Broken is Beautiful

Artie Gonzalez , who was  tried as an adult at 16  and spent  21 years  in the California prison system, including 8  years in solitary confinement,  takes us inside the reality of supermax isolation—sensory deprivation, the loss of sunlight, the psychological toll—and the moment a single beam of sunlight through a damaged skylight became a turning point: a decision to “walk on the path of love.”...

Charlie Kirk was murdered — and the country chose sides. Chris and Katherin sit down to talk about the nation’s response to his murder, and what it reveals about our divisions. Speaking openly as friends, they unpack how to resist polarization, lean into accountability, and imagine healthier ways forward together.

Gail Brashear was 15 years old when she was sentenced to 51 years in adult prison. She spent many of those years in solitary confinement before a prison psychologist’s words cracked open a new path. Today, Gail is a paralegal with the Seattle Clemency Project , where she draws from her own experience in the prison system to support her clients and advocate for justice reform.  Hosts Christopher Bl...

What does it take to build real intimacy when every conversation is monitored and a first kiss might be years away? Hosts Christopher Blackwell, an incarcerated journalist, and Katherin Hervey, a documentary filmmaker and lawyer, explore the raw realities of finding love behind bars, and the relationship challenges people face on both sides of the prison wall.  Plus, why doing “nerdy, stupid, simp...

Marlee Liss did something revolutionary. After surviving a sexual assault, she asked the courts for an outcome rarely seen: not punishment, but healing. She advocated for her assailant to undergo therapy and to meet with her in a restorative justice circle. Her case became the first in North America to conclude with restorative justice through the court system. Today, Marlee is working to ensure o...

Prison walls separate them. But what connects friends Christopher Blackwell and Katherin Hervey? A chunky bird or two, an unwavering belief that criminal justice reform can — and must — be done better, and a willingness to go deep… real deep into the messy chaos of simply being alive. Join the conversation. As we get started, we want to learn more about you. Where are you listening from, what does...

Friends Christopher Blackwell , an incarcerated journalist, and Katherin Hervey , a documentary filmmaker and lawyer, had an idea: Could a podcast, partly recorded behind prison walls, help uncover what truly connects us? Broken is Beautiful strips away comfortable narratives about the justice system, and dives deeply into the messy, beautiful complexity of being human. Listen now and discover how...