Incarceration Nations Network

Michael McCusker, activist and advocate from the Turnaround Project in Belfast and The Lived Experience Podcast.

In this conversation, James Leonard and Michael J Mc Cusker share their experiences in South Africa, focusing on the stark contrasts between poverty and joy in schools, the impact of crime on youth, and reflections on the historical significance of Robben Island. They discuss the resilience of the South African people, the importance of education, and the ongoing legacy of Nelson Mandela. Their in...

In this conversation, Tricia Walsh shares her experiences as a Maori woman, discussing her ancestry, the significance of Maori tattoos, and the impact of colonization on indigenous communities. She highlights the cycle of trauma and incarceration faced by Maori and Pacifica peoples, the importance of reclaiming language and culture, and the ongoing struggle for rights and recognition. Tricia empha...

This conversation explores the transformative power of perspective and gratitude, particularly in the context of personal struggles and systemic challenges. The speakers discuss life in the Virgin Islands, the impact of gentrification, and the importance of community initiatives like the Choices program aimed at empowering youth. They delve into the complexities of freedom, success, and the dispar...

Summary In this conversation, James Leonard and Katrian Clarke explore the shared historical ties between Ireland and Jamaica, delve into Clarke's personal experiences with incarceration, and discuss the transformative power of education within correctional facilities. Clarke shares her journey from being incarcerated to becoming an advocate for education and rehabilitation, highlighting the i...

In this conversation, myself and Jazz Singh explore themes of football fandom, personal experiences with racism, and the historical context of immigration and institutional racism. We discuss the impact of colonial history on current societal dynamics, the complexities of historical narratives, and the ongoing struggles related to power and class. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, we hig...

Jhody Polk is the founder of the Jailhouse Lawyers Initiative (JLI) and CEO of A Light In The Valley, LLC. She is the Pathways to Research and Advocacy Fellow with the Fortune Society and Center for Justice Innovation, and is the creator of the Legal Empowerment & Advocacy Hub (LEAH), an online space dedicated to people Knowing the Law. She is the recipient of the 2019 Peacebuilder of the Year...

Darion Stick Herrera Hernández, 28 years old, is a a  charismatic person who likes to help other people without expecting something in return, always with the intention of making them smile. He is also the father of a 9-year-old girl, Emily. For 13 years he has worked at the Tiempo de Juego Foundation, based in Bogota, as a community leader. Since 2015 he has been a national trainer in criminal re...

Waldemar Cubilla is a sociologist and Director of the Justice and Human Rights program at the National University of San Martín in Argentina. He is also a member of Mutual Mario Cafiero, an organization created by formerly incarcerated people who defend the rights of incarcerated people and their families. a teacher and popular educator, he works in defense of the right to education in prisons and...

Julie Legrand, 35 years old, was born in the Paris suburbs, where she grew up with her parents and older brother. In 2019 she was incarcerated for 18 months in a French jail, which led to her advocacy work with the French Observatory of Prisons. A single mother of three wonderful children with whom she is very close, Julie enjoys going out with friends, having meals with family, and helping people...

Dan is co-Director of DWRM Consultants, a community-interest company that works with universities to offer a wide range of degree courses to students in prison.  Dan dedicated himself to establishing DWRM Consultants while navigating the challenges of leaving prison. He has led on the creation of a peer-mentor support programme offering education and employment coaching and support for people leav...

Keketso Jabari is a 32-year-old African formerly incarcerated male residing in Cape Town, South Africa. Born and raised in the Langa township, he is on the path of not letting his past determine his future Having earned his LLB degree, which he began while incarcerated, he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Family Law and is an active, enthusiastic member of the Ubuntu Learning Communi...

Daniel, an Afro-Latin American, is 26 years old and lives on the outskirts of Manguinhos. He is a teacher, a pedagogical trainer for the organization Elas Existem, and a student of Pedagogy at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, where he belongs to the Human Rights Defenders Network.

Thulani Derrick Ndlovu is a dedicated person and human being who—while serving an 18-year sentence in Johannesburg and later Boksburg Correctional Centre—had a long and hard conversation with himself. There, Thulani was instrumental in founding the Siyanakekela Support Group, peer educators on HIV and TB in prison. In 2013, they took on the prison administation to secure antiretroviral treatment f...

Canaan is a lawyer and social worker by profession. He finished his LLB with the University of London, which he started while in prison in 2022. Canaan spent four years and six months in prison, having been initially sentenced to suffer death by the court martial. Currently, he works as a legal volunteer at Justice Defenders, which represents indigent prisoners to courts of law and trains people i...

Married and blessed with three children, Boxten is a paralegal officer with nine years experience working with non-governmental organizations promoting human rights and rule of law, being a voice for the voiceless in marginalized communities. He currently works with Centre for Human Rights, Education Advice and Assistance (CHREAA), heading their Mwanza and Neno districts and establishing community...

Wesley is a PROUD FATHER OF two CHILDREN WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN BY his SIDE. His GOAL IN LIFE IS TO ENJOY EVERY MOMENT. BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN his THOUGHTS, PEOPLE in his life and ORGANISATIONS he is connected with IS his BIGGEST MOTIVATION. "KEEP LEARNING" IS his daily FOCUS; BY PLANTING POSITIVE SEEDS he TRies TO CONTRIBUTE TO OTHERS' WELL BEING. He is KIND, HUMBLE AND GRATEFUL--...

Beatrice Hangwende, an Executive Administrative Officer with 25 years experience in nonprofit and government agencies as well as the private sector, holds a higher diploma in business administration from Peterborough College in the United Kingdom. In 2007, this mother of three children was arrested and charged with murder. She spent seven years attending court sessions between 2007 to 2013, when s...

Joel Castón is the first person in the history of Washington, D.C. to be elected to public office while incarcerated. In 2020, he won a groundbreaking election garnering local and nationwide attention. Drawing on the wisdom of 27 years of direct involvement with the criminal justice system, Commissioner Castón works closely with the DC government, policymakers, advocacy groups, and organizations t...

At the tender age of 17, Nicholas Khan was sent to prison for multiple charges. It was there, with the help of a fellow incarcerated person serving a life sentence, that he learned to read. After being introduced to the book “The Rose That Grew From Concrete,” by the late Tupac Shakur, he found a passion for poetry. Using an illegal phone inside the prison, he began to share his stories and words,...

Danny is a co-founder and associate director of the Underground Scholars Initiative at the University of California, Berkeley, a student service program dedicated to supporting the success of directly impacted students. Danny also serves as a community advisory board member for the Uncuffed podcast.  Most recently, he was the Smart Justice Fellow at the Michelson 20MM Foundation. In this role, Dan...