Podcasts about Mercy College

Jeffrey Deskovic is an American attorney, advocate, and exoneree who was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder at the age of 17. He spent 16 years in prison before DNA evidence led to his exoneration. Since then, he has dedicated his life to criminal justice reform and the exoneration of the wrongfully convicted.In 2006, with support from the Innocence Project, post-conviction DNA testing identified Steven Cunningham as the actual perpetrator. Cunningham, who was already serving a life sentence for a similar crime, confessed to Correa's murder. Deskovic was released after serving 16 years for a crime he did not commit. He later sued the authorities responsible for his wrongful conviction and was awarded $41.6 million, of which $10 million was paid due to a pretrial settlement. Following his release, Deskovic pursued higher education, earning a bachelor's degree in behavioral science from Mercy College, a master's degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a law degree from Pace University School of Law.https://www.deskovicfoundation.org/aboutBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support.

A pandemic survivor accidentally forms a harem.Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.Chapter 1Around day eighteen of the quarantine, Andy was starting to lose his damn mind. The governor of California had gotten on the television and announced that everyone who wasn't essential was under house arrest, essentially. Sure, the grocery stores were open, but restaurants were only doing delivery, and every bar in town was closed. The most time he'd spent outdoors in the last week had been walking out to the mailbox cluster for the complex down at the end of the street.Despite the fact that both of them had decent paying jobs “ Eric as a software engineer and Andy as a marketing writer “ neither could afford an entire place to themselves, so Andy paid rent to Eric, who owned the condo (or at least was paying it down).Andy also had a side hustle as a novelist, and was getting frustrated as hell that the quarantine was keeping him in place meant that his newest book was being pushed back. There was a warehouse full of fifty thousand copies of his next novel, and they were all just sitting there."They'll come out eventually," his agent had told him, but the whole thing felt very much like a death sentence to his literary ambitions. Andy even had a box of copies sitting on their kitchen table, along with a movie poster styled promotional in a frame."Did you get the mail today?" Andy asked his roommate."Nah," Eric said. "Didn't see the point.""Fair enough."Wham wham wham."You order food?""Nope. You?"A voice came from outside their front door. "CDC. Open the door, please."Eric moved to the door and peered through the peephole. On the other side, he saw a man in a biohazard suit, covered completely from head to toe. He raised one covered hand and waved. "I'm perfectly safe, as you can see. We're going door to door and testing people for the virus."Eric looked back at his roommate and shrugged. Andy grabbed his two cats, scooping one up in each arm as Eric opened the door. It was like something out of The Andromeda Strain, seeing the man in the yellow hazmat outside, a small box in one hand. "CDC?""Yeah. I'm Dave. Invite me in?"Andy shrugged and Eric laughed. "Sure, c'mon in. We just need to close the door behind you so the cats don't get out.""Sure sure, I get that. I'm here to test if you guys are clear. Is there some place I can set up?""Go ahead and use the kitchen. You want us together or one at a time?""The test only takes fifteen minutes and I can run up to four of them at a time, so come on. I can run you both." He lugged the kit with a world weariness, as if he'd been doing this thirty times a day since the lockdown had started. "Paperwork says you've got two guys living here “ Eric Yang and Andrew Rook. That you two?""That's us.""Nobody else in the condo?""Nope. Nobody else.""Cool," Dave said as he set the kit down on the kitchen table. He glanced up at the movie poster promotional on the wall above the kitchen table. "Oh hey, you guys are fan of the Druid Gunslinger books too? I fucking love those things."Eric laughed a little bit, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs, rolling up his sleeve. "I mean, you could say that, I guess. He writes'em.""What? No, they're written by some guy named Blake Conrad." He glanced at Eric and grinned. "I don't need blood, man. Here, just rub this swab on the inside of your cheek for a bit."Andy smiled a bit sheepishly, putting the cats down. "Yeah, that's me. It's a pen name.""Why the hell would you want a pen name when you've got an awesome last name like Rook?""I'm friends with Arthur McStevenson. You know, the guy who writes all those thrillers you see on sale in the airports? Anyway, he told me that he wished he'd have taken a pen name before he got started, so people just couldn't look him up and track him down at home."Dave took the cotton swap that Eric handed him and put it into one of the four slots on the little machine he carried with him. "Oh hey, I'm sorry man. I don't want to bother you about it.""Nah, you didn't come tap on my window in the middle of the night or anything. What do I care?" Andy waved his hand before taking a cotton swab from him, rubbing it along the inside of his cheek, and then handed it back to the man in the bio suit."While this is running, I just gotta ask you guys a few other questions. Do you guys each have a twin bed?"Eric rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? Ask him about his bed. Just ask him."Andy crossed his arms over his chest, as if this was a discussion they'd had a number of times. "Eric's got a queen sized bed and I've got a California king sized bed. Even though I've got the smaller bedroom. But what can I say? When I got out of college, I bought a big ass bed, so I'd always be comfortable, and never wanted to give it up.""Why do you ask?""They're starting to force people to house additional people in their places, so we can keep the uncontaminated together, at least for a while.""What?" Eric said, his face scowling. "There's no way that's legal.""It's temporary, and we're doing everything we can to make sure people are at least okay with it. At this point, we're just doing what we can to get people through it. But the death toll is starting to stack up. I mean, have you seen the footage coming out of New York City?"Andy nodded. "Trailer trucks stacked full with body bags. It's terrifying.""Besides, it's not all that bad. The virus seems to be targeting men a lot more than women, so guys are scoring with women way out of their league. And the women seem to be a little friskier once they've developed an immunity to the virus. I'm sure you'll see eventually."Andy arched an eyebrow in the man's direction. "That sounds ominous."The man in the biohazard suit waved a hand dismissively in their direction. "Not at all. Just relax and enjoy the ride. That's all I should say about it. So when's the next Druid Gunslinger book coming out? It's really soon, isn't it?"Andy stepped over to the fridge, opening it to take out a can of soda, using the fridge to hide his sigh, although he wasn't entirely successful. "It was supposed to be out in three weeks, but because of the virus, the publisher's pushing it back to the fall. I mean, I understand. I get a lot of additional sales off of in store appearances and whatnot. I get it. And I'm already working on writing the next one. But it's always rough having a book release pushed back.""Man, that sucks. I was really looking forward to reading it during my downtime when they're driving us between locations.""Y'know what, you're a fan, so let me do you a favor. I better not see this show up on eBay or the internet though, otherwise I'm gonna know who it was." Andy moved over to the box on the kitchen and opened the top of it, taking one of the books out. "They call these advance reader copies. They send me a few boxes of them so I can sell them at appearances or give them away to friends and such. I haven't even sent my family copies yet. I think the only other person than my agent and my editor who's read the book is Eric here."Eric nodded. "It's not as good as 'Have Totem, Will Travel' but it's one of the better books in the series, I thought. Way better than 'The Trouble With Werebears,' but then again, that's not hard.""Everyone's a critic," Andy said, grabbing a pen from near the box. "Fair, though. I had to bang that one out in five weeks because the publisher just wanted to cram another one onto store shelves while it was hot. I wasn't satisfied with it either, but it still sold okay. You said your name was Dave, right?""Yeah," Dave answered.Andy opened the front cover of the hardback ARC and wrote in the front of it, "For Dave, Jake thinks you're one of the real heroes. Yours, Blake Conrad." He blew over the ink for a second, making sure it was dry, before closing it up and offering it to Dave. "There you go. Autographed, personalized copy months in advance of when you can get it in stores.""That's awesome, man!" Dave said, genuine enthusiasm in his voice. The machine on the table beeped, a cheerful tri tone medley. "You guys are both 100% virus clear. And let me pay you back for this," he said, patting the book on the table next to him. He flipped a little toggle switch on the machine and then pushed the large green button on the side. A small little printout scrolled out of the machine. He tore it off and then pushed the green button again. "Okay, this one is for you," he said, holding out the receipt to Eric. "And this one is for you, Mr. Conrad," he said with a laugh, holding out the second slip to Andy. "You need to go onto the website today and fill out the questionnaire. I know it's going to seem weird, but just answer the questions honestly and openly, and go through the whole thing. You'll be very glad you did later, okay?""What's it for?""It'll help you be happy with your pair ups when we bring them by in a few days. You know that giant condo complex a mile or two over?""What, the 30 story skyscraper?""Yeah. That's being converted into a triage hospital, so all the tenants are being evicted. Lots of people who are going to be relocated. There's a range of five possible questionnaires that uninfected men can get, and it's at the test giver's discretion. Most people, we just give them level one or two questionnaires.""What did you give us?""Welcome to level 5, fellas. It's mostly reserved for medical professionals and high rollers, but it's my discretion, and this little baby's going to keep me from losing my mind for the next few weeks, so I gotta make sure we're square," he said while patting the book. "This should more than even us out.""It makes that much of a difference?"Dave smiled like a Cheshire cat beneath his biohazard helmet and nodded. "You'll see. Just trust me on this. Go fill it out right away, though! They'll probably have someone here tomorrow or the day after, and you want to be ready." The scientist picked up the book in one hand and his testing kit in the other. "And with that, I'm off! I won't be able to get started on this tonight, but I'll see if I can swing by on one of the drop offs and let you know what I think of it.""Hey, it's always nice to meet a fan," Andy said. He moved to scoop up the two cats into his arms again before he and Eric walked him to the door.Dave shuffled toward the door, as Eric opened it for him. "Remember guys, the questionnaire is completely confidential and no one's going to judge you on any of it, so be completely honest. Got it? Completely. Honest.""With all the hyping you've been doing, I can't wait to see this questionnaire," Andy laughed. "Go on, go! You've got more people to be saving, I'm sure.""Take care, fellas!" Dave said.Eric closed the door on him, then flipped the lock, and then the deadbolt before putting the chain on. He liked to make sure it was secure. "So I suppose we both better go take this thing, huh?" he said to Andy, who was putting down the cats again."Guess so."Eric's desk was in the living room, while Andy's was part of the adjacent dining room. They'd been known to politely yell at one another from their desks. Andy typed in the website on the slip and hit return. A rather bland looking government website popped up. There Andy entered his name, his address, his social security number and address."He wasn't kidding when he said this quiz was unorthodox," Eric called over to him, clearly ahead of him in the process. "These are not the kind of questions I expect a government website to be asking me.""Oh yeah? I can't wait to find out." Andy typed in the personalization code at the bottom of the slip. It was a long series of characters, a mix of numbers and letters, both capital and lower case, with a variety of special characters mixed in “ 25 characters in all. Andy had to enter the series twice because the first time he hadn't realized it was case sensitive and the site had rejected it.The first question immediately surprised him. "Are you attracted to: Women, Men, Both?" It wasn't at all what he expected, but he checked "women" and the site moved onward. There was a small button marked back, in case he made errors, obviously.The next page asked him what ages of women he was attracted to. There were two little slider bars, with the low end going as far down at 18 and the high end going up to 70+. Andy was nearly 40, but the words of Dave rang through his head. "Be honest." Andy shrugged, leaving the low end set to 18 and brought the high end to 35.He was a more than a little caught off guard by the next question. "Would you consider yourself: Monogamous, polyamorous, no preference?" He had to think about it for a long moment, but eventually clicked "no preference." If he was truly honest with himself, if he found himself with a girlfriend who had another girlfriend, he wouldn't have been bothered by it.For the next twenty minutes, Andy continued to work through the website, filling in all the options about what he was and wasn't attracted to. Height, weight, race, hair color, hair length, eye color, nationality, education, physique, the questions went on and on and on. After he went through any given category, he was then given a follow up page to rank all of the things from most attracted to at the top down to least attracted to at the bottom.Towards the back half, he started to understand what Eric had found so surprising. The quiz had a page with a seemingly limitless collections of fetishes and kinks. At the top was the message "Click all that apply." Following that, all of the things Andy had clicked on were in another list he was expected to order.When he had to order all of his turn ons, he became more than a little aware how at odds with each other some of them were. In fact, he had aggressive women and submissive women next to one another in the ordered list. He wondered what the algorithm would make of that.The last page was the same fetish and kinks list presented again with a different message at the top. "Click all those that are hard turn offs for you. Be thorough." It was this page that Andy found himself clicking a lot of buttons.He also had to look up a handful of the terms that did not include clarification. He was sure there were people out there who liked pissing on each other, but he certainly wasn't one of those. He also had to make sure to reject women who were allergic to cats. He wondered if all this information was just going to ensure no one showed up.All in all, the whole thing felt a little like a thing he'd taken in college called the Purity Test, a thousand question party game where people who had been drinking would compare sexual histories.The final page was all the information he'd entered presented in an ordered list, with a message in large friendly red letters at the top. "Review all the information below for accuracy! Once you hit submit, you cannot revise this information!"After a final pass to make sure he hadn't marked anything incorrectly, he hit submit. The screen went blank for a second before a confirmation message popped up. "A copy of this has been mailed to the email address you provided. Thank you for helping us keep California safe!"Andy closed the web browser and rose up from his seat, heading over to talk to his roommate. "Okay, yeah, that was definitely weird.""What did you say to the polyamory question?" Eric asked him."I put no preference.""Really? Man, I couldn't click the monogamous button fast enough. Last thing I want is a girlfriend who's shacking up with another guy."Andy smirked. "What if she was shacking up with another girl?""Ah shit, I didn't even think of that."He shrugged at Eric with a wry smile. "Like it's going to make any fucking difference anyway. I'm sure the whole thing is just an optimistic pipe dream. When was the last time our government brought any real change with a website?""Heh. Guess we'll see.""Yep, suppose so."And that was the last they talked about it for the rest of the day. But it certainly wouldn't be the last time they talked about it.Chapter 2It was a little past noon the next day when there came a knock at the door. "Open up! CDC!" the voice on the other side shouted at them. "Delivery and I don't have time to fuck about so let's go."Andy was in the living room working on his laptop, and glanced over at Eric, who was hip deep in a conference call. "Don't worry, I got it. They probably just forgot some questions yesterday or something." Eric waved his hand as Andy set his laptop aside, carrying on with his conversation with his coworkers.Andy rose from the couch and made his way over to the front door, opening it without thinking to look through the peephole. The cats were both upstairs asleep, so he didn't worry about them. When he opened the door, there were three people outside of it, not the one he'd expected. The person in the middle looked a lot like Dave had, except for the face. The man inside this biohazard suit was a black man in his late forties. He looked a lot less jovial than Dave had.To the left and right of the man in the biohazard suit was a woman covered from head to toe. From the clothing, it was almost impossible to make out any details other than the woman to the left of him was short and the woman to the right was tall. Both of them wore hoodies with the hoods pulled up. They wore ski visors over their eyes and scarves over their noses and mouths. Both wore long sweatpants and had those fuzzy lined boots he'd never thought were fashionable. He couldn't see an inch of skin from either. Each of them had a small roller suitcase with them, the kind of travel bag someone takes for a holiday no longer than a week. They also each had a large bag under their arm, an oversized purse maybe, or a laptop bag. The whole appearance was almost like Berkas by Gucci."You Eric or Andy?" the man in the gear asked him."Andy.""Copy," the man said, tapping at his little pad with a stylus that dangled from it. He let the stylus drop and then opened a pouch on the outside of his suit, upholstering a bottle of Lysol. He sprayed the surface of the tablet for a few seconds then held it out to Andy. "Just use your finger to sign on the line. Any day now. I've got another seven deliveries to make today, and people are on the bus waiting so let's go."Andy lifted a finger up and signed an approximation of his name on the tablet's surface. "So how long is this for? That these people are staying with us?""Which room is Eric's and which room is Andy's?" the shorter of the two women asked."Upstairs and turn right for Eric's room and left for my, uh, Andy's room," he said, as the two women immediately brushed past him and ran upstairs. "How long?""The fuck should I know, pal? I just deliver them." He took the tablet back from Andy and glanced down at it. "Anyway, that's it for this batch. I'll see you again in a few days, maybe a week or so, with the next one.""The next one?" Andy asked, but the man had already turned and started walking back to a school bus that was idling in the street. "What do you mean the next one?" But the man had already moved on, and either didn't hear Andy or didn't care. Andy suspected it was the latter. Behind him, up the stairs, he heard both his and Eric's bedroom doors shut.He closed the door and locked it, then turned the padlock and put the chain back on. Andy looked over his shoulder, then glanced and Eric, who shrugged. He moved upstairs and knocked on his own bedroom door. "Uh, hello?""Five minutes please!" a voice on the other side of the door said to him.Andy sighed, turned around and walked downstairs. His roommate looked over at him, having just wrapped up his conference call. "She wants five minutes."Eric laughed. "We've been kicked out of our own rooms. Great."Andy moved back over to the couch and picked up his laptop, sitting back down and starting to write again. He was curious, though. Insanely curious about what was happening in his own room. Neither of the cats were complaining so he imagined it couldn't be too bad. His roommate had wrapped up his conference call, but had clearly turned on his music, because Andy could hear the tiny noise flare ups, even though Eric was just wearing earbuds. He did love his death metal loud.He spent a while trying to work but trying to focus felt damn near impossible. He popped into his company's Slack channel, to let them know what was going on.“your partner showed up?” his boss typed. “take the rest of the week off. you're going to be busy“They said they're going to be back later with another delivery. What the hell does that mean?” Andy typed into the channel.“oh shit” his boss typed back. “how big is your bed? queen sized?”“King sized.” Andy replied. “California king, actually. Don't know what difference that makes though. The news said one partner per person.”“u have a king bed tho” his boss replied. “did the site ask u the polyamory question?”“Yeah” Andy typed. “I put no preference”“shit” came the reply. “okay take off the rest of the week and let me know when you get another partner and we can do the same again as many times as you get partners”“Wait. What? How many partners can they give me?”“depends on what level the tester gave you”“He said level 5. He was a fan of my novels so I gave him a signed copy of the new one”“Oh, shit” his boss answered. “then u can be assigned up to 4 partners with Cali king bed”“Now you're just fucking with me” Andy sent back with a laugh.“noshit my dude” his boss answered. “ok we play it by ear then but dont check out any new tasks until monday, k?”“Am I still getting paid for the time?”“new partner adaptation time dude its all covered”“Okay then, I guess.”“level 5, L O L, u fucking suck” his boss typed. “u dont deserve that level of woman”“Wait. What do you mean?”“LOL u didn't read how the levels system work fuck u go enjoy winning the lottery”And with that, his boss set Andy's status to Out Of Office.From upstairs he heard both pairs of doors open, although he didn't think either of them opened fully. "I'm going to take a shower if that's okay with Eric," a voice called down."He's in the zone working, so that should be fine," Andy called up."Thank you!" And then Eric's bedroom door closed again."Okay Andy, come on up," a different voice said. "But close the bedroom door behind you, okay?" And then his own bedroom door shut.His work day was done. He found himself a little nervous at the idea of going into his own room, but he realized waiting wasn't going to make it any easier. Time to face the music. He pushed his laptop back into his laptop bag, zipped it up and set it on the coffee table.Andy walked up the stairs and came to his bedroom door. It was odd, staring at this side of his bedroom door. He knocked on the door, and a soft giggle came from the other side. "You don't need to knock, silly. It's your room. Come on in."He wasn't entirely sure what he expected to find behind the door. But he did as he was told to do, opening the door, stepping in and closing the door behind him.Sitting on his bed was a lovely redheaded woman in her mid to late twenties. He suspected the coppery color of her hair was natural as he could see a generous dusting of freckles on her cheeks and arms. She had it done up in a sporty ponytail that hung down to the small of her back. Instead of all the layers he'd seen her in just a few minutes ago, she was dressed now in simply a sports bra, a pair of booty shorts and a pair of thigh high leather boots. She had her hands behind her on the bed to thrust her perky tits up in his direction. She was fit, pale, strikingly beautiful, and had a playful smile on her face."Hallo Andy," she said, an Irish tinge to her voice. "My name's Aisling. It's pronounced Ashling, but spelled A i s l i n g. I'm from Dublin, but after I finished uni, I got a job out here working as a graphic designer. I'm your new partner. I hope I'm to your liking.""Oh!" Andy said, as if the whole situation was just dawning on him. "Oh, I'm "Aisling couldn't contain herself any longer and sat up and rushed him, throwing her arms around, clinging to him firmly. "We can touch," she moaned into his ear. "Touch! It's been so fucking long since I touched anybody. And I'm going to touch the fuck out of you nonstop, you beautiful bastard."He was slightly taken aback at how tightly she was holding him. "I mean, you don't have to ""I don't have to do any fucking thing I don't want to," she whispered into his ear. "But it is taking every bit of willpower I have not to drop to my fucking knees and rip those pants right off you. Because that's what I desperately want to do right now."Andy could feel her nipples pressed firmly against his chest through the sports bra, and her breath was hot against his skin. "Wah, why?""We've been in isolation for months," Aisling said as her hand grabbed onto his ass through his jeans. "They gave us injections to help us build our immune system against the virus, but they said it was going to stoke our libidos a bit. God, wasn't that a fucking understatement." She nibbled on his earlobe for a moment. "They showed me twenty pictures of men with a bit of description beneath each of them on what they wanted and didn't want, and I picked you."His hand moved along the small of her back, trying to keep it from going anywhere inappropriate, but she reached behind herself to grab his arm by the wrist and push his hand down onto her ass, which invoked another moan from her. "Why did you pick me?""You like gingers, which I am obviously. I'll be sure to show you it's natural in just a smidge," she said with a smile. "But you like both submissive and aggressive women, and I can be both. You're open to polyamory. I like both men and women, and I know that polyamorous men with large beds get multiple partners, so that's something to look forward to. I consider myself a switch, so I'm looking forward to having another girl to play with, one I can order around a bit." Andy started to try and pull his hand upward a bit, and she rubbed her hips forward a bit more insistently. "If you're lifting that hand up, it'd better be to slip it under my shorts onto my bare ass.""Is, is that what you want?""For an appetizer," she purred. "But you know what made me want you most of all?"Andy lifted his hand just to the top of her booty shorts, hesitating for just a second before he slid his fingertips beneath the hem of them. He realized he must've been hesitating a bit too long, because she reached back and pushed his hand down firmly until he had a full handful of toned butt in his grasp. "What's that?""Out of that long, long list of sexual turn ons and offs, the thing you put that turned you on the most, was dirty talk," she practically moaned at him. "I fucking love dirty talk. I am an absolutely filthy little slut. No," she giggled, licking her tongue along the shell of his ear, "I'm your filthy little slut now. I am going to beg you to fuck me stupid over and over again. I can't wait to suck on that cock of yours, to make you fuck my face until there are tears rolling down my eyes and I can't breathe. God, that makes my little cunt clench. It's tight, too. I've only fucked two guys before, and each of them only a couple of times. But you are going to fucking plow that gash of mine so much I may have