Podcast appearances and mentions of kenyatta leal

Episode 2 of “The Prison Chronicles” – My Dark Companion This episode reveals the background of three of our main characters: Anerae VeShaughn, Shaka Senghor and Kenyatta Leal. As we gain insight into their lives, we begin understanding the impact of the external influences on the infrastructure of their minds. Whether it’s parallels to combat zones, abandonment, or PTSD from the constant danger, the decisions that led to their crimes and subsequent life sentences are influenced profoundly by the challenges they reveal in this episode.  Anerae VeShaughn, also known as the rapper X-Raided, gives us the title for the episode, “My Dark Companion.” The artwork from his album the “” depicts Anerae killing off the last of his dark influencer, represented as his rapping gang-affiliated alter ego. The Dark Companion, as Anerae describes it, is a life devaluing influence that infects its host. The host, in this case Anerae, does not realize the companion is present…yet it is always there, removing any trace of empathy or humanity from the host. The parallels between his youth and that of Iraq are shocking. Further, the compulsory violent retribution expected in his ‘hood places Anerae and his peers on an inexorable path.  Understanding this reality is critical to evolve our collective perspective about inmates and what precipitates their incarceration.  Shaka continues this examination into the violence and hopelessness of their youth. Among many things, Shaka reveals, “Prison is an extension of our community.” Think about that…as a society, we have people that see prison as a regular destination for themselves or their neighbors. Further, the amount of violence in Shaka’s family, which was common for the neighborhood, is on par with Pete’s combat experiences—how does an inner-city Detroit kid coming up in the crack cocaine era not develop PTSD? Recognizing the Dark Companion’s impact on the early lives of our subjects is essential for solving the Prison Reform problem. In Episode 3, we’ll continue examining the lives of our subjects prior to prison. Supplemental episodes:

Beverly Parenti and Chris Redlitz had already achieved plenty of success when they first entered San Quentin State Prison just north of San Francisco. Though they were not looking for a new venture, they ended up crossing paths with inmates including Kenyatta Leal, then serving a life sentence. They ended up founding The Last Mile, preparing incarcerated individuals for reentry through business and technology training. The results are extraordinary.

Society thinks that everybody is just sitting inside prison plotting out their next crime when they get out. Kenyatta Leal says that's definitely not the case. There are men and women inside, who are trying to change their lives and trying to do better. Kenyatta fell under the three-strikes law and ended up in prison 25 years to life and ultimately ended up co-founding The Last Mile prison rehabilitation program. It took a long time for Kenyatta to take accountability for being incarcerated, but when he finally realized that he was the problem, he also realized that he must be the solution. That was then he did the most important thing he ever did while in prison, which was to learn how to ask for help. Kenyatta recounts his story of life in prison and how he finally turned his life around.

Earlier this year Lance was offered an opportunity to tour the San Quentin Prison and speak to the inmates currently enrolled in The Last Mile program. TLM teaches current inmates the job of coding with the hopes of earning employment in the tech world up their release. After his tour Lance talked with Chris Redlitz, the founder or TLM, about how he created the program and his initial hesitation to accept the invite. Lance also talked with Kenyatta Leal and Chris Schumacher about their experience in TLM. They discuss how they learned to code, job prospects upon release and starting relationships post incarnation. Lance also made a commitment to return to San Quentin to run the prison marathon. For more information on TLM visit https://thelastmile.org/

Kenyatta Leal was sentenced to life in prison. With no expectation of getting out, he graduated from college, focused his life on being who he wanted to be, and started freeing himself.  Now he works at RocketSpace.com He's a paid speaker and he sits on the Board of Directors at The Last Mile. Technology continues to change lives, even ones that seemed lost.   #podcast #TLM #BubblUP

In our conversation with Kenyatta Leal, you’ll learn about his transformative journey from former convict to management, how education turned his life around, and why ultimately, in life, there are no throwaway people.

One thing Kenyatta Leal knows is that while there’s no manual for surviving a life sentence, tapping into the power of visualization can definitely get you far (in fact, as far as getting out of prison and now working as a Manager of Campus Services at RocketSpace, a tech campus for startups.) Kenyatta believes that the greatest challenges present the greatest opportunities. A former resident at San Quentin State Prison, Kenyatta owned up for the bad choices he had made in the past and corrected his course. He eventually became the founding member of The Last Mile, a startup accelerator and entrepreneurial program, where they help incarcerated individuals develop tech skills in order to prepare them for successful re-entry.

“My first night in prison was the worst night of my life. I'll never forget it because it was right around my birthday, a time that you're supposed to be celebrating and happy. I was on my way to doing a life sentence in prison. It was the most depressing, just worst imaginable experience that one could ever have. I wouldn't' wish it upon my worst enemy. I was really desperate. I was so fearful. I was afraid.I was scared. I didn't know how I was going to be able to make it through it all. It still hadn't completely sunk in that I was facing a life sentence. I was so overwhelmed with fear and sadness. I felt alone. I felt like I was just trapped. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. You can't go to mom and dad. Mom and dad can't help you. The only person that can help you. I've faced a lot of scary moments, but that was by far the scariest moment of my life.” – Kenyatta LealFormer San Quentin Inmate and First Graduate of “The Last Mile”. Kenyatta Leal spent nearly 19 years incarcerated within the California prison system for possession of a firearm under California's Three Strike Law. Kenyatta continues to serve as an evangelist for The Last Mile and Centerforce. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kenyatta Leal continues his story of transforming while serving life in prison. As a result of his adjustment in prison, Kenyatta changed his mindset. Instead of surrounding himself with gang members and those who embraced the criminal lifestyle, Kenyatta focused on success. He educated himself. He introspected. He participated in programs that would condition him for success. Those decisions led to actions. His actions brought him to the attention of people who believed in him. When he concluded his prison term, Kenyatta had an internship waiting for him with Rocket Space, a premier company in San Francisco that serves the technology industry. Listen to Kenyatta tell his inspiring story on the Earning Freedom podcast.   Help spread the word on why we should reform our prison system by subscribing, rating, and reviewing the Earning Freedom podcast on iTunes. Click this link to subscribe, rate, and review.  

Kenyatta Leal overcame a life sentence. He grew up around gangs and crime. As a young man, he was convicted for armed robbery. While serving a five-year sentence, he earned his GED but didn't do much to change his life. After less than four years in prison, authorities released him. When Kenyatta returned to society, he resumed the same type of behavior that led him to prison the first time. He was only free for five months. Then, an officer pulled his car over. As a consequence of Kenyatta's criminal record, the officer searched Kenyatta's car. The search revealed a firearm and an arrest followed. Although Kenyatta thought he would be proceeded through the system for violating a condition of release, he faced new charges. After a conviction, the judge sentenced Keyatta to a term of 25 years to life in prison. In this first of two episodes, Kenyatta reveals how he transformed his life.