Good Things from Lemonada

Steve Bishop used to be a youth probation officer. He wanted to help young people navigate out of a juvenile justice system he knew was flawed. Now, as the Associate Director for Probation and System Transformation at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Steve works to transform youth probation systems around the country – from one that punishes making mistakes in ways that leave young people worse off and neighborhoods less safe to one that holds kids accountable for their actions by steering them toward the guidance and support that can help them grow into responsible adults. In this eye-opening conversation with host Maya Rupert, Steve talks about how we can create a more just and restorative system that’s steeped in relationships, trust, and community. This episode was made possible with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an organization that develops solutions to build a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities. Learn more at aecf.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can art transform a life? For Clarence Maclin, the answer unfolded during his incarceration at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Through a program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts, he used theater as a way to process trauma onstage and off. Now starring in the A24 film "Sing Sing", Clarence tells us what it was like acting out his own story on the big screen. Plus, how a more compassionate justice system doesn’t just transform the lives of incarcerated people – it strengthens society when they return as productive, creative and empowered community members. To learn more about Rehabilitation Through the Arts, visit rta-arts.org. Also be sure to check out the film, “Sing Sing,” wherever you can.  Follow When it Clicked wherever you get your podcasts, or listen ad-free on Amazon Music with your Prime Membership. Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Want to become a Lemonada superfan? Join us at joinsubtext.com/lemonadasuperfan. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of us did some questionable things as teenagers, like drinking alcohol, doing drugs, and shoplifting. We’re likely not proud of these moments, but they happened, and we moved on. For some of us though, this normal adolescent boundary-testing can lead to involvement in the juvenile justice system, which is ripe with racial disparities and poor results. Nate Balis, Director of the Juvenile Justice Strategy Group at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, talks with host Maya Rupert about reframing how we think about youth crime, the need for effective solutions that actually promote community safety, and how much young people need adults in their corner. This episode was made possible with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an organization that develops solutions to build a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities. Learn more at aecf.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s it like to spend years in a state penitentiary and then make it big in Hollywood? What makes a death row warden become a leading voice in prison reform? How does a conservative Christian in the deep South decide we can’t incarcerate our way out of a drug crisis? For all of these people, they had a moment when their thinking about justice and safety changed. In this series, host Ana Zamora – founder of The Just Trust – sits down with business leaders, advocates, actors, artists, and unexpected changemakers to learn about when it all clicked for them, and what they’re doing about it. You’re about to hear the first episode from When It Clicked, focusing on the transformation of a tough-on-crime conservative Christian from Mississippi into a powerful advocate for drug policy reform. For Christina Dent, it was her experience as a foster mom. That launched her on a path to found End It For Good, an organization fighting to revolutionize America's approach to drugs. From sharing her personal story to working with lawmakers, Christina challenges us to question our assumptions about drugs and addiction and imagine a different path forward.  To learn more about Christina’s story and how to get involved, check out her book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction, and visit enditforgood.com Follow When it Clicked wherever you get your podcasts, or listen ad-free on Amazon Music with your Prime Membership. Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Want to become a Lemonada superfan? Join us at joinsubtext.com/lemonadasuperfan. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of our CAPS series about community violence intervention work we talk about how improving the criminal justice system is a huge piece of the puzzle. Travon checks in on Indianapolis, Indiana and sees how people there are pushing for less incarceration and breaking cycles of recidivism. Executive Director at the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform David Muhammad and RecycleForce Director and councilwoman Crista Carlino share the ways in which they are reducing crime while investing in formerly incarcerated men and women.   Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform and RecycleForce for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit capsinitiative.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the third episode of our series about The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS) and its partner organizations making a difference in communities across the U.S., we take a closer look at Baton Rouge. Antohony Smith is the Executive Director of Cities United which works closely with the local community street team to reduce crime and boost violence prevention efforts. He tells Travon why this work starts with shifting people's perception of public safety, nurturing relationships with city leaders, and saving seats for everyone at the table.   Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular Cities United for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit capsinitiative.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the next episode of our series about The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS) and its partner organizations spearheading community violence intervention efforts throughout the U.S., we hear from changemakers in Newark, New Jersey. Travon chats with co-founder of the Community-Based Public Safety Collective, Aqeela Sherrills, and CEO of New Direction, Shadee Dukes. We learn how they are leveraging relationships to curb crime inside their neighborhoods and serving as prime examples of why those who are most impacted by violence are best equipped to bring solutions to their own problems.  Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular the Community-Based Public Safety Collective and New Direction for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit capsinitiative.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special 4 part series, we’ll be highlighting The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS), a coalition of organizations working to intercept and prevent violence in communities across the U.S. The coalition’s work builds on years of knowledge of public health, gun violence prevention and the particular needs of different locales, as well as the lived experience of community members on the ground. With these tools, CAPS creates and maintains community violence intervention (CVI) ecosystems around the country. In our first episode, Travon Free sits down with Joe Kim from CAPS’ Health Alliance for Violence Intervention and Freedom Jones from LifeBridge. They chat about what it means to implement a health-centered approach to combating violence in Baltimore and what lessons can be applied to other cities in the U.S. Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular Health Alliance for Violence Intervention and LifeBridge for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit capsinitiative.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode three of Making of an Activist we discover that after stints in Baltimore and Harlem Children’s Zone, DeRay Mckesson heads to Minneapolis to lead the human capital department for Minneapolis Public Schools. In the safety and security of a career-defining role, DeRay watches the immediate aftermath of Mike Brown’s brutal murder at the hands of a police officer in Ferguson and simply cannot sit still. There is no going back for DeRay, we discover what sparked his drive down to Ferguson, and how life changed forever. Expert and historical context provided by Harvard Professor Brandon Terry, and others. We learn more about what came before the death of Mike Brown and the systemic issues of policing in the US.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aldine Independent School District in Texas began the journey of drastically changing how reading is taught in 2020 – not knowing that a global pandemic was on the horizon. When COVID hit, the district didn’t abandon the plan; they persevered. In part three of our series on literacy, host Gloria Riviera talks with Aldine Superintendent LaTonya Goffney and Executive Director of Literacy and Social Studies Jacqueline Beas about what it was like to make the seismic shift. This episode is created in partnership with the Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Thank you to Aldine Independent School District for making this conversation possible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.