to etch your name into it. You are going to fuck your little whore so much that you fall asleep inside of my cunt more often than not, and wake up to me sucking your cock clean to get you ready for another round." She turned around in his arms, which made his hand slide up to her stomach, her head leaning against his shoulder. "Here," she said, taking his hand on her belly, pushing it down the front of her shorts. "Feel just how sopping wet a bitch you own now, sir. Should be it sir? Master?" She giggled a little, wiggling her eyebrows. "Daddy?"Andy stuttered for a second, as his fingertips pushed through a small strip of hair before reaching the most drenched snatch he'd ever felt. "Fuck, you are soaked,”"Umm," she said with a nod. "So I'll just use all three then.""Not,” Andy sputtered, "not in front of my roommate.""The other guy? Oh, he's going to be more than a little distracted. I talked with Lily a little bit on the way over here “ Lily's the girl waiting for him in his room “ and she's more worked up than I am. And your roommate likes them to be a little dominant with him, so I don't think he'll have time to say anything, but if it makes you feel better, sir, I'll just call you Andy when we're out in the common areas. Or honey or baby. Something innocuous. As long as you're going to hold up your end of our deal.""My end?" Andy said, as he pushed a fingertip inside of Aisling's drenched cunt, feeling her clench down on it as she shivered slightly."You owe me one load of spunk every fucking day," she said, grabbing his other hand to push it up and under her sports bra to cup her tit, feeling how hard her nipple was against his palm. "I don't give a shite where you put it “ on my face, down my throat, across my tits, up my cunt, you can even stuff it up my virgin asshole, something I can't wait to feel the first time “ but you don't fall asleep at night without making sure I got my daily dose of your jizz. Think you can live up to that?""God, I hope so," he said, lifting her bra up to her collarbone, as her hands moved to pull it up and over her head, tossing it aside. "You really want that?"Aisling giggled again, a sound that sent shivers up Andy's spine every time. "I honestly can't wait to get started, Master. I want you to fuck me so bad, I can feel it trickling down my thighs. You've got yourself a needy little slut on your hands. How do you want our first time to be?"Andy's hand slid up from her shorts and brought his fingertips to his lips, licking them clean, seeing her nuzzling her face against his neck, so he offered his pointer finger to her, which she wrapped her lips around and suckled hard on before letting it pop from her mouth. "You were going to prove to me you were ginger, weren't you?""Hmm, I'm sure you can see the freckles all over my tits," she said, crossing her arms at the wrists in front of her to push them together and up towards his eyes. "But you want to be sure you've got an honest slut on your hands, hmm? Boots off or on, you think?""The boots are dead sexy, but let's have them off.""You like them though, yeah?" she asked as she put one foot up on his bed, and started unzipping one of the boots."Oh yes, they're fantastic. A lot of forethought in thinking to bring them.""We were allowed to made a list of things to get packed up for us, so I've got all sorts of little surprises in my wheelie bag, but I'll tell you one, I've got a plaid skirt in there, back from my days at Mercy College. Every man around the world loves a schoolgirl." She pulled her other boot off and set it on the floor next to its companion. Then she unbuttoned the front button of her jean shorts, unzipping them before bending forward over the corner of Andy's bed. She pushed the shorts slowly over the curve of her ass and down her thighs before stepping out of them, leaving her in a tiny silky red thong. "Like the view?""God you're fit. I feel like a bit of fat man in your presence, I'm afraid.""Don't you worry, lad," she purred. "You and I are going to be doing a lot of exercise." She slid on her belly further onto the bed and then rolled onto her back. "I'll fuck you back thin, daddy." Aisling pulled her thighs back to her chest, reached down and drew her thong up along her legs. As soon as she lifted the fabric upward, Andy got his first view of her cunt, and she was glistening. With her ankles to the side of her head, she drew the thong off and tossed it to the side before spreading her legs wide. True to her word, there was a neat shaved triangle of copper curls just above her snatch. "See? Ginge minge. Now what're you gonna do about it?""Aren't you sweet as candy?" Andy slowly crawled onto the bed next to her. He didn't have shoes to kick off “ he'd barely put them on since the lockdown began. "You're down for anything?"Aisling rolled onto her side. "You want the first time to be something particular? How sweet. What did you have in mind?""Something simple. So you can show me what you like. You on top. That okay?" Andy said as he pulled his shirt up and over his head.She giggled a little bit, reaching a fingertip over to brush it along his chest. "Tattoos? You're full of surprises. I wouldn't have pegged you as a man with ink." Andy had a tattoo of a griffon starting on his right pectoral going down to his stomach, done in an elaborate and detailed style. It had been the better part of two days worth of work ten years ago. "I like the look of it, though. And if you want our first time to be me riding you, I say giddyup partner. Any other surprises down here I should be looking forward to?" Her fingertip moved to smooth down over the swell of his cock through his jeans."You can have a looksee for yourself after you do one more thing," Andy said, with a little laugh."Tell me what it is, so I can see the thing that's going to change my life." She was rubbing the palm of her hand firmly against that buldge now, her eyes looking down at her hand before bringing those green eyes up to meet his gaze, a girlish smile on her lips. "Stop teasing and tell me.""I've never shown my cock to girl I haven't kissed before," he said with a wry smile. "I don't intend to stay"Andy didn't even finish getting the sentence before Aisling had crawled all over him, pressing her lips to his. The kiss was intense, more intense than he'd ever remembered before. It came on strong and kept getting stronger, her lips parting after several seconds to let her tongue slip into his mouth and spiral around in a hungry dance. After a few minutes of making out like a couple of teenagers, she pulled back just an inch or so. "God, I hadn't realized how much I missed kissing someone. You're a great kisser." She pressed her lips against his once more and this time didn't wait to push her tongue in. After a few more minutes, she pulled back again. "That what you wanted?"He laughed softly. "You really want to see it, don't you?""See it, touch it, taste it, fuck it. I want to do everything you can think of with that cock, and once we're done with all of that, we can do it all over again." Her fingertips plucked at the button of his jeans, popping them undone. "Can I see it now, daddy?""I'm no porn star, Aisling, so I wouldn't get your hopes up," he said. "But yes, you can see it." He felt her drawing down his zipper and lifted his hips up so she could tug his jeans down and off, but she made a point of grabbing his boxers with them. "See? Not any longer than the average man.""Jaysus," she said quietly, "maybe not any longer, but certainly thicker. A lot thicker. That is a great big fat ol' cock you got there, Master." Her voice was one continuous purr as her slender fingers wrapped around the base of his cock and started to slowly stroke it. "Thicker than any cock I've ever had inside of me. Can I?""Hop aboard." The whole thing felt vaguely dreamlike. He wasn't sure she was real, wasn't sure any of this was real. He half expected to wake up and for everything to disappear at any moment. But that didn't happen."Gladly," she said, as she straddled one leg over his hips. She snaked a hand between them to grab the base of his cock, angling it properly, setting the tip against wet snatch before sinking down onto it with one continuous motion. As soon as her hips touched down against his, his cock bottoming out inside of her cunt, he felt her entire body slump forward atop him in a colossal shiver, her cunt spasming and clenching on his shaft. A tiny moan burbled from her lips, one that bubbled over into a breathy laugh against his neck, desperate and delirious. "Fer fuck sake. I've never cum that hard in my entire fucking life, and you just put the fucking thing inside of me. Nothing more. Just from putting him in.""Do you want to stop?""Are you out of your fucking mind?" she giggled, placing both of her hands on Andy's chest. "I haven't gotten my daily nut yet, daddy. And your girl wants what's coming to her. And by hook or by crook, she will fucking having it." Her arms pressed together to push her tits out even more, as she started to snake her hips backwards only to thrust them forward again. "It's been two years since I got properly fucked last. How long's it been for you?""You'll only laugh at me," Andy said with a slight frown."I promise I won't," she purred. "Has it been longer?""A lot longer.""How long?""Over a decade."She leaned down and kissed him again, this time a bit more softly and tenderly. "Well, you're never going to go a day in your life without fucking ever again, so it'll be alright." She had a magical way of swaying atop of him, shimmying back and forth on his cock. Her body ground down onto him over and over, sweat glistening off her freckled pale skin.His hands latched onto her hips, trying mostly to hold on. His fingertips clenched onto her smooth skin, pressing her down a little more than she'd been trying to push onto his cock, as if he felt like he wanted to contribute something to her effort."C'mon. Make me your girl, claim your whore, daddy," she whimpered, her face looming over his. "I wanna feel it. Gimme that cum. Own me. Own me. Cum in her tight little cunt. Paint it. Take it. Fucking own me, Master. Own. Me."Just outside of his room, he heard Eric's door open and then slam shut again, but it was only a momentary distraction, as Aisling continued to bear down on him, her ass slamming against the top of his thighs.It wasn't long before he could feel that release building up on him, and much sooner than he'd have liked, his body was shuddering in the throes of an orgasm as he started to spew hot cum inside of her tight young twat. As soon as he started to orgasm, however, it was almost like Aisling had been struck by lightning, her whole body violently shaking as a guttural sound was wrenched from her throat, primal and whorish, before her body collapsed on top of him, her body trembling for a long moment before she lay still atop of him.After a few minutes, he slowly moved her to one side of him so he could slip out from under her. She was completely unconscious, and he was almost certain he could her hear whispering nigh imperceptibly the word 'imprinting' over and over again.He didn't want to wake her, so he went and showered, then headed downstairs to grab himself a bit of dinner. The two cats sat at the foot of his bed, peering at the unconscious redhead in his bed, wondering what the hell was going on.The madness had barely even gotten started.Chapter 3When Andy woke up the next morning, he was almost certain he'd been dreaming yesterday. But he felt an odd sensation and lifted his head to look down. There he saw Aisling's coppery ponytail bouncing over his crotch. And he could feel her lips sealed around his cock, as she continued to face fuck herself on his shaft.Andy had never woken up to being blown before, and it certainly was a delightful experience. He tried to pull her head up, to give her a break, but she reached up and pressed his hand away with her own, a delightful little giggle rolling from her lips onto his cock.He thrust his hips towards her face because it seemed like the thing she wanted him to do, and sure enough, she kept pushing her head down again and again. She wasn't letting up until she got what she needed.In the end, resistance was futile.His body tensed up and his back arched as he felt her lips around the base of his cock, the head lodged in her throat as he started to spew cum. When he did, he could feel her body shake and quiver against his thigh.A few minutes later, both of them had regained their composure, and she'd snuggled up alongside him, her face nestled in the crook of his neck as she laughed almost deliriously. "It's actually true. The taste of your cum gives me an orgasm. Each and every time, harder than I'd ever known before I met you," she purred. "You really do fuckin' own me, daddy.""You say that," Andy said, "but eventually you'll get bored of me, and you'll come to resent me, resent being attached to me like this."She rolled over a little bit, pressing one of her arms against his chest as she shook her head, a crooked smile on her lips. "I woke up in the middle of the night and looked around the room while you were asleep. There are bookcases everywhere. My first boyfriend was a footie player who dreamed of going pro when he could barely get up in the morning. My second boyfriend? He was a shitty musician who claimed he was being artful when he couldn't carry a tune. You're surrounded by books. Have you read all of them?"Andy shrugged a little. "Maybe half of them. But I like having books around, knowing that when I'm ready for another, it's right there.""See?" she giggled. "I've never been with anyone so smart before. And I've never been with someone who'll let me be myself and not force me to hide it.""Hide what?""What an absolute slut I am," she said, kissing his neck. "Your absolute slut, if I'm honest." She wasn't trying to wind him up, just more of delighting in learning all the nooks and crannies of his body. "And I don't have to pretend I'm a good Catholic girl who'd never let a boy put his hand up her skirt when I'd rather be bent over getting my tight young gash plowed. You'll have to do that next, have me on my hands and knees, your good little proper bitch."Andy laughed. "You sound rather eager for that."" Umm," she mumbled, nibbling on his ear, "you want me to beg again?""Let me do it later," he said. "We should get up, shower, and we should meet our new roommates.""I talked to Lily a bit on the ride over. I'll tell you about it in the shower."Each of the bedrooms in the condo had an attached bathroom so they didn't even have to get dressed to get up and move to the bathroom. She scooted ahead of him quickly, and he could see the inside of her thighs were damp as she climbed out of the bed and moved into the bathroom.It was the first time he'd had a woman in his bathroom in a decade, and so he was a little embarrassed about the state of it. "Of course you don't have a hair dryer," Aisling giggled, as she ran her fingertips over Andy's shaved head. He'd started developing a bald spot in his mid twenties, so he'd been shaving his head every since then. "Don't worry, I've got one in my suitcase. Speaking of which, you're going to need to give me one drawer in that dresser to myself. That okay?""You're really in this for the long haul, aren't you?" He turned on the water in the shower as he closed the top of the toilet.She leaned in and folded her hands behind his neck, pressing her body up against his. "What did I tell you? You. Own. Me." She kissed him briefly in between each of the last three words. "But that means you belong to me as well. Whenever you go, I go. And I need to take care of you. And you need to take care of me.""I can clear out a drawer for you, no problem, Aisling.""See? It's not that hard to pronounce, is it?""But hey, this is your bathroom now too, so feel free to make it home.""Oo!" she said suddenly and darted back out into the bedroom. Andy could hear her unzipping her little suitcase before she sprinted back in, a giant tricolor beach towel which she set on top of the toilet. It didn't even take him half a second to recognize it was the colors of Ireland's flag. "Little bit of the home country. Now let's get wet. I've never taken a shower with another person before." She lifted her fingers and pressed them against his hair chest, almost shoving him back into the shower.It was rather a long shower, where they got dirty before they got clean again.About forty minutes later, they'd both gotten dried off and dressed and headed downstairs, Aisling bringing her laptop bag with her. Sitting on the couch was a Japanese woman dressed in sweatpants and a baggy t shirt typing away on her laptop while Eric was sitting at his desk on the other side of the room."Andy, meet Lily," Eric said to Andy as he walked down the stairs. "She's my new partner.""S'up," Lily said, not even looking up from her typing."She's kinda in the zone right now. She's a coder with DoorDash.""We talked a bit on the ride over here," Aisling said. "Hi, I'm Aisling. I'm Andy's first partner.""First?" Lily said, stopping typing and looking up and over her shoulder at them as they reached the bottom of the stairs.Andy scowled. "She didn't mean it like that. I wasn't a virgin."Lily snickered a bit. "I know. I'm fucking with you," she said, looking back down to her laptop. "So how was he Ash?""Fucking amazing," Aisling said. "How about yours?""I have a name you know," Eric said."Good but not great," Lily said. "But I'll train him to be the best ever. Best for me, anyway.""Hi Eric," Aisling said, shaking Eric's hand. "Nice to meet you.""I cleared off the dining room table behind Andy's desk to give you a bit of work space, Ash," Eric said. "Lily said you're an artist?""Graphic designer for Alphabet."Andy cocked his head as he and Aisling started to cross the living room, heading towards the dining room. "I didn't know you were a Googler.""I'm a contractor for them, so they don't really consider me a Googler," she sighed. "They might move me from contract to full time at some point, but it's just as likely they're going to just keep giving me new contracts over and over again.""Welcome to life in Silicon Valley," Andy laughed. "Everything's forever, for exactly five minutes."Aisling pulled her laptop out of her bag and set it on the table, noticing the box pushed off to one side. "Blake Conrad, huh?" she said, taking a book out from the box. "My older brother loves these books, but I've never read any of them. Are you a big fan?"From the other room, Eric couldn't help but laugh. "Go on!" he yelled at Andy. "Tell her."Andy rolled his eyes. "Look inside the back flap."Aisling took the hardcover and opened to the back of it, looking at the inside flap where Andy's picture peered back at her. "Wait, are you Blake Conrad?""It's a pen name.""Oh my god! I'm shagging Dermot's favorite pen!" she giggled. "I can't wait to phone him and tell him.""Mmm. I can even autograph a copy of the new one for him and you can mail it out to him, as long as he's not going to be mad that I'm sleeping with his sister."Aisling pulled out a Wacom tablet from her laptop as well as a power cord, plugging it into the wall. "Andy. You're a bloody hero to him. He'll be over the moon.""He's not going to be upset that you're shacking up with a guy you just met? Or that he's going to have, other women?"Aisling kissed him for a long moment, soft and tender. "You're sweet, Andy. But this is the way the world works now. And you're a good man, so Dermot'll be happy that I didn't end up with someone crazy or ugly.""Oh, you don't think I'm ugly?" Andy grinned impishly, as Aisling pushed him back down into his desk chair."Look fella," she teased. "If I thought you were ugly, I'd have said so. Now don't you have work to get to or something?"Andy turned on his computer and the two monitors on his desk sprung to life. "Well, yeah, but theoretically I'm on new partner leave, so I don't really have to be working."She stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, I don't get any such luxury as a contractor, so I need to get some work done today. How does a novelist get partner leave anyway?"He sighed a little. "That's just my side hustle. My day job is as a marketing writer for Netflix."Aisling's face scrunched up in cute confusion. "The books don't pay enough?""Not until they get optioned, which my agent seems to think will happen eventually, but hasn't yet.""I'll have to read them then." Andy tried to mask the look of surprise on his face, but apparently wasn't great at concealing it. "What? I said I hadn't read them, not that I didn't want to read them.""Fair enough!" Andy grabbed his headphones and pulled them onto his head, clicking on iTunes to bring up his music. He wasn't allowed to check out new tasks for his day job, so he figured he might as well get a bit of writing in on his next novel.After a few minutes, Aisling tapped him on the shoulder, so he pulled the headphones off. "What's up?""What're you listening to?""Right now? Post rock band called God Is An Astronaut, but I usually just put my music on shuffle and let it ride.""Can I listen too?"Andy nodded. "Sure, as long as you've got headphones with a long cable and a USB plug.""Certainly do!" she said, holding out the cable.He plugged her in, did a few clicks on his computer, and then they were both listening to his music, just a few feet apart.Andy found it a little hard to focus on his writing, so he decided to take a bit of time to read up on the level system. His boss seemed to know a lot more about it, so he figured it didn't hurt to see what was coming down the pipeline.The virus, it seemed, was hitting the coasts hardest, with N Y C being the biggest disaster area, but the Silicon Valley wasn't far behind. Isolation was the best path, but the bodies were still piling up, so the country was looking to build some stability into people's lives. That meant pairing the single people up. Men were dying at a significantly higher rate than women to the virus, so protecting them had become extremely important. The virus had a mortality rate that was fifty times higher in men than it was in women.Because of that fact alone, it had been determined that virus free men would be ranked on a scale of one to five in terms of their importance to society, and that the higher a man was ranked, the more that person's personal needs would be tended to. So level 1s, which it seemed like was most people, would simply be given the barest amount of effort to find someone to pair with their basic desires. 80% of the men were classified as level ones. Level twos were essential, low risk workers such as construction engineers, clerks, judges and the like. Level three was law enforcement. Level four was figures of high impact. Mark Zuckerberg would've supposedly been a level four if he wasn't already married, one article said. Level five was the front liners in the fight in the virus and those who had made extraordinary contributions to society. They made up a fractional amount of people in the pool, less than half of one percent.A kind of hushed up mythology had been built up around level fives from what Andy could find on the internet. There were stories of emergency doctors who were on the best of days a six in any woman's estimate getting partnered up with women who would never be any less than a ten.Andy scoffed a little bit until he started looking at some of the pictures, and noticed that there were endless pictures of ER doctors and genetics researchers with women way, way, way, way out of their leagues.It was on the fifth collection of photos he spotted a familiar face. There was Dave, the man who'd tested them just a few short days ago, with his arm around a Hispanic knockout who couldn't have been pressed closer to him. And in the group shot with Dave, there were nearly a dozen other similar pairings of schlep and stunner.Once paired, men were being kept in isolation for an indeterminate amount of time. They were allowed to go out for walks, but had to keep fifteen feet away from anyone else. They weren't even permitted to go into stores to go shopping. Andy and Eric had been living on food delivery for weeks now. They'd even had groceries delivered and left on their doorstep. The receipt said the person who delivered them was named Silva, but neither Andy nor Eric had seen them. Andy wondered which of the two women would volunteer to go and get groceries first.During the middle of the day, Eric wanders over to take their orders as he placed a food delivery, but none of them had any chance to talk until dinner, which they also had delivered. Lily got free deliveries working for DoorDash, apparently, so both lunch and dinner had been brought that way."So how did you guys meet?" Lily asked as she was bringing in the bag of food that had been left on their doorstep.Eric laughed. "You want to tell them or should I?"Andy waved his hand, turning his desk chair around so it was up against the dining room table. "You're looking forward to it, so you tell them."Eric grinned as Lily started to take the food “ cheesesteaks it seemed “ and put it out on the table. "He was trying to bang my sister.""I was trying to date your sister," Andy said as Aisling giggled. "There's a difference.""Date her so you could fuck her, let's be clear."Andy rolled his eyes. "That was over a decade ago, so it's probably time to let it go.""She's married and lives in Florida down with her husband and their four kids, so we never really see her much anymore," Eric said."But Eric needed a roommate and I needed a place to live, so I moved into his spare room, and we've been flatmates since then," Andy said. "Aisling's from Dublin, but are you local Lily?""Second generation Bay Area native," Lily said as Eric set a beer in front of her. "My parents live up in Petaluma these days. Are your parents still around here, Eric?""They retired and moved down to Santa Cruz, although they spend half their time out in Florida with their grandkids. I'll introduce you to them over Facetime when they call next.""They going to be happy you hooked up with a Japanese woman?""They'll be happy I'm happy," Eric said. "Beyond that, I don't think they care.""What about you, Andy? You got local family?"Andy shook his head. "I'm from Ohio originally, but I've been out here for longer than I was there. My dad died a few years back, but my mom's still out there, as is my older brother with his wife and their son.""How old's your nephew?" Aisling asked."Conner will be 11 in July. I generally go back every year for Christmas, but this year seems like that's probably out."The Irish girl cocked her head slightly. "How much older is your brother?""Nine years older than me.""No siblings in between?""Nope," Andy said. "You said you have an older brother named Dermot. That your only sibling?"Aisling almost snorted she laughed so suddenly. "Jaysis no. Dermot's the eldest, then me, then my sisters Aoife and Niamh, and the last one is my baby brother Colin, who's about as old as your nephew. What about you, Lily?""Only child, thank fuck," she grumbled. "So, Andy, I understand Aisling's not going to be your only partner. What makes you think you deserve more than one partner, hmm?"Andy raised a hand defensively. "Hey now, I never said I deserve anything.""She's fucking with you, love," Aisling said, poking him with a grin."Spoil sport," Lily said, sticking her tongue out. "I don't really care as long as you're not going to take a pass at me.""You're Eric's partner, Lily. I'm going to respect that.""Good, and I'll make sure he keeps his hands off your girls.""I would never " Eric started to say before Lily raised a finger in his direction and he felt silent."Good boy," Lily said with a smirk. "I'll get him trained yet."Andy had never seen Eric get cowed quite so severely before, but he could swear his flatmate was blushing a little."I'm actually looking forward to seeing who else we get to play with," Aisling said."How many names should I expect to have to learn?" Lily asked."It's a fookin' huge bed, Lil," Aisling giggled. "So I expect a few more.""What I was reading about on the internet says I'm supposed to share my bed with four partners," Andy said, "but that can't possibly be right can it?""Umm. I can't wait," Aisling purred.She didn't have long to wait.To be continued in part 2, by CorruptingPower for Literotica.

