hanif, out of Albany, GA, shares with us the power of interfaith connections and how we can heal our communities.  Our country needs this message now more than ever. 

Financial empowerment is a major goal for most people. Wayne Marcel teaches cryptocurrency as an option for people to take control of their own financial futures both locally and internationally. He gives back through partnering with international organizations in developing countries to give local citizens access to his training courses. 

Wrongful conviction is deplorable, but over-incarceration is just as devastating. Stet Frazier was sentenced to life in prison for a first-time, non-violent drug charge and was denied justice at every turn. While inside, Stet never gave up and consistently fought for justice, he even wrote a 34-page petition to Congress. This episode goes into detail about his case and how various laws were used to deny countless individuals their right to freedom. 

After serving 15 years from his life sentence, Richard Houdershell emerged as a changed man with a purpose to correct his past and put good back into the world. He was driven by the need to better his karma after making regrettable decisions as a young man, now he spends his time fighting for justice and lighting a path for others. Rick leads with vulnerability and strength; he was extremely active in the penitentiary during the time that I knew him. We go back 30 years! When he returned home, health and fitness remained his saving grace and now he's one of the top fitness trainers in Germany. Check out his website https://www.richardhoudershell.com for his 2 books and other blog posts about his experiences. 

It doesn't matter who you are, how many degrees you have, or if you are innocent, a wrongful conviction can happen to anyone. Calvin Johnson is an exoneree from the state of Georgia who spent 16 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. As soon as he was released, he started speaking and sharing his story around the world. It was important for people to understand how such a tragic event could happen to an innocent person and to let people know that it could happen to them too. Calvin was the first exoneree to sit on the board of the New York Innocence Project and also served on the board of the Georgia Innocence Project. 

A wrongful conviction can happen to anyone, that's why we advocate so fiercely for our brothers and sisters inside. Jeffrey Deskovic is an exonerated man out of New York who was wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit. Now that he's home, he has started a non-profit organization, The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice that has brought 7 people home and has helped change 3 laws in New York. He even took it a step further, passed his bar exam and is now an attorney fighting for justice. 

“Without purpose you have nothing”, are not only words that Joshua Proby lives by, but they are the founding blocks for the brand he has built since being home.  After spending 12 years in prison, Josh decided not to waste another minute and he began pursuing every path he dreamed about while he was locked up. He has been home for 2 years and is a proud father, husband, author, social activist, multiple business owner, and motivational speaker. His story is a testament to the power of transformation when emotional intelligence is applied. 

Brian was in college with a 4.0 GPA getting ready to go to law school when he was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he knew nothing about. He was sent to a maximum-security facility in West Virginia, that's he met Jimmie and they've been close friends since that day. 11 years later his case was overturned and he was finally exonerated. Brian has been active since gaining his freedom, he still fights for his brothers and sisters inside. He has worked in Washington, DC as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Returning Citizens and is currently obtaining his Master's Degree at Oxford University.

Identical twins, Lonnie and Jonnie Benniefield are trailblazers. Both African American men are retired firefighters and certified paramedics out of Tampa, FL who have been active in their community for the last 30 years. In today's podcast episode, the brothers share their memories from decades of public service and growing up with Jimmie C., including playing baseball for Belmont Heights Little League with Jimmie C. and future Major League friends.

This week Jimmie talks with Gwen Carr an activist, public speaker, author and is a member of Mothers of the Movement. She is also the mother of Eric Garner, a father who was killed by a New York Police Department officer who used an illegal chokehold.

On the first episode of Choppin' It Up with Jimmie C., we talked with famed attorney, political commentator, and freedom fighter  A. Scott Bolden. We discuss the current climate and how the current Black Lives Matter movement differs from any other past movement.  We also talk about defunding the police and what that actually means and what happens next for all of us.  www.jcgardnerspeaks.comwww.facebook.com/jcgardnerspeaks2/www.instagram.com/jcgardnerspeaks/www.linkedin.com/in/jimmie-c-gardner-8bb901125/ascottbolden.com