In episode 2, the "Our Voice" podcast welcomes Norris Henderson, Executive Director of V.O.T.E Nola. Hosts Desmond Meade and Neil Volz give Norris a chance to talk about his brutal experience with the criminal legal system as a wrongfully incarcerated man who was forced to serve 27 years behind prison walls. Then guest Alina Feas, a 62-year-old mother who is currently in home confinement after serving 7 years in prison, joins the discussion to talk about the #KeepThemHome campaign and the CARES Act. Listen as she expresses the fear of being sent back to prison, where the spread of th ..read more

In this episode, the “Our Voice” podcast goes on the road to Salt Lake City, Utah, to capture the perspectives of those participating in the Clean Slate Summit: Free Expungement Clinic – hosted by the Utah Jazz, The NBA Social Justice Coalition, Clean Slate Utah, and Rasa Legal. Guest host Mrs. Sheena Meade – Executive Director for the Clean Slate Initiative – is joined by Mr. James Cadogen – Executive Director of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition ..read more

In this episode, the “Our Voice” podcast welcomes Lenore Anderson – co-founder and President of the Alliance for Safety and Justice. Host Neil Volz talks to Lenore about her recently released book In Their Names: The Untold Story of Victims’ Rights, Mass Incarceration, and the Future of Public Safety. Aswad Thomas – who had his professional basketball career tragically end after being shot multiple times as a young man – joins Lenore. Aswad serves as Vice President of the Alliance for Safety & Justice and National Director of CSSJ. Together, Lenore and Aswad explain why they believe it's t ..read more

The “Our Voice” podcast heads to Atlanta, Georgia, in this episode. Host Neil Volz – Deputy Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), welcomes guest host David Ayala – Executive Director of the Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM). FICPFM is a network of over 50 civil and human rights organizations led by people living with criminal records and their family members.  As the leader of a national movement focused on dismantling the ineffective and destructive aspects of America’s mass incarceration system, Executive Director Ayala shares h ..read more

In this episode, the “Our Voice” podcast goes on the road to the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. Special guest host Mrs. Sheena Meade – Executive Director for the Clean Slate Initiative – welcomes Ms. Holly Harris – President and Executive Director for the Justice Action Network. The Justice Action Network is one of the largest organizations in the country to bring together progressive and conservative partners and collaborate with law enforcement, business, civil rights, victims’ rights, and faith-based groups to make our justice system fairer and more effective. Listen in as these two inf ..read more

The “Our Voice” podcast travels to Atlanta, Georgia, in this episode. Hosts Sheena Meade–Executive Director for the Clean Slate Initiative, and Neil Volz–Deputy Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, welcome Brittany White–formerly incarcerated person, Decarceration Director for Live Free, and Organizing Fellow at The Institute to End Mass Incarceration. In August of 2022, The Institute to End Mass Incarceration at Harvard Law School and the Harvard Radcliffe Institute announced the joint appointment of Brittany as a visiting practitioner in residence for the 2022–2023 academic ..read more

In episode 24, the "Our Voice'' podcast welcomes back Marcus Bullock – founder and CEO of the tech start-up Flikshop. Shot in front of a live audience, on location in Orlando, Florida, during FRRC’s 10th Anniversary Convening celebration, hosts Desmond Meade and Neil Volz get Marcus to share his frightening, gut-wrenching, and ultimately transformative journey. Listen as he describes growing from a young teen who was direct-filed and sentenced to a maximum security adult prison to becoming a father and successful entrepreneur in the tech sector. The development of the Flikshop mobile app enabl ..read more

In episode 22, the “Our Voice” podcast welcomes Zoë Towns – Vice President for Criminal Justice Reform at FWD.us, a bipartisan political advocacy organization committed to safely and significantly driving down America’s incarceration rate. Zoë and her team collaborate with policymakers and constituencies across the political spectrum to advance sentencing, parole, and pretrial reforms that deliver more freedom, opportunity, and fairness. Hosts Desmond Meade and Neil Volz sit with Zoë to dive deeply into the topic of narrative control – analyzing the role of media in shaping public opinion and ..read more

In episode 21, the “Our Voice” podcast welcomes Carol Lautier, Ph.D. – Director of Movement Building for Demos, and Kira Romero-Craft – Director of Legal Strategies for Demos. Demos is a dynamic think-and-do tank that powers the movement for a just, inclusive, multiracial democracy. Host Desmond Meade sits with these two influential leaders to talk about the recent returning citizen voter fraud arrests in Alachua county Florida, how both Democrats and Republicans use the levers of democracy to gain an unfair advantage, and the impact of Roe v. Wade on criminal justice reform and democracy ..read more

In episode 20, the “Our Voice” podcast welcomes returning citizen (formerly convicted person) Marquis McKenzie – CEO of the Dirt Master LLC. At age 15, Marquis was arrested on an armed robbery charge for stealing a cell phone and a wallet. He was tried as an adult and convicted, eventually serving two years in prison. After his release, Mr. McKenzie faced many barriers to reentry. He decided that entrepreneurship, community service, and civic engagement would be his pathway to success. Hosts Desmond Meade and Neil Volz sit with Marquis to discuss juvenile diversion, entrepreneurship after inca ..read more