In episode 27,  we take you behind the scenes of one of the Army's most critical missions—bringing top medical talent into the force. Join us as we sit down with CPT Ryan Harakel, a current Army Healthcare Recruiter, to learn what it takes to connect passionate professionals with purpose-driven careers in Army Medicine.CPT Ryan M. Harakel currently serves as the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer in Charge at the Portland, Maine Medical Recruiting Station. A native of Little Falls, Minnesota, he began his Army career in 2003, completing Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill and AIT at Joint Base San Antonio, earning the MOS 68P (Radiology Specialist). In 2017, he commissioned into the Medical Service Corps as a 70B (Health Services Administration Officer).His leadership and operational assignments include Officer in Charge at Portland ME Medical Recruiting Station; HHC Commander, Mobilization & Missions Officer, and Executive Officer with the 7456 Medical Operation Readiness Unit in Des Moines, IA. As an enlisted leader, he served in multiple platoon sergeant and readiness roles across the U.S., including at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Camp Shelby, and Rochester, MN.CPT Harakel holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Mercy College of Health Sciences. His professional military education includes the AMEDD Captains Career Course, Health Care Recruiter Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, OC/T Academy, AMEDD Senior Leaders Course, Air Assault School, and many others, reflecting his broad experience and commitment to readiness and training.His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (6 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (7 OLC), Meritorious Unit Citation, Iraq Campaign Medal (2 campaign stars), and multiple other decorations. He has earned the Gold Recruiter Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Norwegian Military Marching Badge.With over two decades of service, CPT Harakel brings deep experience in both enlisted and officer ranks, combining operational expertise with a passion for mentoring and building the future of Army Medicine through healthcare recruiting. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com

Jo Ann Skousen is the founding director of the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival, the world's only film festival dedicated to supporting filmmakers who create short and full length documentaries and narrative films with libertarian themes. Jo Ann completed her graduate degree in English Literature and began teaching at Rollins College. She taught English writing and literature at Mercy College and served as a co-director of the Learning Center. She also taught in Mercy's degree-seeking program for inmates at Sing Sing prison. Currently, Jo Ann teaches English literature and writing at Chapman University in Orange County, California

As the Galway teams near the conclusion of this year's National Leagues, there is plenty of action to look ahead to for Saturday/Sunday 8th/9th March 2025. With a full preview, here's Galway Bay FM's Adrian O'Neill. == Selected Fixtures: Domino's Men's Super League Saturday March 8th Energywise Ireland Neptune vs Maree, Neptune Stadium, 1830 Wednesday March 12th EJ Sligo All-Stars vs Maree BC, Mercy College, 1930 == Domino's Women's Super League Saturday March 8th University of Galway Mystics vs The Address UCC Glanmire, Ballinfoyle Community Centre, 1400 ==  Domino's Men's Division One Saturday March 8th Titans BC vs Team NorthWest, Ballinfoyle Castlegar Centre, 1900 ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers vs Maigh Cuilinn, St. Mary's Hall, 1900

In this inspiring episode of 'Inspire to Lead,' Talia Mashiach interviews Chanie Rubin, founder of Proud Moments, the second largest ABA company in the U.S. Chanie shares her transformative journey of building her company from the ground up, balancing a young family, working long hours, and eventually partnering with private equity to scale her operations. She offers candid insights into her experiences, including the challenges of rapid growth, the importance of quality in business, and the life-changing impact of faith and prioritizing work-life harmony. This episode is packed with invaluable advice for entrepreneurs and leaders looking to grow their ventures while maintaining their personal and spiritual well-being.     00:00 Introduction to Inspire to Lead Podcast 00:27 Meet Chanie Rubin: Founder of Proud Moments 02:08 Chanie's Journey: Building Proud Moments 02:53 Expanding and Scaling the Business 03:48 Investing in Behavioral Health 04:23 Challenges and Lessons in Hiring 06:30 Working with Family: The Dynamics 20:43 Balancing Work and Family Life 29:40 Reflecting on Responsibility and Outside Investment 30:49 Preparing for Outside Investment 32:53 Going to Market and Deal Fatigue 34:06 Choosing the Right Investors 37:36 Transition from Entrepreneur to CEO 41:14 Balancing Work and Family 42:52 Lessons from Experience 46:33 The Importance of Priorities and Intentional Living 50:26 Faith and Letting Go 56:53 Final Thoughts and Reflections     About Our Guest: Chanie Rubin is a co-founder and Board Director at Proud Moments ABA, the Northeast's largest provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. With a passion for scaling businesses and improving operations, Chanie has been instrumental in Proud Moments' expansion to 12+ states nationwide, spearheading new site launches and acquisitions. Chanie's expertise extends beyond Proud Moments. She currently sits on multiple boards for multi-site behavioral health organizations and healthcare tech platforms. Her family office actively invests in promising behavioral health businesses, allowing her to contribute to the industry's growth and innovation. A recognized thought leader in the healthcare sector, Chanie advises market-leading companies and financial sponsors. She brings a deep understanding of industry best practices, regulatory trends, and payor negotiations, honed through years of experience as a clinician executive. Chanie's career began with hands-on clinical experience as a behavior analyst, therapist, consultant, and professor. This foundation informs her strategic thinking and operational focus. Chanie holds a Bachelor's degree in behavior science and a Master's degree in Special Education from Mercy College. She is a licensed BCBA and LBA.   Powered By Roth & Co The JWE For guest suggestions, please email Talia: podcast@thejwe.org

Maigh Cuilinn travel to Women's Super League leaders Waterford Wildcats; while Mare head to St. Vincent's in the Men's Super League before hosting Sligo. Men's Division 1 action sees Titans host Drogheda Wolves, and Maigh Cuilinn head to Carrick Cruisers. For a full preview, here's Galway Bay FM's Adrian O'Neill. == The 'Over The Line' weekend preview show with Darren Kelly broadcasts every Friday evening from 7pm on Galway Bay FM. == FIXTURES Women's Super League Saturday February 22th SETU Waterford Wildcats vs University of Galway Mystics, Mercy College 1700 == Men's Super League Saturday February 22th Bright St. Vincent's vs Maree, St. Vincent's CBS, 1900 Wednesday February 26th Maree vs EJ Sligo All-Stars, Calasanctius College, 1930 == Men's Division One Saturday February 22th Titans BC vs Drogheda Wolves, Ballinfoyle Castlegar Centre, 1900 Carrick Cruisers vs Maigh Cuilinn, Phoenix Centre, 1930

Siobhan Wynne, Regional Director of ESB Networks // Dr. Peter Sloane, single handed GP in Carraroe, Connemara // Dara Calleary, Minister for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development // Ciaran Mullooly, Independent Ireland MEP // Anne Gorby, Principal of Mercy College in Sligo

Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years.  Her Master's Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York.  Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health.  Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists.  She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases.  She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor's degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master's degree from NYU University.  Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field.  The discussion covered the following topics: influence of artificial intelligence, and research endeavors pertaining to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology.

In this episode of the Ed Leaders podcast, Luke Callier and Mathew Irving sit down with Matt Estermann, the dynamic Director of Innovation and Partnership at Our Lady of Mercy College. With a career that spans a love for ideas, tech-savvy solutions, and a healthy dose of "let's try this and see if it works," Matt unpacks what it really means to innovate in the education sector. From his early days as a history teacher to becoming a leader in school innovation, Matt shares the power of storytelling and compelling reasons in overcoming resistance to change. He dives into the transformative role of AI in education, exploring how it can act as a personal assistant to educators and students while highlighting the need for thoughtful implementation. Matt touches on the evolving responsibilities of school leaders, the value of postgraduate studies, and practical insights from his co-authored book on AI and education. Together, they explore the future of education, curriculum innovation, and the importance of building authentic professional networks. Matt also reveals his vision for establishing a new school network in New South Wales. Ready to rethink the way schools innovate? Tune in now and join the conversation!  Matt Estermann's journey to the Director of Innovation and Partnership role Practical tips for creating impactful school-community and industry partnerships. The importance of balancing tradition with forward-thinking practices in schools. How Matt defines innovation and addresses challenges in schools. Opportunities and challenges of integrating AI for students and educators. Balancing operational and strategic needs as a school leader. AI and Teachers: Key takeaways from Matt's co-authored book. Rethinking curricula, partnerships, and the role of schools in the age of AI. The power of authentic connections for ongoing growth. You can also connect with us personally at LinkedIn: Luke Callier - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljcallier/⁠ Mathew Irving - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-irving-b6b91430/  Guest Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mesterman/?originalSubdomain=au Special thanks to our partners: Other sponsors if we have them. Sign up to the Edleaders Newsletter: Head on over to edleaders.com.au to hear more about our journey. If you'd like to know more about being a guest or would like to sponsor our show - check out https://www.edleaders.com.au/collabs As always if you have questions, feedback, or a suggestion from a leader you'd like to hear from - send us a message! Please remember if you have a spare minute, please leave us a review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player which will help more like-minded school leaders discover us. Go Well.

Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years.  Her Master's Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York.  Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health.  Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists.  She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases.  She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor's degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master's degree from NYU University.  Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion covered the following topics: involvement of informal caregivers in treatment, staying on top of new developments, use of assistive technology, provision of care via telehealth, and impact of Long Covid on patient care.

Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years.  Her Master's Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York.  Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health.  Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists.  She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases.  She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor's degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master's degree from NYU University.  Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion in Part Two covered the following topics: types of patients treated, impact of health care disparities, and patient cooperation in health care interventions by providers.

Catherine Parkin serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, She co-authored the book, Medical aspects of disability for the rehabilitation professionals in 2017 by the Springer Publishing Company. Mary Regina Reilly has served as the Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langue Health for the last ten years.  Her Master's Degree is from Columbia University and she did her fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York.  Clinical concentration has focused on pediatric dysphagia with medically complex infants with additional efforts in developing specialty programs for adults with acquired neurogenic disorders. She was instrumental in assisting in the development of the Masters of Science Program in Communication Sciences at Yeshiva University and has served as an adjunct professor at both Mercy College and NYU Steinhardt. Dr. Angela Stolfi is the Director of Physical Therapy, Director of Therapy Services at Rusk Ambulatory Satellite Locations, Site Coordinator of PT Clinical Education, and Director of PT Residency and Fellowship Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation, NYU Langone Health.  Dr. Stolfi holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation at NYU School of Medicine and regularly lectures in the physical therapy programs at both NYU and the University of Scranton. The focus of much of her current and recent research relates to mentoring and education of student physical therapists.  She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy (JCEPT). Maria Cristina Tafurt is the Site Director at the Rusk Institute NYU Langone Medical Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases.  She has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 30 years receiving her Bachelor's degree from the University of Rosario in Bogata Colombia, and her Advance Master's degree from NYU University.  Her clinical experience has varied with an emphasis on brain injury rehabilitation, pain management, hand therapy, and orthopedics. She holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and has authored or co-authored sixteen articles, abstracts and international presentations in her field. The discussion covered the following topics in Part One: a description of each of the three professions, educational requirements to become practitioners, and recruitment and retention of clinicians. 

