Community
The interviewee describes his difficult childhood as a child surrounded by neglect, addictions, and a toxic environment.
The interviewee describes the circumstances that led up to his life sentence crime.
The interviewee describes the frequency of gang fights in his community and how his brother joined a gang.
The interviewee talks about how he saw gates and bars everywhere, which affected him and everyone else, and how the community has been taken away from Black people.
The interviewee describes how, in his community, there are many gangs and the culture of gangs in his neighborhood. He uses humor as a defense mechanism to prevent gang members from bothering him.
The interviewee speaks on how important it is to have family support because he says that he didn’t have that while growing up which made him look for it somewhere else.
The interviewee explains why he believes his life took a turn for the worse after being on his own.
Interviewee describes the process of joining a gang in her hometown and how she was very badly beaten in order to join the gang.
Interviewee describes the how his hope in a new law allowed him to reflect on his actions and create a positive impact in his life.
Interviewee recounts the acceptance he felt from being in a gang and how his main job within the gang had him in survival mode.
The interviewee describes how he was able to share his story with others to help drive change. He also shares some of his passions and how they have evolved thus far.
The interviewee describes some of his experiences good and bad in the Jim Crow South.
The interviewee describes the tragic circumstances of his young sister’s death.
The interviewee describes how his brothers had limited opportunities in the segregated South and experienced incarceration.
The interviewee describes how siblings experienced community violence and incarceration, as well as the circumstances around one of his sisters’ death.
The interviewee describes finding community after prison with his local church, new friends, and other activities.
The interviewee describes an attempted abduction by a white man in the Jim Crow south and his desire to move away.
The interviewee describes growing up in the South in a segregated school system and having to leave school early to support his family.
The interviewee describes two women he loved, how those relationships ended with prison, his crime and the early period of his incarceration.
The interviewee describes some of the tricks and tactics he had for surviving away from home as a young man.
The interviewee describes how joining a gang of young people with similar experiences to him made him feel accepted for the first time.
The interviewee describes the challenges of leaving the gang environment and mentality after being involved in it since he was 15.
The interviewee describes his experiences of being a refugee at a young age and feeling an overwhelming sense of rejection from society.
The interviewee describes his crime of commitment for his life sentence.