Change Agents The Podcast

Sentenced to life in prison at just 19 years old, Wendell Robinson drew his own map to freedom. Now, through his work at Restore Justice, Robinson uses his experience and knowledge to help other formerly incarcerated people navigate the reentry system and find their place in society.

Produced by Skylah Martinez, Bing Wang, and Eliza Westhusing for Reparations Media NFP | In collaboration with Wendell Robinson and Restore Justice Fou...

“Struggle to Serve: Larry Sapp and the push for political inclusion”

Larry Sapp has dedicated the past 30 years to serving his community. In 2021, he was elected to the Sauk Village Board of Trustees, promising to get the community thriving again after years of decay.  His dream was deferred when he was removed from the Board for a decades-old felony drug conviction that he had openly disclosed during his path to elected office. Now...

“Shimere Love-Shanklin: From Struggle to Strength”

Finding employment and opening doors that seem permanently closed is a barrier that people with felony records continually face. Shamere Love-Shanklin knows this reality all too well. In this episode, Love-Shanklin shares her reentry journey—navigating the challenges, embracing the triumphs, and reclaiming her identity after years of incarceration—and how her criminal justice r...

“Rhymes & Resistance: King Moosa uses creativity to advance voting rights”

Did you know that individuals with felony convictions in Illinois still retain the right to vote? Rockford-born hip-hop ARTivist Brian Harrington, aka King Moosa, is trying to spread the word. 

Sentenced to 25 years in prison at the age of 14, King Moosa experienced the isolating effects of incarceration firsthand. Through the support of community members ...

Michelle Clopton was in her twenties when Chicago police attempted to force her to confess to a crime she didn’t commit. For 72 hours, she was brutally questioned, deprived of food, and tortured. Today, she is one of the few women to publicly share her experience of abuse. But she’s not alone. 

Under the leadership of CPD Commander Jon Burge, more than 100 Black people were tortured by Chicago police in the ’70s and ’80s to elicit f...

When Mercedes Pickett set out to buy her first home, she wanted to do it in the same way her mom had — by living in a two-flat, renting out the bottom apartment, and making the building into an investment property. 

For over a century, owning and living in a rental property has been one of the most effective ways to build wealth for Black and Latino communities. Yet these quintessential Chicago homes are in danger of extinction. 

Thi...

When Matthew Cage’s father died, Matthew knew it fell on him to financially support his mom. But there was a problem. Matthew had just been released from prison — and many don’t want to rent or employ someone with a criminal record.

Experts say a good indication of whether someone will return to prison is how quickly they find housing. A group of nonprofits across Chicago’s South and West sides are trying to break that cy...

Produced by  Citlali Perez  |  Women are being imprisoned at higher rates than ever.  As they return home they face a unique set of challenges, because they are often their families primary caretakers they face harsher parole oversight, making it all the more difficult to reckon unresolved trauma. G.O.D. helps these women meet their immediate needs (such as clothing or housing), and then works with them to find a path back to a pro...

Produced by Daphne Watson | Behind the walls of the notorious Stateville Correctional Facility in Illinois, incarcerated individuals, educators, attorneys, students, activists, and legislators gather several times a month for the DePaul University Behind the Walls Law and Policy Think Tank. This collaborative space empowers its members  — some serving life sentences  —  to draft real legislation aimed at dismantling felony disenfra...

Produced by Justin Agrelo | In 2010, a group of men incarcerated at Danville Correctional Center had a thought: how could they help stem community violence plaguing Chicago from the inside of a prison roughly three hours away?  The men formed an academic study group they later named Community Anti-Violence Education (CAVE). They began examining the multiple layers of trauma and violence, both internally and externally hoping they c...

Produced by Dilpreet Raju | Criminal records can sometimes create seemingly insurmountable hurdles to employment, a key factor toward reducing recidivism rates.  Defy Ventures teaches the incarcerated, and returning citizens how to build their own business.  Their program is a game-changer, not just for the system impacted, but for business leaders who are given a chance to shed biases, and discover an invaluable stream of worker t...

How to Tackle Antiblackness

"Together we are powerful." "Black and Brown solidarity." "Yellow peril supports Black power." Interracial solidarity is foundational in the fight for racial justice for all, but often interracial conflict steals headlines instead. Just how can people of color transcend deep differences and internalized anti-Blackness? Listen to how Chicago-based organization People...

Justice That Heals

Chicago can be cruel to its youth, especially to youth of color living in marginalized communities. Restorative justice practices have begun to emerge in the city aiming to remedy the root causes of harm that is plaguing the streets with crime and violence. BUILD has become a fierce proponent of the restorative justice framework and has added it to its tool kit as it expands its reach in the Austin commu...