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Richard Hasselbach, pastor and SU-USA board member, as they discuss a new week's readings in Ecclesiastes. You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at www.ScriptureUnion.org Featured Guest: Richard Hasselbach, SU board member and pastor Richard Hasselbach is pastor of Clarkstown Reformed Church in West Nyack, New York. He has pastored churches in both New York and Florida. Rev. Hasselbach is a graduate of Siena College (B.A.) and holds a Master of Divinity degree (M.Div.) from the Washington Theological Union, and advanced degrees from both Boston College Law School (J.D.) and Fordham University (Ph.D.). Active in the Community, Rev. Hasselbach currently sits on the Clarkstown, NY Board of Ethics and serves on the board of Helping Hands Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless of Rockland County. He has taught at St. Bonaventure University and Mercy College. He is an animal lover and is owned by three dogs and a cat. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scriptureunionusa/support

When eighteen-year-old recent high school graduate Tiffany Valiante was struck and killed by a train in July 2015, the news came as a shock to friends and family, who couldn't fathom why the teenager had been out walking the tracks that night. Their shock and confusion quickly turned to outrage and disbelief when, less than twenty-four hours later, Tiffany's death was ruled a suicide by the New Jersey Transit Police, who were tasked with investigating the incident. As far as everyone knew, Tiffany was a happy, outgoing girl with a bright future and a sports scholarship to Mercy College in the fall—they couldn't think of a single reason why she would have wanted to end her life. Despite the official conclusions about her death, the Valiante family have never believed Tiffany intentionally stepped in front of the train that night, and in the months and years that have passed since her death, many other people have come to a similar conclusion. In fact, they're confident the evidence and numerous unanswered questions suggest Tiffany had not gone into the woods voluntarily and that her death is at best suspicious, and at worst a murder. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support! ReferencesConklin, Eric. 2023. "Family of Tiffany Valiante marks 8 years since teen's death with 2nd docuseries in the works." Press of Atlantic City, July 24.Daily Beast. 2022. "Was high school grad being chased before grisly train death?" Daily Beast, July 16.D'Amato Law. 2017. "“It's just not the Tiffany I knew,” said Allison Walker, head women's volleyball coach at Stockton University who coached Valiante in the East Coast Crush Volleyball Club, a junior travel volleyball team. “The time of night really didn't sit right with me." D'Amato Law. July 17. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://damatolawfirm.com/in-the-news/who-killed-tiffany-valiante-questions-persist-as-family-marks-the-third-anniversary-of-her-mysterious-death/.—. 2022. Mishandling Key Evidence In 2015 Tiffany Valiante Suspicious Death Case Impeded Independent Forensic DNA Analysis, Reports Renowned Lab. March 29. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://damatolawfirm.com/in-the-news/mishandling-key-evidence-in-2015-tiffany-valiante-suspicious-death-case/.DeAngelis, Martin. 2016. "Death of teen not suicide, suit says." Press of Atlantic City, July 20: 3.DiFilippo, Dana, and Joe Hernandez. 2017. Family of N.J. teen killed by train disputes suicide ruling, sues to prove kidnap-murder plot. July 19. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://whyy.org/articles/family-of-nj-teen-killed-by-train-disputes-suicide-ruling-sues-to-prove-kidnap-murder-plot/.Houseman, H. Louise. 2017. Investigative report submitted by H. Louise Hoiusman, Senior Medical Investigator. Investigative Report, Egg Harbor, NJ: D'Amato Law.Huba, Nicholas. 2015. "Suicides shock, sadden teens." Press of Atlantic City, July 19: 1.Jason, Dr. Donald. 2018. Re: Death of Tiffany Valiante. Forensic evaluation, Egg Harbor, NJ: D'Amato Law.Low, Claire. 2018. "A walk thgrough hell." Press of Atlantic City, December 16: 1.Morgan, Kate. 2022. Tiffany Valiante's last night. November. Accessed August 15, 2024. https://sjmagazine.net/featured/tiffany-valiantes-last-night.Stephen F. Valiante and Diane F. Valiante v. Does et al. 2017. ATL-L-1411-17 (Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, July 18).Sterling, Stephen, and S.P. Sullivan. 2017. Death and dysfunction: HGow N.J. fails the dead, betrays the living and is a national disgrace. December 14. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://death.nj.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bo Bonner is the Mission Officer at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA and the Co-host of the UnCommon Good.  He recently reposted a brief statement on strengthening the will, which began, "When it comes to the will and the spiritual life, much emphasis is placed on immediately turning away from temptation with a decisive act of will. Indeed, asceticism is rooted in this hope, that saying 'no' to things, even good ones, will make our wills no longer weak but, with the grace of God, able to withstandthe onslaughts of the tempter in every day life. But in some ways in contemporary spirituality discussions this has been hi-jacked..."  We talk through his post and explore ideas about avoiding extremes when it comes to forming the will, and land on some practical, achievable ways of growing in holiness.

EPISODE 353 - Joel Salomon - The 9 Money Rules Millionaire's Use and His TedX TalkJOEL SALOMONJoel Salomon is a prosperity coach who helps others overcome obstacles standing in the way of their financial freedom. In 2019, Joel published The 9 Money Rules Millionaires Use: Only The Unconventional Oneswhich was a bestseller in both self-help and personal finance. In 2018, he published Mindful Money Management: Memoirs of a Hedge Fund Manager, which immediately became a bestseller.Joel is an award-winning speaker and frequent podcast guest. He has led 9 workshops teaching the concepts of how to overcome limiting beliefs. He has spoken at numerous Rotary and Lions' Clubs in the New York Metropolitan area and at Mercy College's MBA program, as well as at Mike Dooley's Infinite Possibilities Training Conference in New Orleans in March 2018.He appeared on TV with CEO Money and has also been a guest on more than 20 podcasts including Every Day is a New Day Show, Thrive Loud, the Award-Winning Nice GuysPodcast, The Financial Survival Network, and Think, Believe, Manifest. Joel has also been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Newsday, U.S. News and World Report, and interviewed in Forbes and on Bloomberg Radio.In 2012, he achieved a decades-long dream with the launch of his own hedge fund, SaLaurMor Capital (named after his two daughters, Lauren and Morgan).Salomon's financial experience includes managing a $700 million long/short equity and credit portfolio for Citi. Salomon generated positive returns every full year during his time at Citi, including 2008, when the market suffered 40 percent losses and financial stocks—the only ones he was managing—collapsed 57%.Salomon has been a Chartered Financial Analyst since 1995. In 1992, he was named a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. He is also an Advanced Communicator Gold Toastmaster and a Certified Infinite Possibilities Trainer & Trailblazer.When not helping others achieve their financial dreams, Salomon enjoys table tennis, bowling, and skiing. He is also an avid traveler and has visited over forty countries and five continents.The Book: The 9 Money Rules Millionaires UseThe 9 Money Rules Millionaires Use is fabulous, enlightened reading, filled with gripping personal stories – my favorite way to learn – written by someone who has walked the talk and who wants to help others do the same. I could not more highly recommend reading this one as soon as possible.Mike Dooley NY Timesbestselling author of Infinite Possibilitieshttps://www.salaurmor.com/___podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Support the showhttps://livingthenextchapter.com/Want to support the show and get bonus content?https://www.buzzsprout.com/1927756/subscribe

Bo Bonner is the Director of the Center for Human Flourishing, and Senior Advisor for Mission Initiatives at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA. He joins us in a discussion to reframe our concept of Lent and Pennance to one of Joy and anticipation. What if we thought of our Lenten preparation the same way we thought about preparing for Date Night with our Beloved.

Join me in this candid and spontaneous podcast episode, where I share my thoughts and experiences during the first week of graduate school. As a new student in the LMHC program at Mercy College, I faced a whirlwind of emotions—fear, excitement, and intimidation—all at once. I delve into my initial impressions of my professors, the courses, and the vibrant community of classmates I've already connected with. In this episode, I reflect on my journey from a 24-year career in case management to embarking on this exciting new path toward becoming a counselor or therapist. I discuss the importance of ethics in counseling, my hopes to gain a deeper understanding of ethical practices, and my dedication to applying theory to real-world situations. I also share a bit about my personal life, including my role as a parent, my passion for professional jump roping, and my recent accomplishment of publishing my first book. Throughout the episode, I explore the essence of counseling, emphasizing its role in fostering positive change in individuals' lives. Whether you're a fellow student, a prospective counselor, or simply curious about the journey of personal and professional growth, this episode offers insights and inspiration for all. Join me as I navigate graduate school's exciting and challenging path, to make a difference in the world of mental health counseling. Stay connected with me on social media and visit my website for more information on my jump rope classes and my book, "Jumping the Rope: Move Yourself and Manifest Your Success." Your feedback and support are greatly appreciated. Thank you for tuning in! -------- Check out Bernadette T Henry's empowering book, "Jumping the Rope: Move Yourself and Manifest Your Success," available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble's websites. For a special signed copy, order directly from Bernadette's website.   If you're ready to embark on a jump rope journey with us, join our fun and energizing jump rope classes held at least twice a month on Sundays. We'd love to have you jump alongside us and experience the joy of staying fit while having a blast! (IG subscription for online classes)   Stay tuned for future workshops hosted by Bernadette T Henry, where you can dive deeper into personal growth and well-being. The learning and empowerment continue!   For additional resources and to stay connected, visit www.makeitfunnyc.com. You can also find Bernadette on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Join our vibrant community and be inspired!   Thank you for being a part of "Jumping Towards Wellness," and remember, the journey to success is filled with leaps of joy and moments of inspiration. Keep jumping, keep growing, and keep making it fun!

Dawn Cotter-Jenkins, MA CCC-SLP, MS Healthcare Informatics, is the CIO and president of World Class Speech Services (www.wcspeech.com ). She is also the Clinical Director at Mercy College. Although she has worked across the lifespan from early intervention to adults, her areas of specialty include telepractice training and development, and professional speech and communication. She has expanded her scope of work to utilize her certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies within Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). In 2021, Dawn was a facilitator of the NSSLHA Raw Conversation on the book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? She was the keynote speaker for the 2021 NBASLH student mentoring convention event. And she co-presented to the ASHA STEP program on the topic of university admissions. In 2022, she has launched a LinkedIn Live weekly vid-cast called DEI Speech IQ, where she talks to guests about DEI topics in CSD careers and services.    Dawn has worked in several colleges. She created the Telepractice Practicum and Research Suite, and Introduction to Telepractice for Speech-Language Pathology course at Adelphi University. She self-published STRONG in Telepractice: Technology Project Planner, (available on Amazon) which is designed to facilitate strategic development and expansion of telepractice for culturally responsive sustainability and evidence-based practice. She is the president-elect of CORSPAN- Corporate Speech Pathology Network. She served on the NY Professional Licensing Board of SLP and Audiology and is currently volunteering on the New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association: Diversity and Inclusionary Practices Ad Hoc committee. Dawn has also been serving as an ASHA mentor for over 10 years. She was on the Media Strategy committee of Council on Academic Programs in CSD. You can contact her at dcjenkins@wcspeech.com and on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter). You can listen to this episode wherever you stream podcasts and at www.3cdigitalmedianetwork.com/telepractice-today-podcast  

Happiness Solved with Sandee Sgarlata. In this episode, Sandee interviews Bruce Bryan. Bruce Bryan was wrongfully convicted and incarcerated for 28 years, 10 months, and 3 weeks. Finally on April 24th, 2023, he was freed. Bruce has made the best of his time behind bars, earning his BS from Mercy College while also pioneering several successful community outreach programs. Bruce was released to warm welcomes from family, friends and supporters but reentry is a challenging process. Connect with Bruce: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bruce-bryan-after-wrongful-conviction   Connect with Sandee www.sandeesgarlata.com Podcast: www.happinesssolved.com www.facebook.com/coachsandeesgarlata www.twitter.com/sandeesgarlata www.instagram.com/coachsandeesgarlata  

Dr. Jonathan Amato is a Physical Therapist, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Mercy College. Dr. Amato holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has helped some of the biggest MMA stars from Chris Weidman, and Randy Brown, to PFL contender, Chris Wade. SHOW SPONSORS:  Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: 

Guest: Dr Angel Parham, Research Fellow, Center for Human Flourishing at Mercy College

On todays show, Mark Skousen discusses upcoming Freedom Fest in Memphis. Later, Sara Tasneem discusses how Connecticut just became the 9th state to ban child marriage and Jason Ferreira discusses Foodtown Supermarket and how NY has Bans using facial recognition to avert escalating shoplifting.  GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Mark Andrew Skousen is an American economist and writer. He currently teaches at Chapman University where he is a Presidential Fellow at The George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics. He has previously taught at Columbia Business School,Mercy College, Barnard College, and Rollins College. Producer and Founder of Freedom Fest. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Sara Tasneem is a Child bride survivor. GUEST 3 OVERVIEW: Jason Ferreira is the Owner of NY Foodtown Supermarket.

Student learning is enhanced when active learning activities are used in instruction. In this episode, Victoria Mondelli and Joe Bisz join us to discuss how principles of game design can be used to create engaging active learning experiences. Tori is the Founding Director of the University of Missouri's Teaching for Learning Center and is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. She had previously served at the teaching centers at Mercy College and at the CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College. Joe Bisz is a learning games designer and Full Professor of English at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College. Victoria and Joe are co-authors of The Educator's Guide to Designing Games and Creative Active-Learning Exercises: The Allure of Play, which was published in March this year by Teachers College Press at Columbia University. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Tiffany Valiante, 18, has graduated high school and is on her way to Mercy College in New York. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall, Valiante is a star athlete, earning a volleyball scholarship. On July 12, 2015, Valiante left her cousin's graduation party. A few hours later, the family learns Valiante has been struck and killed by a train traveling 80mph in a secluded, wooded area just four miles from her home. The death is ruled a suicide by the medical examiner.  Valiante's family is fighting that ruling over many issues. First and foremost, Valiante had an intense fear of the dark, meaning there was no way she would walk more than four miles in the dark. Her shoes were found more than a mile from her body, yet her feet were clean. A rape kit was not performed on Tiffany's body.  Joining Nancy Grace today: Stephen & Dianne Valiante - Tiffany's Parents; See Change.org Petition Here Paul D'Amato - Trial Lawyer representing the Valiante family (pro bono- the D'Amato Law Firm); Twitter: @DamatoLawFirm Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA; Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University; Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital - Voted My Buckhead's Best Psychiatric Practice of 2022   Jim Brennenstuhl  - Private Detective working with Paul D'Amato and the Valiante family; Owner of Investech  Dr. Donald Jason - Former Atlantic County Medical Examiner and Forensic Pathologist (hired by Paul D'Amato to reexamine aspects of the case); Currently Professor Emeritus of Pathology; Autopsy Service at the Wake Forest School of Medicine Justin Rohrlich - Reporter at The Daily Beast; Twitter: @JustinRohrlich  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2:50 – words (including jackalope) and an older book4:30 – everyone “owns their own channel” now4:50 – you don't have to wait for permission5:30 – teaching experience5:45 – difference between learning and education5:55 – connection between autodidacticism and conditions for learning6:10 – a good day is when…6:40 – Mr. Jon Guillaume decided to change my life7:00 – not an accident that the arc of one's life can be redefined because of a teacher7:40 – helping others become who they want to be is a calling8:40 – why the first U.S. teachers' college was called the Normal School9:00 – teaching to the test correlates with restrictions9:20 – options, decisions, and choices are still available9:40 – little things, repeated - with a goal - add up to big things10:05 – persistence is always generous10:20 – Beth Rudd, a great teacher with tremendous impact11:15 – teachers are not given nearly enough recognition12:20 – respect for public school educators12:40 – learning creates positive tension13:20 – useful incompetence is a tool for learning15:00 – word choices are a symptom of how our brains work15:35 – Will this be on the test?15:45 – curiosity is the Why, not the What18:00 – Song of Significance18:15 – dignity and respect18:45 – spectator or participant?19:05 – questions to ask that lead to improvement19:45 – redefining creative work20:45 – the standard solution is not the creative one21:40 – The Art of Possibility22:10 – when I turn 84…22:45 – Where is the community orchestra in your life?23:00 – What supports your achievements?23:35 – generosity is not synonymous with free24:30 – raising the quality and making a difference are generous behaviors25:00 – there are many kinds of learning25:25 – sharing one's thinking about what is being noticed26:15 – writing for one's readers and for those with whom those readers will share the writing27:15 – attitude is a skill28:15 – the real skills of honesty, integrity, enthusiasm, loyalty29:05 – The Carbon Almanac and Michel Porro29:40 – owning a camera, taking a photo, and properly using pictures with intent30:20 – Alt text31:30 – Seth's mom32:30 – generosity plus initiative equals possibility33:00 – Sotheby's event – imperfect but amazing35:00 – learning from others while working together35:35 – no such thing as closing thoughts35:45 – the best way to pay it forward37:25 – endLinks and credits:Cover Photo of Seth – Darius Bahsar and ArchangelThe Song of Significance The Art of PossibilityThe Boston PhilharmonicSeth's blogLead. Learn. Change.  the bookProfessional Association of Georgia EducatorsDavid's LinkedIn pagePodcast cover art is a view from Brunnkogel (mountaintop) over the mountains of the Salzkammergut in Austria, courtesy of photographer Simon Berger, published on www.unsplash.com.Music for Lead. Learn. Change. is Sweet Adrenaline by Delicate Beats 

I was born Wavyne Diana Benskin in Trinidad and Tobago to Barbadian parents.  I am a graduate of Curepe Junior Secondary and St Augustine Girls High School. A graduate of Mercy College.  A recipient of Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Fellowship. A Scholarship of Community Literature Initiative California. Best Spoken Word Artiste, CHub Magazine London. Global Ambassador Divas of Color. Co host WZYEFM 95.9 in NJ. I love to karaoke.  https://trinidadexpress.com/features/local/words-of-empowerment/article_f2508e1e-ffea-11ec-828c-2f0d6d93a595.html https://trinidadexpress.com/once-upon-a-pandemic/image_8de4a964-ffeb-11ec-9f8b-5bdc58c2d289.html

Welcome to a brand new episode of the ¿Quién Tú Eres? podcast, where we explore the conflict we often face between "professionalism" & being our authentic selves. This week's guest is Nancy Pineda. Nancy is a first generation Dominican-American Latina, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.  She started her career in the corporate financial industry in 2003 after interning at American Express while in high school and later getting hired as an executive assistant. In her 20 years at American Express, she held different roles including business analyst, chief of staff, business strategy manager and project manager. In 2021, she transitioned to JP Morgan Chase & Co. where she is currently a Project Manager in the Corporate Investment Banking organization.   Aside from her day job, Nancy freelances for her best friend's interior design business, Lucia Genao Interiors, where she provides strategic and operational support. Then, during install period, you'll find her rolling up her sleeves building furniture and fluffing pillows!   Nancy earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and her MBA in managerial analytics from Mercy College in New York City, graduating summa cum laude in both fields. She was part of the Delta Mu Delta society, graduating with honors. In her personal time, you can find Nancy trying out new eats, at the gym powerlifting, or dancing merengue, merengue típico and bachata with her friends and family. She has a heart for mentoring and has partnered with various business resource groups to mentor junior professionals and MBA students. She also volunteers for external organizations, such as Junior Achievement of New York, to teach financial literacy to low-income elementary schools in the Bronx. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/quientueres/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/quientueres/support

Barb Magnotta and Jade Greene-Grant are two teachers from New York who have taught at the same school for over a decade. They always wanted to publish a book to help their students with literacy but encountered several roadblocks along the way. It wasn't until they decided to try their luck on The Wheel of Fortune that everything changed. As luck would have it, they won enough money to hire an illustrator, publish their book, and turn their dream into a reality. Jade holds a Master's degree in Early Childhood from Mercy College and acquired an additional license in Teaching Literacy from Kindergarten to Grade 12. She is a proud lifetime member of national honor societies, Pi Gamma Mu and Psi Chi. Jade teaches in New York City and enjoys spending time with her family, especially her two younger children who are actors/models in television commercials and movies. Barbara holds a Master of Arts in Early Childhood/Elementary education from The College of New Rochelle. When she's not teaching, she helps her family run an Italian restaurant in New York. She also enjoys working out every day and traveling as much as possible.

CAPTAIN JOHN L. KAUL (RET) – NAVY MAN FOR 26 YEARS Captain John L. Kaul (ret) served as a full time Catholic chaplain in the Navy for 26 years. He spent time with the Marines, Admirals and other chaplains of all faiths. Fr. Kaul was born in Wyandotte and attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John's Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township. He also attended Mercy College in Detroit. NAVY CAPTAIN DALE WHITE (RET) – COMBAT ACTION RIBBON AND BRONZE STAR RECIPIENT Reverend White's approach to being a chaplain was a missionary who brings the church's perspective and assurances of God's grace to military personnel. “We have a unique way of presenting God to an audience of 18-to-22-year-olds,” he said. “We bring them God, many of them for the first time.” He did not expect the troops to come to him but for him to bring God to them. Thank you Rev. White for your service in the military and your continued service with your church! You can find more information on Home of Heroes website BEYOND BELIEF: TRUE STORIES OF MILITARY CHAPLAINS Even more amazing is the fact that each of these stories is TRUE! The scene illustrated on the cover was chosen as a fitting example of what kind of stories we wanted to write for this book, and is a vivid and historically accurate depiction of a World War II event that in which four Army chaplains, each from different faiths, bonded based on what they had in common, to become close friends. The four gave their lives in the North Atlantic when their troop ship was sunk, going so far as to give their lifejackets to other men who had none. They became enshrined as “The Four Immortal Chaplains,” whose story is inspiring for decades.  

