The Reboot Podcast #179 - The Work of Getting Free: Redemption, Gratitude & Hope - with Shaka Senghor & Jerry Colonna
Sep 9, 2025
Shaka Senghor, an author and prominent figure in criminal justice reform, joins Jerry Colonna for an inspiring discussion about transformation and redemption. They delve into how true freedom often lies in overcoming mental prisons built from grief and shame. Shaka shares his journey of healing through gratitude and writing, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and mentorship in breaking cycles of suffering. They also touch on the challenges faced by returning citizens and the transformative power of nature in fostering resilience.
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Redeemed By Prison Mentors
- Shaka Senghor served 19 years in prison after killing a man at 19 and spent seven years in solitary confinement.
- Older incarcerated men mentored him with books and belief, sparking his transformation and writing career.
Mind-Forged Prisons Precede Physical Cells
- Mental narratives often incarcerate us before physical prisons do and shape our life paths.
- Radical self-inquiry revealed to Shaka that his beliefs led him into physical incarceration.
University In Solitary
- In solitary Shaka structured his days like university studies, reading widely from street literature to philosophy.
- He wrote into late nights and used writing as meditative practice to gain agency inside confinement.