Today we're sitting down with University of San Francisco Head Coach Rob DiToma, whom I've known since his days at Farleigh Dickinson University (FDU). On the menu today:Recent changes in the incoming ball playerCreating a team culture on day 1Early specialization and injuryThis past June, Coach DiToma was named the fifth head coach at the University of San Francisco after spending the previous three seasons as Head Coach here in New Jersey at FDU.Prior to his time at FDU, Rob spent six years at Fordham University, where he served as the associate head coach for his last two seasons. Prior to Fordham, he spent 4 years at Iona College, serving as the team's hitting instructor and recruiting coordinator.Rob graduated from Mercy College in 2005 and went on to earn a master's degree in physical education from Manhattanville College in 2007. Rob's own playing career included 4 years at Mercy College as the starting second baseman, where he was elected team captain during his senior year. Ready to take your game to the next level? With our holistic and data-driven approach, experienced coaches, and cutting-edge technology, RPP Baseball takes the guesswork out of player development. Twitter https://twitter.com/RPP_Baseball/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/RPP_Baseball/ Call us at 201-308-3363 Email us at rpp@RocklandPeakPerformance.com Website ...

When first I was introduced to our guest it was courtesy of our producer. At that time I was not acquainted with her work and career. Purvis is interesting in the theatre for a number of reasons, not the least of which is her equal proficiency in performance and direction as well as serious theoretical work, a breadth that is less common. Her work in the theatre takes diversity most seriously as much more than a buzzword and some of her work consists in the translations and movements between and among different cultures from around the world, one example of which is the Chaepani intercultural performance project. I found that we had an enormous amount in common intellectually and artistically and it was good to have conviviality with her on this episode. Rosalie's Bio Rosalie Purvis holds a BA in Literature and Dance from Bard College and an MFA in Theatre Directing from Brooklyn College and a Phd in Performing and Media Arts from Cornell University where her dissertation “Intimate Acts of Translation” focused on intercultural performance methods and translation and border studies in performance. Since 2000, she has worked as a freelance director/performer in New York City where work has been featured at, among others, the Atlantic Theatre's Second Stage, Theatre for the New City, the Brick Theatre, Dixon Place, the Estrogenius Festival, Teatro la Teo, the Culture Project, Teatro Circulo, 59 East 59, the Puerto Rican Traveling Company, Dance New Amsterdam, 78th Street Theatre Lab and the Brooklyn Arts Exchange. She also creates site specific works, globally. Most recently, she joined a Kolkata-based performing arts collective and together they have performed at various national borders. She has taught courses in performance, literature and writing most recently at Cornell University, Ithaca College, Presidency College (Kolkata) Jadavpur University (Kolkata), the City University of New York, Mercy College in the Bronx, Pace University, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Marlboro College. She is currently serving as Libra Assistant Professor of Theatre and English at the University of Maine. Links to Rosalie's beautiful work https://www.rosalietpurvis.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mitch-hampton/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mitch-hampton/support

Todd Silance talks with Monika House about how he has utilize his relationships to increase the amount of deals he has been in and examples of how he did. Interested in learning from me? Visit https://www.thetribeoftitans.info/coachingJoin our multifamily investing community for FREE for in-depth courses and live networking with like-minded apartment investors at the Tribe of TitansLink to subscribe to YouTube channel: https://tinyurl.com/SubYouTubeDiaryPodcastApple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/AppleDiaryPodcast Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotDiaryPodcast Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/GoogleDiaryPodcast Follow us on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiaryAptInv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diary_Apt_Inv Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_an_apartment_investor This episode originally aired on March 3, 2023----Your host, Brian Briscoe, has been a general partner in 1000+ units worth over $100 million and has been lead sponsor, asset manager, capital raiser, and key principal on these properties. He has developed a multifamily education community called the Tribe of Titans that helps aspiring investors learn the game, network with other like-minded professionals, and get their apartment investing business to the next level. He is founder of Streamline Capital Group, which will continue to acquire multifamily assets well into the future. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps in 2021.Connect with him on LinkedIn----Todd SilanceTodd has a real estate portfolio that includes active ownership of over $9M of single family, multi-family, and commercial properties in the Lehigh Valley, PA market.  He has also partnered in multiple Joint Venture projects that specialize in the renovation and repositioning of mid-size multi-family apartments, as well as a passive investor in over 400 units nationwide.Learn more about him at:  Summitcap.co----Monika HouseMonika House is the Founder of OllieRose Investments. She was first introduced to real estate investing with the mindset of owning and renting single family homes. Monika started OllieRose Investments with the desire to create safer, cleaner, and desirable communities for families.Monika earned her Business Degree in Marketing, Advertising & Management from Northwood University, a Nursing Degree from Mercy College of Ohio, and a Master's Degree in Regulatory Affairs from The George Washington University. Throughout her career working in Health Care as a Registered Nurse and in Research as a Project Manager, she developed the skills necessary to be successful in managing large portfolios, multimillion dollar projects, and most importantly having compassion and understanding of other's needs. She has a sense of urgency to solve problems and find solutions. Learn more about her at: Ollieroseinvest.com

Today, I kick it with Jaquasia Vandross, CEO of Black Girls Can Hear Inc. In this episode we talka about healing and the importance of creating those safe spaces for individuals and ourselves to be vulnerable. Taking a moment to be in the moment, giving ourselves grace, and knowing that our journey is our journey and it's okay to take it slow are essentails elements to the healing process. To connect with Jaquasia organization, Black Girls Can Heal Inc. visit www.blackgirlscanheal.org. Social Media: Black Girls Can Heal.About today's guest:Jaquasia Vandross is the Founding CEO & President of Black Girls Can Heal Incorporation. An advocate for health, wellness, and healing, Jaquasia brings a holistic approach to her work, by integrating spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional forms of well-being. Jaquasia brings more than a decade of passion, dedication, and experience in serving communities of color, with a keen focus on elevating women and girls voices, promoting mental health awareness, and addressing healing. Jaquasia currently serves as a Clinical Coordinator, providing underserved Youth and families in the community and foster care with affordable Mental Health therapy services. She is a 2016 Mercy College graduate with a B.S in Psychology, and a 2020 Mercy College graduate with an M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with certification in Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. Under her leadership, BGCH's research and advocacy will demonstrate the importance of education, healing, and mental health among women and girls of color.

Collegium Institute student fellow talks with Dr. Ryan J. (Bud) Marr, Associate Provost of Mercy College in Iowa and director of the National Institute for Newman Studies and associate editor of the Newman Studies Journal, about his new book, Seeking God with St. John Henry Newman.

Tiffany Valiante had just graduated from high school and was looking forward to attending Mercy College in the fall, where she had been awarded a volleyball scholarship. The night of July 12th, 2015, after a small disagreement with her parents, Tiffany wandered away from her parent's home, leaving her cell phone behind. Immediately, her family began searching for her. In the early morning hours of July 13th, Tiffany's uncle approached some police officers working a train accident. It was then that he learned there had been a victim of that accident–a young woman on the tracks who had been hit by the train. It was his niece, Tiffany. Her death was quickly ruled a suicide and the case was closed. However, Tiffany was found shoeless and only partially dressed; her shoes were later discovered some distance away yet her feet were clean. Could her death, instead, have been the result of foul play?Please consider joining Tiffany's family in fighting for further investigation into the case by urging the New Jersey Attorney General to reopen the investigation; to do so, please consider signing their change.org petition found here.Etsy Merch Shop: Want your own C&C clothing? Check out our store at https://etsy.com/shop/coffeeandcasespodOr, consider supporting the pod in other ways-- like Patreon! Are you up-to-date on all our regular content? Get access to monthly mini-episodes as well as one full solved case per month by joining today! Be a part of the C & C Fam by going to https://www.patreon.com/coffeeandcases to register!

Cheryl A. Clarke is a Psychotherapist, an Un-stuck Coach, and the founder of the Speak Your Power Now Program which encompasses Live Seminars, Webinars, Coaching and Teaching Courses. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the College of New Rochelle, a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mercy College and is currently pursuing her Doctoral Degree in Organizational Studies from Columbia International University. She inspires, motivates, and engages individuals to make a difference in their lives by using their stories to heal and become unstuck in their communication. She is a wife and a mother of 6 adult children. Connect with Cheryl A. Clarke Website: https://speakyourpowernow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylaclarke/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.clarke.3538 Resources Community Membership: https://academy.speakyourpowernow.com/register/learners-community-membership/ Programs: https://speakyourpowernow.com/programs/ Courses: https://speakyourpowernow.com/courses/ Connect with Amy Sanders Website: www.amysanders.co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachamysanders/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luckysanders/ Thrive Club: Mastering Coaching, Mindset & Manifesting https://www.facebook.com/groups/261373872245132: Rate this podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/thriveherpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thriveher/support

Order the Leading Equity Book Today! Kristina Brezicha, Ph.D. ​Kristina Brezicha is an assistant professor of educational leadership at Georgia State University. She holds a dual-title Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University in Educational Theory and Policy and Comparative International Education. Brezicha's research interests focus on how education supports individuals' abilities to equitably participate in the democratic processes at both the local and national levels. Her research considers domestic and international contexts. Specifically, she has studied how immigrant students' experiences of in/exclusion in their schools has shaped their knowledge, attitudes, habits and dispositions towards the political process in the U.S. and Canada. She has also examined how teachers, educational leaders and school boards have facilitated educational opportunities for diverse student populations. She has presented her work at conferences such as American Educational Research Association annual meeting, University Council for Educational Administration Convention and Comparative and International Education Society Conference. Before pursuing her doctorate, Brezicha taught kindergarten through fifth-grade special education students in New York City. She holds a Masters of Arts in Politics and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Masters of Science in Urban Education from Mercy College.​ Chandler Miranda, Ph.D. Professor Chandler Miranda is an urban ethnographer and education scholar who studies the educational experiences of recently arrived immigrant youth in urban public schools. Her research offers a hopeful look at uncommon schools while critiquing U.S. education policies rooted in ideologies of monolingualism, white supremacy, and xenophobia.  Miranda's work investigating teacher rhetoric following the 2016 presidential election is published in Anthropology & Education Quarterly (2017) and two co-authored articles that examine the experiences of immigrant students and their families in adverse political climates appear in Harvard Educational Review (2019 and 2021). In 2020, Leadership and Policy in Schools published “Segregation or Sanctuary,” in which Professor Miranda and her colleague argue for the possibilities of counterpublics for immigrant students. In 2022, Equity & Excellence in Education published a cross-case analysis comparing immigrant youth experiences of belonging in urban and rural schools. She has presented this research at the American Educational Research Association, the University Council for Educational Administration, and the American Anthropological Association. Her collaborative work has allowed her to publish critical case studies to look across time, place, and population to advance the field of immigrant education. Miranda's teaching experience spans high school to graduate courses.  She taught 9th-12th grade science for seven years in three different schools for English learners in the U.S and Colombia before pursuing a Ph.D.  She taught pre-service teachers at Queens College before accepting her current position at Barnard.  Show Highlights Immigrant-origin youth New Americans A sense of belonging Othering vs. Belonging Sense of belonging missteps Strategies for creating a sense of belonging for immigrant students Connect with Kristina and Chandler Kristina's Faculty Page Chandler's Faculty Page Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Examining School Practices That Support Immigrant Students' Feelings of Belonging Additional Resources Amplifying Student Voices January 19-21 Book Dr. Eakins Watch The Art of Advocacy Show Learn more about our Student Affinity Groups Free Course on Implicit Bias 20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Activities FREE AUDIO COURSE: Race, Advocacy, and Social Justice Studies

On this week's episode I'm telling Russ about the mysterious death of Tiffany Valiante. Tiffany was a high school volley ball star heading off to Mercy College in the fall. One summer night she was hit by a train and it was automatically ruled a suicide but there is WAY more to this story than meets the eye. Tiffany's family has been fighting for 7 years to prove she was a victim of foul play. Her case was the first episode of the brand new season of unsolved mysteries and her cousin Danielle is a loyal listener of our show!! We have been discussing her case for months! This is one of our people's family so lets get this story out there! #justice4tiffanyvaliante Check out Crime Salad! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crime-salad/id1457141569 We love our sponsors! Tanasi CBD www.Tanasi.com Promo Code: Wifeofcrime1 Better Help www.Betterhelp.com/wifeofcrime1 Master Class www.masterclass.com/wifeofcrime Ka'chava www.ka'chava.com/wifeofcrime1 Become a Patron! www.patreon.com/wifeofcrimepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Ebony Green has been a teacher, principal, district leader and is now nationally recognized champion for Equity at the Institute for Student Achievement, where she supports school districts nationally to ensure equitable outcomes for all students. Ebony has taught as an adjunct professor at Mercy College, Pace University, and is currently serving at Bank Street College in New York City, and Fordham University where she teaches a course that examines the Impact of Prejudice. 

INTRODUCTION: Jeffrey Deskovic, Esq., MA, is an internationally recognized wrongful conviction expert and Founder of The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, which has freed 11 wrongfully convicted people and helped pass 3 laws aimed at preventing wrongful conviction. An advisory board member of the coalition group It Could Happen To You which has passed 6 laws, Jeff also serves on the Global Advisory Council for Restorative Justice International. His motivation is that he served 16 years in prison-from age 17-32 for murder and rape before he was exonerated by DNA Testing. INCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to): ·      Details On The Wrongful Conviction Of Jeffrey Deskovic·      How Police Manipulate Children·      Mental Health Implications Of Life Behind Bars·      Being Abandoned By Blood Family While Incarcerated·      Missing Out On Life While In Jail·      Food In Prison – The First Meal After You Get Out·      Degenerate Healthcare In Prison ·      How The Innocence Project Used DNA Testing To Free Jeffrey·      Adjusting To Life After Incarceration ·      Jeffery's Non Profit & Humanitarian Work CONNECT WITH JEFFREY: Website: https://www.deskovicfoundation.org/ Documentary: https://amzn.to/3ejnel3Crowdfunding Site: https://www.patreon.com/DeskovicSpecial Article: https://bit.ly/2VuMyK3Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejeffreydeskovicfoundation/Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeskovicFDNYouTube: https://bit.ly/3euncXn  CONNECT WITH DE'VANNON: Website: https://www.SexDrugsAndJesus.comWebsite: https://www.DownUnderApparel.comYouTube: https://bit.ly/3daTqCMFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SexDrugsAndJesus/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexdrugsandjesuspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TabooTopixLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devannonPinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/SexDrugsAndJesus/_saved/Email: DeVannon@SexDrugsAndJesus.com  DE'VANNON'S RECOMMENDATIONS: ·      Pray Away Documentary (NETFLIX)o  https://www.netflix.com/title/81040370o  TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk_CqGVfxEs ·      OverviewBible (Jeffrey Kranz)o  https://overviewbible.como  https://www.youtube.com/c/OverviewBible ·      Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed (Documentary)o  https://press.discoveryplus.com/lifestyle/discovery-announces-key-participants-featured-in-upcoming-expose-of-the-hillsong-church-controversy-hillsong-a-megachurch-exposed/ ·      Leaving Hillsong Podcast With Tanya Levino  https://leavinghillsong.podbean.com  ·      Upwork: https://www.upwork.com·      FreeUp: https://freeup.net VETERAN'S SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ·      Disabled American Veterans (DAV): https://www.dav.org·      American Legion: https://www.legion.org ·      What The World Needs Now (Dionne Warwick): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfHAs9cdTqg INTERESTED IN PODCASTING OR BEING A GUEST?: ·      PodMatch is awesome! This application streamlines the process of finding guests for your show and also helps you find shows to be a guest on. The PodMatch Community is a part of this and that is where you can ask questions and get help from an entire network of people so that you save both money and time on your podcasting journey.https://podmatch.com/signup/devannon  TRANSCRIPT: [00:00:00]You're listening to the sex drugs and Jesus podcast, where we discuss whatever the fuck we want to! And yes, we can put sex and drugs and Jesus all in the same bed and still be all right at the end of the day. My name is De'Vannon and I'll be interviewing guests from every corner of this world as we dig into topics that are too risqué for the morning show, as we strive to help you understand what's really going on in your life.There is nothing off the table and we've got a lot to talk about. So let's dive right into this episode.De'Vannon: Jeffrey Deskovic was wrongfully convicted for the murder and rape of classmate Angela Correa back in 1989 when Jeffrey was only 17 years old. The man was finally released from prison 16 whole years later after DNA testing proved his innocence due to work done by the Innocence Project. Now I've been locked.Several times that I can't imagine 16 fucking [00:01:00] years y'all let alone for some shit I did not do. In this episode, Jeffrey's gonna get real and raw with us about how this wrongful conviction altered the course of his life.Took away his youth in childhood.Rob him of coming of age experiences and continues to impact him to this day. Please listen.Jeffrey Desco, Esquire cause he's a fabulous attorney is an internationally recognized wrongful conviction expert and founder of the Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, which has freed as of today, 11 wrongfully convicted people and help pass three laws aimed at preventing wrongful conviction.An advisory board member of the coalition group, It could happen to you, which has passed six laws. Jeff also serves on the Global [00:02:00] Advisory Council for Restorative Justice International. His motivation is that he serves 16 years in prison from the age se, from age 17 to 32. For wrong, for, for murder and rape before he was exonerated by DNA testing.Jeffrey, how are you Jeffrey: today? I'm wonderful. I'm I feel great. Thanks for having me on here. D. De'Vannon: Absolutely. Absolutely. And so I learned about Jeffrey from Sean Murphy, who is the host of the Above the Bar podcast. And Sean is also a fellow military veteran just like I am. And so when I heard about what had happened, Jeffrey, me, having been , been to jail a bunch of time for shit, I actually did doYou Jeffrey: were rightfully convicted. You were rightfully convicted then. Well, De'Vannon: one time, no one the other, other three times maybe. Just depends on how you wanna look at it. . So, but, but I had a, [00:03:00] we were gonna talk about some of that, but mainly you. But, you know, going through the, the criminal justice system is, is an eyeopening experience, whether you're right or wrong or kind of in between.And so you learn a whole lot. No documentary, no no amount of watching law in order. And cops and murder she wrote or anything like that is the same as when you have those damn handcuffs on you and they put, and they slam that damn door, and then you don't come outside into the sun or the light or the wind or the moon or nothing for however time.Okay? Nothing, nothing can take the place of that feeling. It's just terrible and treacherous. So an individual by the name, I hope I'm saying this right, Jia Wertz, Jeffrey: a Jia Wertz. Yes. De'Vannon: Gia words created a documentary, which the link will be included in the showing notes as everything always is about, about Jeffreys experience and it's called Conviction.And this came out in 2020. I watched it on Amazon. And I [00:04:00] will conclude the Amazon link in in the show notes. So, so many of us know somebody who's gone to jail. Or a lot of us have been to jail. Sometimes we've done the shit, sometimes we haven't done the shit. In your own words, Jeffrey, tell us who you are and, and again, just whatever you'd like to say about yourself.Jeffrey: Well, I, I'm, I'm an attorney who's an advocate whose life is dedicated to freeing people that are wrongfully imprisoned in the same position, which I was. And with a, with a equal concern at, at preventing what happened to me from other, having other people, hence doing the policy work. But as you mentioned, you know, my motivation is that I did spend 16 years in prison from, you know, being arrested at 16, turning 17 by the time the trial rolled around and being wrongfully in prison from age 17 to 30.So the, the year is 1990. We're in peak skill, which is in Westchester County, New York. So it's the suburbs population is [00:05:00] approximately 25,000 people. Murders were pretty rare there. So when this murder happened, it created this atmosphere of fear, of rumor, paranoia. Parents were concerned with their own safety and safety of their children.I was quiet into myself in high school. Some of the kids told the police they might wanna speak to me, cuz I guess their thought was whoever's quiet to themselves commit ous crimes. And so that's how I got on a police radar. And from there reinforcing factors, I was a sensitive teenager. I had an emotional reaction to the death of a classmate.And the cops thought that that was suspicious also. And then they got a psychological profile from the N Y P D, which claimed to have the psychological characteristics of the actual perpetrator. So, reinforcing factor, So for about six weeks, the police play this cat and mouse game with me, in which half the time they talk to me like I'm a suspect.And when they push you hard and I become frightened and I want to get away from them [00:06:00]they switch it up. And Jeff is this junior detective helper theme was developed. And so kids won't talk freely around us, but they will around you. Let us know if you hear anything stop in from time to time that it asked me opinion questions and congratulate and my opinion was correct.I be, I began to look at the officer who was pretending to be my friend as like a father figure. And then plus when I, the, before I was a teenager, the career I fantasized about having was to be a cop when I grew up and. I think somehow or another the cops learned that and that was how they developed that whole theme.So eventually they got me to agree to take a lie detector test. So I went to the police station for the test on a school day. So my mother and grandmother thought I was in school. They didn't call around looking for me. They drove me across county lines 40 minutes away from taking me from peak skill to Brewster, which is in Putin County.Now I'm dependent on the police. I have no idea of where I [00:07:00] am or no independent way of getting back. I don't understand this four page brochure that they've explained about how the polygraph works, but I figure, well, I'm there to help the police. So what does it matter? Let's just get on with it from there.The polygraph is who was a Putnam County Sheriff's investigator, but he's dressed like a civilian. He never identifies himself as a law enforcement. He never raised my mind rights. He gives me con, countless cups of coffee to get me nervous, and then he launches into his third degree tactics. So he raises his voice at me.He. Conveyed my personal space. He kept asking me same questions over and over again. And he kept that up for six and a half to seven hours. And eventually he said, What do you mean you didn't do it? You just told me through the test that you did. We just want you to verbally confirm it. And when he said that to me that really shot my fear through the roof.And then the cop pretended to be my friend, comes in the room and says, Look, they're gonna harm you. I've been holding them off. I can't do that any longer. You have to help yourself look, just tell them what they [00:08:00] wanna hear. You go home, you're not gonna be arrested. So being young, naive, frightened, 16 years old, not thinking about the long term, I was only concerned about my own safety in the moment.So I, and I was desperate to get outta there. So I made up a story based on the information they gave me, the course, the interrogation that day and six weeks run up to it. By the time it was said and done, I had collapsed on the floor in the fetal position, crying uncontrollably. Obviously I was arrested.So that was, that was that part of it. I mean, the DNA didn't match me before the trial. But then the prosecutor got the medical examiner commit fraud and he claimed that he remembered that he forgot to show to, to document medical evidence, which he said showed the victim was promiscuous. So that allowed the prosecutor to argue, well, that's how the DNA doesn't match you, but yet you're still guilty.He mentioned someone by name that he claimed that slept with the victim. He never had a DNA test result from that person. He never called [00:09:00] him as a witness. He just made the unsupported argument to the jury, and my lawyer essentially didn't defend me. Now, he didn't call my alibi. He didn't question the medical examiner.He didn't explain the jury what the DNA not matching me, man. He didn't use that to cha to challenge the confess. And he should have never represented me because the first, the other youth that the prosecutor was falsely saying and lept with the victim was represented by another member of the Legal Aid Society.So that prevented us from asking him for a test for us, from calling him as a witness. And the end result was, I was found guilty. I was given a 15 a life sentence. And you know, I, I ultimately served 16 years in prison. I lost seven appeals. I got turned down for parole cuz I maintained my innocence rather than expressing remorse and take and responsibility.And ultimately I was exonerated, like you said, due further DNA testing through the data bank, which identified the actual perpetrator whose DNA was [00:10:00] there because he killed a second victim three and a half years later. So my charges were dismissed on actual innocence grounds and he was arrested and convicted.And so that's the, that's the story. I mean, I kind of found a purpose in life doing this work so, Okay. De'Vannon: Thank you for that breakdown. I'm sorry you went through all of that, but I'm happy that you're, that you've taken what happened to you and now you're using it to help other people. So, so I'm gonna go back and walk back through some of this.So the so this is in peak skill. Tell us like what state this is so we can get like a geographical frame of reference. Jeffrey: It's New York State, and it's the suburbs. It's about maybe 50 minutes from Manhattan De'Vannon: North. All right. And so, so like Jeffrey said, this is 19 90. The, the, the, the victim in question, her name was Angela Ko Korea.Mm-hmm. . And and she was laying on November 15th, [00:11:00] 1989. And then, so do you, do you think that your attorney, that the one who really sucked was maybe bought off or somehow in on this plot to get you convicted for Jeffrey: this? Yeah. You know, I, I think, but can't prove that, you know, I, I think that he, he was cooperating with them.I mean, at that time a lot of people were going back and forth from the DA's office to Legal aid and from legal aid to the DA's office. So he might, he might have been angling for that. Sure. I, I, that thought has crossed my mind because I've met a lot of lawyers since I've been home and they all, they all wondered like, you know, who represented me at the trial and when I mentioned, you know, his name, they were all rather surprised cuz he has a, you know, reputation of being a good lawyer.They've tried cases against them and they can't believe he turned in that performance. Mm-hmm. . De'Vannon: Yeah, I agree with you. I think it's really like fucked up the way that the police like zone in on people like that and, and at that point their jobs go from [00:12:00] being professional to. For the better of society. And it's like they get so personal, you know, it's like they take it personal, what they believe that you have done.So to to, to, to hone in on a teenager like that, you know, clearly they were under pressure from society to find somebody to arrest. Okay. It's super fucked up that they thought you, I guess like an email kid. Like most teenagers are fairly emotional and maybe you had some anxiety or whatever going on. And we understand a lot more about mental health now than we did back then, but the rottenness that prevails inside police departments hasn't changed.They, I think they take their power for granted. And and I mean, the way that they handled you like that they lied . Right. You know, and it, it never seems to amaze me the way police feel like any kind of ends can. The means, the means ends are gonna justify the means with them. It doesn't [00:13:00]matter if they lie.Tell the truth finagle this or that, or whatever. My first arrest when I, I had like this eight ball of crystal meth, like in my underwear. They used like some, some informant to set up like the drug deal, but then the cops followed me. I took like a right at a light up to the side of elementary school, and they like, literally took my pants and underwear down and dug around under my nu sack to find this dope in the middle of the day.Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost. You know, everybody. So come on. And now we're on the side of an elementary school in the middle of the day when the kids are out playing. Now, now the, and on the police report, they lied and said, I took a left turn at the right and the, I think they found the eight ball, like, I don't know, in the car, like it was laying on the dashboard.Not true. You know, and, and somehow the grand jury was able to put two and two together and figure that [00:14:00] they had lied and it was thrown out , you know, But cops do not mind it going one way and then saying whatever the fuck they want to on those police reports.Jeffrey: Right. Exactly. That's, We'll see, you know, you know, piggybacking and building off of that point, that, that's what happened to me though, because in their police reports regarding the confession, cuz this was not videotaped, it wasn't audio taped.There's no signed confession. It's just a cop's word. Oh boy. So you already, you see where I'm about to go with this? Right. You see where I'm about to go with this? In their police report, they le they left the threat and false promise outta their report and, and obviously outta their testimony in, in, in the.De'Vannon: See, that's some bullshit right there. Their word only. Mm-hmm. They set you up and they just needed a fall guy. And they, and they, and it's so fucked up because the person who actually did this is black. Your c your chuckles, [00:15:00] like y'all couldn't look more different. if you Jeffrey: wanted to. Right, right. But plus, plus the age and building off that, the age, at the time of the prime, the actual perpetrator was 29.I'm like 16 and the victim's 15. So it's not just different race, but like the, the age disparity is, is huge as well. De'Vannon: Laws, scandals, and deceptions, you know. I have no, my God, I used to want to be a cop too. Like, like you said, you, you wanted to be a cop. There was a time I had p applied for the Houston Police Department and I was going through the fitness exams and everything.And the only reason I didn't go down that path was because the city council that year had voted to decrease the cop's salary from like 50 K down to 30 k that I was already making that where I was. So I was like, why go risk getting shot up for like the same, if not less money. And now I would never, ever wanna be a police officer.I'm so thankful [00:16:00] I didn't become one. And and so I wonder how, how did this experience with the police change your desire to be a police, to be a cop? Jeffrey: Well, in my teenage years, I, I had went from being wanting, before I was arrested, I went from being, wanting to be a cop to wanting to be an attorney. Cuz my mother, my mother had a personal injury lawyer and I met him a couple times and he, he was He was well dressed, you know, the whole suit, Aachi case thing, and, and you know, he appeared to be well respected and well compensated.So I mean, I changed that I, I idea before this experience, but in terms of how I view the police now, like, you know, look, I don't, I don't go with a broad brush. I don't think all the cops are bad, but I also don't think they're all good. Okay. And I categorically reject the. From apologies or even some police themselves.I categorically reject the idea that it's just a few [00:17:00] bad apples. No, it's a hell of a lot more than that because if it, if it wasn't, we wouldn't have more than, more than 3000 exonerations across the country from 1989 forward. We wouldn't have the police brutality, we wouldn't have the unjustifiable deadly police shootings and more, almost more importantly, we wouldn't have everybody looking the other way.So, no, it's not a few bad apples. It's a hell of a lot more than that. At the same time, it's not, It's not all of them either. I mean, I don't, I don't think there's anything sacred about being an officer in the sense that I don't think that anyone in the career is automatically a good person. I think there's good and bad in the profession.I mean, I think, I think, I think it takes one hell of a set to be a cop, cuz it is a, it is a very, it is a very dangerous job. They do risk a lot to protect us, but at the same time, too many abuse and too many look the other way, I, I, I wish the honest cops. You know this phrase if you see something, say something.I wish youngest cops would blow the whistle and say something and force the corrupt ones outta their [00:18:00] profession. But, you know, it hasn't happened to this point, I don't think. I don't think it's ever gonna happen, but I'm not gonna quit calling for it either. I De'Vannon: don't blame you, man. Just, you know, no, nobody's in every profession for the right reasons.I mean, you have priests fucking alter boys. You've got, you know, cops doing the sort of shit they did to you. I mean, I don't know if people even enter their professions with like the best intentions all the time. Some people, I think start with the right intentions and they get corrupt along the way, you know, you know, it's all over the place.But I mean, for those police, they do what they did to you to look in your face and lie. I, I read in, in the article that you sent me, which is also gonna go in the show notes, how, I think there was three weeks for this girl and you attended all of them. And you were emotional at all of them. And, and the, and the cops thought that because you were emotional, that that was a sign of guilt, which is what you stated earlier, But a teenager, any teenager at a, at a [00:19:00] funeral for a classmate, if they're not crying or, or if they are crying, everybody expresses their emotions differently.But the fact that they were willing to like, follow you around, like this is just like, and then look in your face and lie like they, like, you have to have like a dark soul or none at all to look at a, a 15 year old kid and lie , you know, for as long as they did to you. Cuz this was a few months that they were toying, toing around with you.And so when police get on in the news or read these articles these days when they're crying about how their power is being taken from them, like so now they can be arrested, now they can be, you know, when they go out and kill people and stuff, they can actually get in trouble or in certain cities and states they, they cannot arrest people for a simple drug possession.And, you know, and they're crying cuz their power's being taken from them. I'm like, well you've abused it . You know, so you don't get to keep it. Right, right. [00:20:00] So I wanna talk about,let me see, I took quite a bit of notes on this one here. So when you got to, when you got to prison, your, your reputation you found like, had already been like tarnished in a way. How, Talk to me about that. Jeffrey: Yeah, there's a vigilante mentality in prison towards people who have been convicted of sex offenses.So, you know, unfortunately there was a rape along with the murder. And so, you know, I had this bullseye on my back. I had this target on my back and, you know, I was always, I was always in fear that people would discover what I was incarcerated for. That that could lead to other problems, you know? And there was several times in the course of my incarceration, I was beat up one time by.I nearly lost my I lost my life. So that was, that was that aspect of it. But you know, that, that animosity wasn't limited just to the prisoners. I mean, even, even some of the guards also, you know, [00:21:00] adopted that. So, you know, it was, it was, it was there and was a dangerous place. I mean, I don't wanna it, I mean, to the extent that you even can, I mean, it's not like every, every other day I was, you know, getting my rear end kicked.It wasn't frequent that way, but in the course of 16 years, it was maybe like seven or eight times. So, you know, it's your world D however, if you wanna consider that a lot or, or not, you know, I guess it's up to the lister, De'Vannon: but how do you, how do you think they, I mean, this, this probably was highly televised, but do you think any of the ruining of your reputation was intentional by anybody?Jeffrey: You mean in, in the prison? You're saying even just being arrested during the case on the street or folks, what do you like The fact De'Vannon: that the fact that by the time you got there shortly after arriving mm-hmm. , many people knew the, the interpretation. Jeffrey: Yeah. Right. Well, I think that, well it was, it was a highly publicized case for sure, and every time I went, made a [00:22:00] court appearance, it was a major media movement, you know, with the coverage being like guilt, presumptive orientated.So, I mean, I think, I mean, I think that was in, that was intentional, but that's like, you know, the media tried to make something salacious. I mean, I don't think I was ever really afforded a presumption of innocence in terms of the court of the public opinion. Not really so much how the actual court worked either.I mean, they claim it's the other way around, but it's, it's really not. But I definitely think that the publicity of the case preceded me into the, into the prison. And there were people that facilitated that, whether, whether on the guard and the correctional officers or even other prisoners spreading it.I mean, certainly that all that stuff took place. De'Vannon: Okay. So you tried to appeal this for I think around like five years And a name, a name came up. It was like Janine [00:23:00] Shapiro.Jeffrey: Jeanine Piro. Yeah. Well, I, the, well, I, I did the appeal were like 11 years. I lost 11 appeals. So Janine Piro was the district attorney of Westchester.So she was not the DA when I was convicted, and she always points that out, but she was the DA before my first appeal was decided. So it was her office that fought me in seven appeals. It was her office who blocked me from getting further DNA testing several times it was her office that got me thrown out of federal court.My attorney was given the wrong information on the filing procedure from the court clerk. And so that resulted in my legal documents being filed four days too late. And it was Janine Perros office that burs the court, Look, he's late, just get rid of his case that way. And that's what they did. And then I challenged that ruling, had three more appeals unsuccessfully.And so so she plays a [00:24:00] moral role there. You know even though she would rather not, but you know, she does a lot of commentary on, on Fox and Just had a few judge shows. And to hear her tell it now, I mean, you know, she's all about due process and presumption of innocence and Well, where, where was all of that when you were the DA and I was wrongfully imprisoned.I mean, that was, that was the time we needed you to say and do everything then. But, you know, so I experienced something different and she's never apologized for her role either. De'Vannon: What a kind. So, And I read I read where, where were Cause I, I'd seen that face on television before and when I came across that name, I was like, Oh wow, this is, you know, that, that really brought home to me just how, just how huge, like, like your case was.But it was like she wouldn't rerun the DNA was what I read. Jeffrey: That's right. That's right. Yeah, exactly. I De'Vannon: [00:25:00] mean, what would it have hurt to just. Tested, You know, something like that makes it seem like she was polarized against you. You know, they're already spending all kinds of money. They have a budget, so it's not like they're, they can say, Well, it would've cost too muchYou know, so. Right, right, right, right. What's the damn reason for, for not just checking again? Jeffrey: Yeah. She never, they never articulated any kind of explanation on that, that made any sense. I mean, I remember I got a piece of correspondence once from her office on that issue, and they said that the DNA issue was already in front of the jury, which convicted you and the front of the appellate court, which affirmed a conviction, which really wasn't an answer because when I was asking for the DNA to be rerun, this was in 90 19, 97, 98, the DNA database had been created and it hadn't been created before.So the DNA technology, at the time, my trial was. [00:26:00] R F L P technology. So they would just compare a particular item to a suspect, like a one to one testing. The database would allow you to take one article and run it through the database and see if it matches anyone else on file. So the technology was improved, so they should have just run it again as, as you said.De'Vannon: Okay. Now speak. I want you to really make us feel, do your best to make us feel how you felt. So this is, so you're a sophomore in high school when this is happening. So, you know, there's no prom, you know, for you, you know, I don't know. You know, the, looking forward to, I don't like to use the term losing your virginity because I don't feel like it's a loss.I feel like it's a transition into adulthood, but, you know, the normal stuff, teenagers think about, you know, when am I gonna have sex for the first time? When am I gonna go to college? [00:27:00] Prom, senior trip, You know, all of that, You know? At what point did you realize for sure, when you were behind Boers, This ain't gonna happen for me.I'm not gonna be able to, to to live in my twenties out, you know, to do all of this. Speak to us about that dark day.Jeffrey: Well, it was only at the end, I mean, throughout the whole incarceration period. I, I, I thought I was just doing a year or two to the next court proceeding. The next appeal would be decided, which I was sure I was gonna win because I was innocent and I still naively believed in the. And every time I would lose, I would just refocus on the next appeal.So it was only 15 years in where my appeals were over after 11 years. Then I wrote letters for four years looking for someone to take my case for free because I didn't, they don't give you a lawyer anymore. Once your, your appeals are over, and the only way back in the court when the appeals are over is if you can find some [00:28:00] new evidence that would've made a difference.So after all the appeals were over, then I wrote letters for four years and really got responses. And then I went to the parole board, and then they said no, also. So now I got 15 years in, and by, by that point I'm like 32. So that's when I started thinking, Well, I, I, I guess I'm gonna die in here. I'm gonna die, as, you know, in prison for a crime I didn't commit.De'Vannon: While you were in there, you know, when you were, you know, still in your teens, did you think about those things like. And not graduating high school and missing prom and all of that. How was that emotion for you? Jeffrey: Yeah, I did think about that. That was all very difficult emotionally. Just to crystallize, like you said, I didn't graduate high school.I didn't go to LA Prom, you know, I missed births, deaths, weddings holidays, very even various rights of passage from, you know, not getting a driver's license to, you know, not having your own first, first place [00:29:00] or, you know, going shopping or writing, writing a check, you know, finishing my education at a more traditional age and being well into a career, possibly on the way to you know, financial freedom.All that stuff dawned on me, and it was hard emotionally. I mean, I had to keep fighting off feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, things of feelings of one thinking about giving up suicidal ideation. So all of those things were, were things I had to fight off too. De'Vannon: Did people come to visit you?Jeffrey: So for most intent and purposes, I did. I did the time by myself. My mother used to come, but then the last six years, like I saw her like once every six months if I was lucky. I had a couple sets of aunts and uncles that would come, but then they would visit and then disappear for three years and visit and disappear for three years and just have that continue.My brother came three times in [00:30:00] 16 years, but not at all on the last decade. And that was it. On the family end of it. On the I mean, one friend came up one time and another person came up four or five times and I lost track of them after five years, and that was it. So, so while not literally I, for most intents and purposes, I did the time on my own and that made it more difficult.De'Vannon: Did, did they put money on your books? Did they write letters? Jeffrey: My mother used to put money on the books, but not but again, not, not in, in the last, in the last five or six years rarely did she put anything. And, you know, certainly none of the other people were putting, were putting money on the books either.So in the last five or six years, I kind of had to like, live off the land. I mean, I went to work in Ms. Hall and, you know, I was hustling there. You know, people want different items and so you steal different items and you, you sell it and you'll give, gimme a deodorant, I'll take a [00:31:00] toothpaste for this and you know, but that, but that is a really good point cuz I mean, the food in prison was terrible.I mean, sometimes it was burned, other times it wasn't fully cooked. I mean, I remember the same food items would make their way on the menu three or four times a week before its grand finale on Sunday. In a soup where they would just dump everything that had been already used like four times, whatever's left over into this big container.And they just would dump water on it and, and heat it up. And that was the soup. So the, you know that I remember they said there was that, but I remember also, not to bug down on too many of these details, but I remember it was two pieces of bologna. One piece of change on a cheese, on a old hot dog bun with a small 25 cent bag of chips that was mostly full of air, you know, And there would be like a, a quarter of a slice of peach and, and, and that, that was Sunday dinner.We, we'll put air quotes around that. [00:32:00] No, I'm so, the food was terrible, man. De'Vannon: I'm here for all the details. I appreciate it. Okay.When I was in jail, like, like jails are not known for, You know, it's not like they got five stars, you know, on the, on the food and everything. It's all pretty much like slop. Yeah. Jeffrey: Right. No, it is, it is. And look, and just to be clear, right, I'm not, I'm not advocating or complaining that this wasn't gourmet food, but what I'm saying is the food was, was, was terrible.And it just, it to me, it didn't meet bare minimum standards of human decency. That's the, that's the main point I'm trying to make in terms of that. My grandmother used to come to see me all the time with my mother, but unfortunately she, she she passed away in, in 1996, so that would've been five years in, five or six years in.So she stopped coming to see me as a result of not being alive.De'Vannon: [00:33:00] Well, she had good reason. Right, Jeffrey: Right. Clearly. De'Vannon: So do you think your family believed that you were guilty? Jeffrey: So I had a, I had a uncle that was actually in law enforcement in, in Yonkers, which was elsewhere in Westchester County, New York.So he was a marshal, a law enforcement position. So he, he, he thought I was guilty. He went and talked to the cops and they, they, I guess they, you know, convinced him, cop to cop that I was guilty. And his daughter who was extremely, who was extremely conservative, so he convinced her. So those two thought I was guilty, but everybody else thought that everyone else thought I was innocent.But the thing is that their belief in my innocence did not translate into them maintaining contact with me. And, you know, there was several times my mother made rounds amongst the family. And look, we gotta get a lawyer. And, you know, maybe everybody can do, could do a [00:34:00] manageable amount, you know, But, but nobody, nobody wanted to throw in anything.So their belief in my innocence never translated into anybody helping me. And so you know, when I have periodically saw, visited and see people, my extended family during my 16 years of freedom now they're, you know, they're, at one time or another, most people have, you know, expressed an apology and there's, you know some feelings of guilt there, you know, on their, on their end of it.De'Vannon: Shit. I'll tell you man, like from, from my experience going to jail, your blood family, they, they're, they're gonna be the last ones to show up. Like, like my, like, right? Like my friends came first, not my blood family . Right, Right. But being arrested in high school, like your, your friends, whatever friends you had, were like, just in high school, it's not like they could have really financially done much, you know?Right. Of [00:35:00] course. For you. So you didn't have that. But I don't know what it is, but I, I, I feel like it's a sense of. Of judgment that comes from the blood family when we get arrested. I just, I really, really do. At least that was my experience. But in the case of arrest, y'all don't wait on your blood family.You better have, you better have that money saved up with your friends somewhere cuz they're gonna be the ones that come first. Right. So you spoke a lot, spoke a lot in the documentary about how the healthcare behind bars and, and in particularly you had a, you compared to this whole like hospice situation to like a mobs you like, you're like leaving people that are die, not letting them out.cuz they were already gonna die so they were on hospice and you're not letting them out anyway. So talk to me about how the healthcare situation and, and this whole hospice and the compassionate release being delayed. Jeffrey: Right. So the, the health, the healthcare in prison was terrible [00:36:00] in general. I mean, I remember in, in El El Meira, which is where I spent 13 and a half to 16 years.So it would be like a month, sometimes several. Before you could see a doctor, you would always see a, a nurse and the nurses answer to everything was, you know, give you a couple of Tylenols and come back tomorrow if you still don't feel well. And it would take a month or sometimes several to see a, to see a doctor.So that was the gen. And, and a lot of these doctors couldn't, couldn't have been employed as a doctor on the, in the free world either. So that's the general lay of the land. But in terms of the compassionate release, so there were prisoners there that were determined to be terminally ill by doctors that were working for Department of Correction.So there was a process referred to as compassionate releasing, which any prisoner that was deemed to be terminally ill could, could apply. To be released early with the theory being that you could die with a little bit of dignity around your family and your friends in a normal [00:37:00] environment rather than like in a prison visiting room someplace.So the system took so long, often to process those, but sometimes by the time they decided, the person already passed away. I mean, that happened a few times where decisions came to the prison a couple days after somebody had passed away, or sometimes they took so long that by the time they did they were granted and they were released then, you know, the person died like a day or two after that, and they just, it was just so uncaring.It was just, it was just, you know, brutal. You know, It was just, it was just brutal. So I remember, I remember, you know, you said, you, you said you're here for all the details. So I have a gastly detail for you. I remember there was a guy named Choco, which of course is Spanish for chocolate. That was his real name.That was his PR moniker. His last name was Sanchez. I don't don't remember what his first name was, but the point being, I passed him by on [00:38:00] the first floor. And so it was called The Flats, right? It was the bottom floor on the cell gallery. So I passed him by and he was walking very labor asleep, very, very slowly.And I could see the sweat coming down lightly from his brow. And I stopped and he was breathing heavy and I, I stopped and I asked them, Yo, you okay? You gotta, you know, No, I'm not, my, my, my, my, my chest hurts. And, you know, and, and I said, Yo, you gotta, you gotta go to sick hall, bro. You gotta go and get medical help.And he said, Oh, I just came from there. You know, they told me I'm okay. They gave me a couple of Tylenols, but you know, I feel like I'm dying. And he actually was dying. So that night in his cell, he passed away of a heart attack.De'Vannon: And then I may not supposedly didn't say anything in the prison. They just come and picked the bodies up and put another person. Jeffrey: Yeah. And somebody, Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. I think, I think his daughter was notified [00:39:00] and, you know, came and made arrangements for the body. But that was, I don't think anything ever came of that though.I mean, that, you know, beyond just being medical, I mean, I, I feel like somebody should have been locked up for that. Somebody should have faced, you know, professional consequences beyond, in addition to being locked up. And I don't, I don't think that ever happened. Well, De'Vannon: people might escape that sort of justice in this life, but, but God is not mocked as it, as it is said for whatever we, so we reap and so You mentioned earlier that you had considered suicide at one point.Was it like a one time thing or that you have this happening on and off throughout the whole time you were behind bars? Jeffrey: The thought occurred to me, the whole, you know, on and off throughout the whole time I was beyond bars. Yeah, cuz prison is a very, very depressing place. De'Vannon: Is there any mental health available?I'm assuming [00:40:00] if the physical health associated, they probably didn't have a psychologist worth the damn either, but, Well, Jeffrey: they, they, well they, they, they had some people working there, but again, it was bottom of the barrel. And, and I, I felt like the people, I mean, I did go see 'em a couple times and never really felt like I was anything other than a number and they never felt like caring and, you know but you know, one of the psychologists, you know, told me and, and you know, and I didn't, I didn't tell them, Hey, I'm thinking of suicide.Okay. Just to be clear, I didn't say that cuz I knew that. That would've resulted in bad things. But I did tell them I was struggling with depression and, you know, and, and you know, related symptoms like that. But they told me that, look, they already have their caseloads already way too big, and they're not, you know, they're not able to deal with anyone other than people that are you know, that are, that are psychotic or that are, you know, having hallucinations or delusions that they had to pick and choose.And I was just kind of like too low on their [00:41:00] totem pole. De'Vannon: Well, you said bad things would've happened if you would've just flat out said you were suicidal. What do you mean what bad things? Jeffrey: Well, they could have put me in a cell and it could have taken my clothes and put me in the cell and just gave me this, see through paper mache, and then had a guard sitting outside of my cell the whole time while I had nothing in the cell.I mean, that's, that's, that's what I mean, you know, that De'Vannon: that would. As like a type of confinement, solitary confinement maybe, Jeffrey: or, Yeah. It, it is a type of solitary confinement, but the main, that's considered to be constant observation. I mean, the main thing is, you know, I don't see how taking somebody's clothes and property from them, you know, how that, how that's helpful to someone that's suicidal.If you're already gonna have a staff person sitting outside the cell monitoring them the whole time anyway. I don't think you need to do that in order to make sure that they don't, that they don't hurt themselves. I mean, I think that that's making a situation go from bad to [00:42:00] worse. De'Vannon: Right. Cause you're taking away some of the basic staples that people need in order to feel human.So it's izing, It's very dehumanizing. That's right. Yeah. In the way they're treating suicidal people in prison and jail itself are totally dehumanizing. So, which you get to go outside, like in, in the documentary I heard you come mention a few times, like How you missed, like, the feel of the wind on your face or like the sun and things like that.And from my time in jail, I, I remember that as well. I, you know, I wasn't allowed to go outside at all, so there was no wind, no rain, no sun no moon. And that, that was the most depressing thing for me. So were you allowed to go outside at all? Or how, how did that work? Jeffrey: So they let you go outside for recreation?Some, not, not all, but like in, in Elmira. I mean, I feel like they didn't, we, we didn't get a lot of outside. I wouldn't say there was none at all, But it was, it was more, it [00:43:00] was more limited. But the other thing in the documentary though, I mean, you know, when they had a system of maintaining water in a prison called Keylock, which involves sanctions being put on the prisoners that they were found guilty of breaking a prison rule.So they would. Keep you in the cell 23 when that. So if you were found guilty of breaking a prison rule, then they would apply this to you. And, you know, there were times where my breaking a prison rule was that I was defending myself while somebody was attacking me. And therefore, as the prison saw it, I was fighting.So they would keep me in the cell like 23 hours a day, add a 24 they would send less food. Sometimes the food would be three or four days old. You could take two showers one week, three the next, rather than being able to shower daily as the rest of the population. And they would, their idea of giving you the one hour a day minimum recreation consists of putting the prisoners in a small caged area by yourself of maybe a pullup bar in it, if you were lucky.[00:44:00]But one time I did went to isolation. The special housing unit, when they put you outside, you couldn't see the outside. I mean, it was totally roofed off, so you couldn't even see the sky.De'Vannon: Well, shit. Yeah, you know, you,Why do you, why, why do you think people, you know, prison guards and things like that, you know, fill the need to step on people who are already broken and pretty much powerless. Why? Because it's not like you really could hurt them. Why? Why, why do Jeffrey: you think? I think they didn't quite look at us as human being.Some of them, I think some of them were frustrated with their own personal life. You know, maybe some of them were a kid that was picked on and we perceived that, you know, some of them were cop wanna bees who couldn't, couldn't quite make it. [00:45:00] So this was their chance to just like strike. . So that was, as to the ones, you know, that were like that look, there also were, there also were guards that were, that were professionals.And some of them I enjoyed speaking to here and there, and I even thought that there were some of them that I could have been friends with had I met them under different circumstances. But the thing that bothered and still bothers me the most was like none of the professional guards never, or the prison, the, you know, the people in different authority, sergeants, capitals, lieutenants, superintendent, you know, the hierarchy was supposed to be there, the over oversight.They never like tried to reel anybody in, like even the good officers, if they saw the other ones, you know, back in the fool or abusing their authority, they would never like step in or say anything or have them pull back anything. They just would let them continue on with that. Not, not, not unlike, you know, honest cops [00:46:00] who.See their, you know, the other people in their profession, you know whether it's planning evidence or test the lying or writing false reports. I mean, they, they look the other way. So it, it's kind of a similar dynamic. De'Vannon: Mm-hmm. . Okay. So, Enter the Innocence Project. So you a lady shows up one day, you're not getting many visitors as we've established, and you come bouncing up there, I'm taking some creative license here.You come bouncing up there. And that's what it was like though.Jeffrey: That was, it was like, you're completely on point. Continue on . So little pants of mine as well, huh? Right. . De'Vannon: You know, so Jeffrey: we don't laugh about this crazy stuff, Dee, I'm gonna like die. I'm gonna die from it being, you know, we have to do dark humor and release, so please continue up De'Vannon: ab the fucking Absolutely.And so, so the guards like, Yeah, you gotta visitor. And you're like, Yeah, who, who would be coming to see me? You Right? And for a moment, the guard, [00:47:00] the guard asks you, do you know this person? And then you realize that if you don. Then they would cut, they would cancel the visit. And so you, so you get into, you snap, you snap two and you're like, Oh yeah, I know them.And then so you go over and this lady introduces herself. She's like, I'm your new attorney. And she begins to tell you how they ran the dna. You're gonna get out. What I'm, what I'm curious about you, you went until like a three and a half hour I believe. It was like a mentality where you didn't actually believe it And this woman's trying to tell you, Yeah, you're actually, it's for real this time, not for fakes.It's for reals. So talk to me about this experience. Jeffrey: Yeah, exactly. So by sell cracks open and as a general rule, whenever they open your cell, you're supposed to like find out, well what is this for? So the guard yells down, you know, visit. So I go down, Hey, why don't you like double check that? Because you know, like you said, like who the hell is gonna come see me?So they called up there and confirm, yeah, you gotta visit Stu. Sprint down to my cell. We got like a [00:48:00] routine, you know, you pair of like a little visit shirt cause that's the one time you're. Kind of, sort of quasi in public, right? The visiting room where there's the intersection point between the inmates and the, and the, the, So I got got this, you know, visit shirt and I'm hurrying up down there and I'm thinking to myself as I'm running, you know who the, who the hell came to see me.And it's quite a distance actually from cell to the visiting room. And I gotta get there before a certain amount of time before the count happens because otherwise I'm gonna be stuck outside the visiting room for the next two and a half hours while the visitor waits, while they count cuz they're slow.And so I'm running. And then when I, when I finally get there, this lady's waving at me and you know, I wave back when I'm thinking like, she's mistaken. Who's this? And you know, maybe she, you know, I think she thinks I'm someone else, or maybe she remembers me from a different prison. But I asked the guy who came to see me who don't, you know.And I, like you said, I say yes cause I want the damn thing to be canceled. So I go over there and she [00:49:00] says, Hey I'm ne Hi, I'm Nina Morrison. She's my attorney at the at at, at the, at the Innocence Project. And you know, and she says the items have been te now my, my ears are alert. I'm looking for like, anything to be off or out of the ordinary cuz that, that normally spells disaster.And so she says the items have been tested. So, so right there, what would you mean? They're not supposed to be tested for another month. And she says, Yeah, they're actually they were tested. The DA pulled some strings and got the items tested and the results matched the actual perpetrator and you're going home tomorrow.And I said, No, I'm not. And she said, Yeah, you are. And I said, No, I'm not. And she said, Yeah, you are. And I said, No, I'm not. And for the next three and a half hours I had this spino paralysis, he was sitting, literally sitting there holding my hand. My head is spinning, all these thoughts are running through my head.One thought has nothing to do with the next, and none of them have anything to do with. Me going home [00:50:00] and I'm articulated all this random stuff and she's not responding. She's just taking it all in, holding my hand. And every now and then she breaks in and says, Are, are, are you ready to talk about tomorrow?I'm like, No, no, no, no, no. Get away from me. We're not talking about tomorrow. Don't play with me like that. I, I'm not, I'm not going home. Okay? So that went on for three and a half hours. And finally what made it real is she said, Look visit hours are almost over. There's a ton of work to do between now and tomorrow as far as the media.I need to get your clothing and shoe sizes. We gotta get a suit for you. And that, that made it real. And then I felt better for about five minutes and , and then a different concern came in my head, which was, I thought that something was gonna happen between that day and the next, and that the DA was gonna change your mind.And they would do what they always do, which is fight me and win. De'Vannon: [00:51:00] Not this time. Not this time. . Jeffrey: Thank, thank God. Not this time. No, but that was, that was my concern for sure. So De'Vannon: were you in the same prison that whole 16 years? No. Jeffrey: Okay. No, I was not, no. I was in El Meira from 1991 in 95, and I got transferred to Eastern Correctional Facility, which is in Napa, New York.So Ulcer County, much, much closer to towards the city. But I was only there for three weeks. Then they sent me back to, they sent me to Fishkill, which was a reception center, and then they sent me back to Aira for 10 months and then they sent me to Shang Gun, which is in Dus County. And I was there for a year and a half.And that's where I had the incident where a guy tried to kill me with the weight plate. And went to the solitary confinement and from there they sent me back to Myra for a decade, and then I got transferred. To sing, Sing for the last 28 days. And then I went [00:52:00] to court from there and from court to home.De'Vannon: Sing sing's like supposed to be amongst the, one of the worst places you can go, right? Yeah. That's, Jeffrey: that's true. Yes it is. Yeah. And you might, you might, you know the expression, you know, you're going up the River is a reference. There's a reference to Sing Sing because it's located, you know, Near Hu the Hudson River.De'Vannon: Yeah, I, I know about Sing Sing You, you a Bad Son of a Bitch if you, you've made it in Sing Sings Mad cra yo bamSo tell me about the first time you walked out of prison as a free man. Was it in your new pimp suit to talk to the media or, Cause when I got jail, when I gotta jail, they just let, they just let all us motherfuckers out at midnight on the side of the road, like some roaches, curring about there is no sunlight.They just like, okay, go do you, No one's calling an Uber or taxi. No shit like that. So, but I wasn't complaining. I'm all like, fuck it, I'm free run . So. Jeffrey: Right, right, De'Vannon: [00:53:00] right. So tell me about, you're walking out with the wind, you've got the Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's going on, ? So I gotJeffrey: this, I got the suit on, and I stepped out and I, I stepped outside of the courtroom and I remember the sky was blue.There wasn't, there wasn't the cloud to be found. I felt the sun and air on my face and everybody was clapping, you know, from the Innocence Project and the students from Cardozo Law School, which provided interns to them. And, and then I stepped over to the press conference and, you know, my, my first, there's all these cameras and everything, and when it was my turn to speak, I, I, the first thing I said was is this really, is this really happening?Like, I, it was a legitimate question in my head. Like, Okay, I thought, I think I. Finally gone ahead and done it. I, I, I, I think I've managed to lose my mind here, you know, But and it was disorienting as they were asking questions, but then I, but then I said, Look I'd like you to do it like I [00:54:00] saw on tv, just venture your name and what station, you know, like from seeing White House Press conference on the, And so that kind of made, made sense of it a little bit.So yeah, I gave this off the cuff presentation where everything I ever wanted to say in 16 years came out. And so I held everybody there for two, two and a half hours. De'Vannon: Hell yeah, man. So, so, so now you're out. Just, can you tell me anything about the after effects? So not like you're out, I'm sure. So Jeffrey: we had, Yeah, we had a nice, we had a nice luncheon lunch at Italian Food Place.I, I had muscles from the envelope with a side of big cd. And, you know, and, and the fact there was a media person there. So when I'm eating, there was a thing about with the ice cream and I'm like this and they're taking pictures for, so for a half a second I kind of sort of felt like you know, pop, I'm a famous person with a paparazzi.But then we went to my aunt's house and that's what kind of the [00:55:00] rubber hit the road. And I was remember just sitting at a table and my mother was there and my aunt was there. Another family member came over that hadn't been present. They were just drinking coffee, talking about everything. But I remember just feeling isolated and unable to relate to people and just feeling at a place.So I went outside and sat down outside. My uncle had a, had like a bench and I just wanted to sit outside while it was dark. Cuz they would always make you go inside in, in the prison yard when we get dark.De'Vannon: Y'all heard how he remembers exactly what he had to eat that first time after he got outta jail, down to the de down to the detail that, that, that first meal goes a long fucking way. I heard you brother. I heard you . Right? You know, we know when we're out here in the streets, we can eat what we want. You can walk over, get a Sprite outta the refrigerator, glass champagne.You can have a towel, you can have Mexican, you can have Ethiopian food. Whatever the fuck [00:56:00] you want, you can go and get, but not so when you're in jail, you eat what they give you to eat and you've already heard how terrible it is. Those basic freedoms that we just have every day are stripped from you. It was that way in basic military training when I was there was that way when I was locked up in jail.Speak to me about the emotions of you know, trying to date. You know, so much time has passed. You went in when you were. You know, 17 teenager, now you are, now you are a grown ass man, but you don't have real world experiences. So did you feel like you were starting back over from 17 or, you know? Yes.Jeffrey: Yeah, I did. I, I felt I was released when I was 32, but as you correctly point out, I did feel, I did feel like I was still 17. Cuz that was the, that was the year, that was how old I was when I was last free. But dating was difficult because you, I really didn't understand approach dynamics or how to determine if somebody is, you know, attracted or [00:57:00] you are interested in you versus they're just being friendly cuz they're just being friendly or has to do more with the story.So it was very hard plus my background, you know? Well, you know, what do you, how do you you know, how do you. Had, how, how do you, how did you get into doing this advocacy work? So it's a short three questions. It's a short three questions before my background gets on the story. And then, then I, then I then from there, it's like I've just went from being a candidate or somebody possible to, you know, I'm someone that feels sorry for, but you know, Elvis has just left the building.You know, like, I'm not a possibility anymore. I'm just the sum total of what happened to me and that, you know, that that would frustrate me, that would make me that would make me feel bad. You know? And people have said, Well, if they're like that, that's really the, it's their loss. It's not yours.They're not the right person for you. Yeah. Okay. And on one level that makes sense, but at the end of the day it's still, it's still me [00:58:00] that's missing out. I'm still the one that's thinking about, well, what. So it's not a good, it's not a good feeling. So in that aspect of it, I feel like, you know, in, in many ways I, I still, I'm still paying for the wrongful conviction, you know, But the other thing to the stigma level, you were in prison for 16 years, wrongfully.Yes. But you were there for 16 years. How much of that rubbed off on you? Is it safe to be alone someplace with you? De'Vannon: And people carry a negative connotation towards those of us who have been arrested, which I know not everybody runs around trying to act like a Christian or nothing like that. But, you know, be it, you know, you know, you know, Jesus did tell us to, you know, to visit and to care for people who are behind prison walls and the stuff like that.And, and, and the Lord would not judge somebody, you know, on that level. You know, you know, in a [00:59:00] negative way like that, in order to to view somebody who's been incarcerated as though they're less than, You know, this is a challenge, I believe, you know, to the world to love people. And I think God challenges the world to love people through the problems We've had people like me who've been strong out on every kind of damn drug and have been homeless and been to jail and stuff like that.You know, people didn't wanna be my friend , you know, because of those things. I'm like, You can't go to church on Sunday. It'd be like hallelu. But then when you're actually presented with an opportunity to show love to somebody who fucking needs it, somebody who's been to jail for 16 years, you know, then you gonna runYou know, it's easy to love somebody who you think is the, the upper part of society or like, you know, you know, you're fucking uppity ass or whatever. But the true, you know, true love is given when people need it. So yeah, you're gonna have some mental effects and some emotional effects, but it's a grand opportunity.You know, the people who you were, who you were trying to be around, I [01:00:00] agree with whoever told you that they weren't, they weren't the person for you and they weren't strong enough or they didn't have enough love, you know, for you. You need somebody better. And that's how, that's how I began to look at it after being constantly rejected, you know, being employers or people I was trying to date, I was like, you know what?Eventually when God is ready, the right person who's strong enough will come along and they won't care about my background. Did you ever find anybody like that? Jeffrey: That didn't care about my background? Yeah, I did. I did. I did find somebody that didn't care about my background, but then, but then after but then that, that ended up not working out on other De'Vannon: grounds.Okay, I'm here for there not working out on other grounds because there's all, there's all kinds of reasons why relationship may work, may not work out, but, but it shouldn't be automatically disqualify the chance based on what had happened. , you know, back then, So, Right. So I'm, I'm cool with that. I can accept that.Mm-hmm. . [01:01:00] So, okay, so, so you started your nonprofit and the website for that is gonna go into the show notes, but can you tell us about your nonprofit? So, so, so he did get, Jeffrey did get some amount of settlement money. You could tell us how much or not some of it's available on the internet, but from what I read or came across as, I think you may have sued three different cities or something like that, or three different Well, I'll, Jeffrey: I'll explain.Yeah, yeah. I'll explain. So in New York state, you can, you can seek compensation under state law, and I did. And they settled with me for 1.85. And then you're able, also able to bring a federal civil rights lawsuit. And the difference between that and the state is that the theory under the state law, that's like a no fault.So you don't have to prove that there was misconduct. You just have to prove that you were in prison wrongfully. And that's also like what the state's secondary responsibility is in everything. And then in a federal yacht, [01:02:00] you have to prove that there was a malicious violation of a constitutional right.And that that is what led to your wrongful Im president. So I did bring a federal civil rights lawsuit. The defendants were. Westchester County, cuz it was their medical examiner committed fraud. They settled with me for 6.5. Another defendant was Westchester County Legal Aid, so I'm not, I'm not allowed to disclose that amount, so I won't.But I also, another, a third defendant was peak skill. So they settled for 5.3 and I went to trial with Putnam County. That was their polygraphs.

Welcome to another episode of Rough Edges!  This week, Sarah is joined by special guest, JaQuasia Vandross. JaQuasia is the Founding CEO & President of Black Girls Can Heal Inc. She currently serves as a Clinical Coordinator, providing underserved youth and families in the community and foster care with affordable therapy services. She is a 2016 Mercy College graduate with a B.S. in Psychology. She later graduated from Mercy College in 2020 with an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She also has a certification in helping clients with Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.  Join these ladies as they talk about the importance of open communication in relationships, how youth relationships have similar patterns to adult relationships, and how to effectively communicate boundaries with your friends and loved ones. JaQuasia also shares her journey with managing her trauma and how her experiences inform her present work with those in foster care.  If you'd like to learn more about Black Girls Can Heal Inc., you can follow their page on Instagram (@blackgirlscanheal_). If you'd also like updates on Rough Edges, you can follow the podcast on Instagram @rough.edges.podcast or visit our brand new website at roughedgespodcast.com! If you have any questions or further suggestions for how this podcast can grow, please email us at rough.edges.podcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening and have a wonderful day! 

Libo Valencia is a mathematics educator in New York with over a dozen years of experience. Libo is a passionate teacher who strongly believes that understanding mathematics can help all students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can be utilized outside the classroom. His upcoming book Math Play on CodeBreaker Publishing will provide any educator practical ideas for expanding a child's perspective of math beyond assignments to engagement.Libo is known for his use of different technologies to engage his students and bring math concepts to life. He currently teaches at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, CUNY Lehman College, and Mercy College. As a mathematics educator, he has taught a wide range of subjects, from remedial algebra classes to upper-level calculus. Libo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, a Master of Arts in Pure Mathematics, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership. Resources mentioned during the episode:Desmos: desmos.comGeogebra: geogebra.orgArticle for Math Assoc of America: engaging-students-with-a-desmos-art-projectConnect with Libo :Website mathplay4all.comTwitter: @MrValencia24Blogs by Libo: blog.savvas.com/contributors/libardo-valencia/Follow ideas for #MathPlay on TwitterChris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:Website: dailystem.comTwitter: @dailystemInstagram: @dailystemYouTube: youtubeGet Chris's book Daily STEM on AmazonSupport the show

Join author Jan Meck for a thoughtful talk and discussion of their new book, The Life and Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree. The Life and Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree tells the true story of an African American woman who was the embodiment of courage, love, and determination. Given a small cottage after the Civil War by her former master and father of her children, she raised her family through the hardest of times, always keeping them together. The author will be joined during the program by moderator Joseph Rogers, Manager of Partnerships & Community Engagement at the VMHC, Dr. Emily Jones, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Winfree, and Ana Edwards, Public Historian, Chair of the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project, information about which can be found at sacredgroundproject.net. Dr. Jan Meck is a retired NASA scientist, and Virginia Refo is a retired foster care and adoption social worker and an experienced genealogist. Since retiring both have been docents and researchers at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Dr. Emily J. Jones is the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Winfree. She believes her ancestors have directly influenced her work. Currently, she serves as the Deputy Director of the Center on Culture, Race & Equity and Director of the New York State Education Department's Technical Assistance Partnership for Equity (TAP Equity) at Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Dr. Jones holds a PhD in Education Policy from Rutgers University, an MS in Elementary Education from Mercy College, and a BA in Economics from Spelman College. The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Michelle Richburg is a one of the nation's most sought-after business managers and is the President and CEO of Richburg Enterprises and Richburg Wealth Management.   Michelle initially launched her career in banking as a check processor during junior high school. She went on to graduate from Mercy College, achieving a BS in Business Administration and completing training programs in wealth management, marketing management, total quality management, and banking. At the same time, she continued to climb through the ranks of the New York banking industry, becoming a Senior Vice President at Signature Bank.   After parting ways with Signature Bank, she spent two years at People's Bank before an Oprah Winfrey conference inspired her to make a major move. Michelle then launched Richburg Enterprises in 2015.   Representing everyone from NBA stars and entertainers to small business entrepreneurs, Richburg Enterprises specializes in business and tax management services in addition to financial planning.  Notable media mentions include: CBS Fox, NBC, ABC, and Billboard.  She has been honored with recognition as Billboard's Top 2021 Business Manager and Billboard's R&B Hip Hop Power Players 2020, among other accolades.  High-profile clients include platinum rapper, Shyne, Wendy Williams, and Saint John.  She is also an author, having written the book, Still, I Thrive.  Catch the latest episode of the Forever F.A.B. podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iheartradio, Podbean, and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.  For past episodes featuring guest star interviews, beauty product reviews and innovations in plastic surgery, visit ForeverFABpodcast.com.     Dr. Shirley Madhere is a NYC-based plastic surgeon and Founder of Holistic Plastic Surgery.  This philosophy is based on a whole-body, mind, and spirit approach to beauty and incorporates wellness, integrative nutrition, functional aesthetics, and complementary medicine.   Dr. Madhere's approach to optimal outcomes in plastic surgery is through a lens of wellness, and is grounded in science and backed by ivy league medical study, research, and extensive surgical training.  View her menu of services at ElementsandGraces.com.  Consultations are available in-office, virtually, and online via Click-lift.com.   Coming soon: Dr. Madhere offers beauty on call services through Jet Set Beauty Rx, a mobile medical aesthetics unit delivering beauty in the privacy of your own home.  Reserve at JetSetBeautyRx.com.   As a creative outlet and means to broaden the perspective on the “spectrum of beauty,”  Dr. Madhere created Forever F.A.B., a podcast dedicated to Fashion, the Art of living well (i.e., wellness), and all things Beauty.  Visit ForeverFABpodcast.com for past and new episodes.     If you enjoy listening to the Forever F.A.B. podcast, get more audio and visuals with a membership through Patreon.  Choose the Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier for premium added content, special co-hosts, lifestyle videos, branded merchandise, and private access to Dr. Shirley's Clubhouse by visiting patreon.com/ForeverFAB.   Catch the latest episode of the Forever F.A.B. podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iheartradio, Podbean, Amazon podcasts, and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.  For past episodes featuring guest star interviews, beauty product reviews and innovations in plastic surgery, visit ForeverFABpodcast.com. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Live your best life now. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Be kind.  Help people.  Smile. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Don't sweat the small stuff. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Find your freedom. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Have gratitude.     Are you ready for financial freedom?  Schedule a review by visiting richburgenterprisesllc.com   Also check out @TheMichelleRichburg on social.   Get a copy of Michelle's book, Still, I Thrive on richburgenterprisesLLC.com.   ***** As always, if you liked this episode of the Forever FAB podcast, please share it and subscribe to the feed. Listen to past episodes or check out who's coming up next on foreverfabpodcast.com.   If you enjoy listening to the Forever F.A.B. podcast, get more audio and visuals with a membership through Patreon.  Choose the Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier for premium added content, special co-hosts, lifestyle videos, branded merchandise, and private access to my Clubhouse by visiting patreon.com/ForeverFAB.   If you are the Founder of or represent a beauty brand and want to be featured on an episode of the Forever FAB podcast segment of Fifteen Minutes of FAB, send me some stuff.  Visit ForeverFABpodcast.com and fill out the Contact form.   For general holistic beauty tips or to set up an appointment with me to discuss your personalized options for leveling up your beauty, go to ElementsandGraces.com and sign up for my newsletter.   And for an online e-consultation on time, anytime and on your time, visit Click-Lift.com for your wellness, plastic surgery, and beauty questions on the go.   And… if you don't want to go anywhere or leave your home, look out for Jet Set Beauty Rx offering mobile aesthetic medical services, such as injectable fillers and multi-vitamin facial treatments.  Jet Set Beauty Rx is coming to your neighborhood soon.        Credits:  Video backdrop: Anyvoo Fashion:  top by Alice & Olivia Beauty: skincare by Wonderskin Purevoc Makeup: n/a   Produced by www.oneofoneproductions.com Recorded, mixed, edited and original music by www.23dbproductions.com   Podcast Medical Disclaimer The purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. It is no substitute for professional care by your doctor or your own qualified healthcare professional. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this podcast or in any linked materials. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experience and conclusions, and Dr. Shirley Madhere neither endorses nor opposes any particular opinion discussed in this podcast. The views expressed on this podcast have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, practice, institution or other entity with which Dr. Shirley Madhere may be affiliated.

Michelle Richburg is a one of the nation's most sought-after business managers and is the President and CEO of Richburg Enterprises and Richburg Wealth Management.   Michelle initially launched her career in banking as a check processor during junior high school. She went on to graduate from Mercy College, achieving a BS in Business Administration and completing training programs in wealth management, marketing management, total quality management, and banking. At the same time, she continued to climb through the ranks of the New York banking industry, becoming a Senior Vice President at Signature Bank.   After parting ways with Signature Bank, she spent two years at People's Bank before an Oprah Winfrey conference inspired her to make a major move. Michelle then launched Richburg Enterprises in 2015.   Representing everyone from NBA stars and entertainers to small business entrepreneurs, Richburg Enterprises specializes in business and tax management services in addition to financial planning.  Notable media mentions include: CBS Fox, NBC, ABC, and Billboard.  She has been honored with recognition as Billboard's Top 2021 Business Manager and Billboard's R&B Hip Hop Power Players 2020, among other accolades.  High-profile clients include platinum rapper, Shyne, Wendy Williams, and Saint John.  She is also an author, having written the book, Still, I Thrive.  Catch the latest episode of the Forever F.A.B. podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iheartradio, Podbean, and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.  For past episodes featuring guest star interviews, beauty product reviews and innovations in plastic surgery, visit ForeverFABpodcast.com.     Dr. Shirley Madhere is a NYC-based plastic surgeon and Founder of Holistic Plastic Surgery.  This philosophy is based on a whole-body, mind, and spirit approach to beauty and incorporates wellness, integrative nutrition, functional aesthetics, and complementary medicine.   Dr. Madhere's approach to optimal outcomes in plastic surgery is through a lens of wellness, and is grounded in science and backed by ivy league medical study, research, and extensive surgical training.  View her menu of services at ElementsandGraces.com.  Consultations are available in-office, virtually, and online via Click-lift.com.   Coming soon: Dr. Madhere offers beauty on call services through Jet Set Beauty Rx, a mobile medical aesthetics unit delivering beauty in the privacy of your own home.  Reserve at JetSetBeautyRx.com.   As a creative outlet and means to broaden the perspective on the “spectrum of beauty,”  Dr. Madhere created Forever F.A.B., a podcast dedicated to Fashion, the Art of living well (i.e., wellness), and all things Beauty.  Visit ForeverFABpodcast.com for past and new episodes.     If you enjoy listening to the Forever F.A.B. podcast, get more audio and visuals with a membership through Patreon.  Choose the Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier for premium added content, special co-hosts, lifestyle videos, branded merchandise, and private access to Dr. Shirley's Clubhouse by visiting patreon.com/ForeverFAB.   Catch the latest episode of the Forever F.A.B. podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iheartradio, Podbean, Amazon podcasts, and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.  For past episodes featuring guest star interviews, beauty product reviews and innovations in plastic surgery, visit ForeverFABpodcast.com. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Live your best life now. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Be kind.  Help people.  Smile. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Don't sweat the small stuff. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Find your freedom. Recommendations/The F.A.B. Five according to Michelle Richburg: Have gratitude.     Are you ready for financial freedom?  Schedule a review by visiting richburgenterprisesllc.com   Also check out @TheMichelleRichburg on social.   Get a copy of Michelle's book, Still, I Thrive on richburgenterprisesLLC.com.   ***** As always, if you liked this episode of the Forever FAB podcast, please share it and subscribe to the feed. Listen to past episodes or check out who's coming up next on foreverfabpodcast.com.   If you enjoy listening to the Forever F.A.B. podcast, get more audio and visuals with a membership through Patreon.  Choose the Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier for premium added content, special co-hosts, lifestyle videos, branded merchandise, and private access to my Clubhouse by visiting patreon.com/ForeverFAB.   If you are the Founder of or represent a beauty brand and want to be featured on an episode of the Forever FAB podcast segment of Fifteen Minutes of FAB, send me some stuff.  Visit ForeverFABpodcast.com and fill out the Contact form.   For general holistic beauty tips or to set up an appointment with me to discuss your personalized options for leveling up your beauty, go to ElementsandGraces.com and sign up for my newsletter.   And for an online e-consultation on time, anytime and on your time, visit Click-Lift.com for your wellness, plastic surgery, and beauty questions on the go.   And… if you don't want to go anywhere or leave your home, look out for Jet Set Beauty Rx offering mobile aesthetic medical services, such as injectable fillers and multi-vitamin facial treatments.  Jet Set Beauty Rx is coming to your neighborhood soon.        Credits:  Video backdrop: Anyvoo Fashion:  top by Alice & Olivia Beauty: skincare by Wonderskin Purevoc Makeup: n/a   Produced by www.oneofoneproductions.com Recorded, mixed, edited and original music by www.23dbproductions.com   Podcast Medical Disclaimer The purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. It is no substitute for professional care by your doctor or your own qualified healthcare professional. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this podcast or in any linked materials. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experience and conclusions, and Dr. Shirley Madhere neither endorses nor opposes any particular opinion discussed in this podcast. The views expressed on this podcast have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, practice, institution or other entity with which Dr. Shirley Madhere may be affiliated.

Bo Bonner, senior advisor of mission initiatives and director of the Center for Human Flourishing at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, joins us to chat about his journey to the Catholic faith, how St. John Henry Newman has hounded him throughout his career, and much more. Special Guest: Bo Bonner.

Evan Imber-Black, PhD, is currently Professor and Program Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Masters Program at Mercy College, and was a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. Evan was a longtime faculty member at the Ackerman Institute and former Director of Ackerman's Center for Families and Health. In this episode, she sits down with Eli to discuss her early career influences and why she became a therapist, her proudest memories from her time as editor of Family Process, and the concepts of family rituals and family secrets. Eli and Evan discuss what makes a good family ritual, how to create family rituals, and finally the delicate balance between the need for privacy and the impact of family secrets.

Step into the therapists office. Have you ever had a strong emotional response you cannot explain or been involved in a toxic relationship? Have you been through a traumatic event and it alters your perception? Or have you had the desire to deep dive into why we feel, think, and live the way we do? We discuss inner child work, healing trauma, shadow work, toxic relationships, and how to process. Lair Torrent is a clinically trained and licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. He earned his Masters degree from Mercy College where he was mentored by renowned Marriage and Family Therapist, Dr. Evan Imber-Black. He was trained in Eastern psychology and thought at The Helix Training program, a rigorous 4 year multi-discipline training located in NYC. Lair has been resourced/interviewed by NPR, the New York Times, and Rolling Stone magazine for his expertise and work in couples and individual counseling.   Click here to leave a review and rate us 5 stars! For more resources regarding mental health - please make sure to visit some resources here  Thank you endlessly to todays show sponsors  Sambucol immune support gummies - code HOTTER 15 for 15% off at checkout  Insidetracker - using DNA,Blood, and Trackers to see what goes on, on the inside so we can optimize our health on a deeper level. Visit insidetracker.com/hotterthanhealth for 25% off the entire store Organifi - try the green juice packets, probiotics and of course the vanilla protein. Code hth for 20% off! Monthly Plant Dominant Meal plan + Audio Experience Work with me - 1 on 1 Nutrition Programming Eliza G Wellness on IG Hotter Than Health on IG