Urban Incarceration: Overcoming Stereotypes: Proof That You Can Make It

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

If you have ever been told by someone that you're not capable of attaining success , if you have made mistakes or lived in an underprivileged neighborhood , then this podcast is for you . You are now locked in to Struggle2 Success . Struggle2 Success aims to inspire individuals to navigate life's challenges with courage , fortitude and unwavering determination . So if you're in your car jogging or somewhere else trying to find the calm

Welcome to Struggle to Success

Speaker 1 0:27

in the storm , then join Struggle to Success airing every other Saturday . Remember life is trials . Stay focused .

Speaker 2 0:37

They say that once you've been labeled , that's all you'll ever be , and in most cases , they're right until you prove them wrong . Be , and in most cases , they're right until you prove them wrong . Hello , wonderful people , welcome back to the Struggle to Success podcast . I'm your host , sterling Brown , and yes , I was once a convicted felon . This episode is for anybody who's ever been underestimated , overlooked or misjudged because of their past . If that's you or someone you love , lock in , because today we're talking about how to rebuild your identity after incarceration and the truth they don't tell you about what the process really feels like .

Speaker 2 1:14

In 2017 , I applied for a paraprofessional job at a school district not far from my home . I had experience , I had heart , but I also had a felony . I marked the box and kept it moving because by then , I was used to rejection . But this time , something different happened . A director pulled me to the side , looked me straight in my eyes and said with your accomplishments

Breaking Free From Paper Chains

Speaker 2 1:39

, it will be criminal if you continue to live under this cloud . It would be criminal if you continued to live under this cloud . That moment stuck with me , not because it felt good , but because , deep down , a part of me still believed the cloud was mine to carry . Even after everything I had done to grow , I was still living under the weight of the past . But here's the thing those weren't heavy , obvious chains , they were thin , solid , made of paper Court documents , criminal background checks , public databases . They don't clank when you walk , they rustle , but they bind you all the same .

Speaker 2 2:17

Picture this A man walks into an interview Fresh suit , fresh mindset . He's ready , he's done the work , he's proud of how far he's come . But every step he takes , something follows paper change . On one sheet , background check failed , another felony record flagged , then voting rights denied and the last one , housing application rejected . They don't see the man , they see the paper . My chains don't rattle , but they speak . They whisper , felon , before I do , let's go deeper .

Speaker 2 2:56

A man stands outside his bathroom , fresh shirt , tie straight , child in his arms , ready to face the world . But the mirror ? It doesn't reflect the growth , it reflects the ghost . He sees himself in an orange jumpsuit , a tired face , an ID number , flickering lights behind him , a distant tower , a locked door . He wipes the mirror , but the image doesn't change .

Speaker 2 3:24

Because even when you've done the work , even when you've healed , society might still show you the same broken reflection . And sometimes it's not about how you see yourself .

Healing Beyond the Label

Speaker 2 3:36

It's about how they've taught you to see yourself . You ever get out but still feel locked up . I'm not talking about the cell or the system . I'm talking about your mind , your peace , your spirit . How you question your worth even when you've done everything right , how you wonder if you'll ever be more than the label .

Speaker 2 3:53

Nobody tells you this part , that after you've done your time there's another sentence waiting . And this is the one that's mental . Let's be real . Being labeled felon ain't just status , it's weight . And that weight shows up in your walk , your posture , your dreams . You might have survived the sentence , but now you're fighting the residual .

Speaker 2 4:17

So how do you heal ? You reframe your story , not to lie about your past , but to reclaim the truth about your future . Stop calling yourself what they called you and you start calling yourself what you're becoming Father , provider , leader , healed man . You find your people , the ones who aren't afraid of your scars , the ones who see your growth , not your rap sheet , the ones who remind you you're not alone in this , and you forgive yourself . That's the hardest part , because healing doesn't start in the courtroom , it doesn't start in the re-entry program . It starts in the quiet moment when you're whispering to yourself I'm not my worst mistake . I'm the proof that change is real . Let's breathe for a second worst mistake . I'm the proof that change is real . Let's breathe for a second . Wherever you are on a jog , in your car , at your job , in your house take a deep breath with me and repeat this I am not who I was , I am who I decide to be . What will your life look like if you finally believe you deserve the freedom you already have ? Let's bring the facts in .

Speaker 2 5:26

Right now , over 70 million Americans have a criminal record . That's one in three adults . One third of our population drag in paper chains . Some of us can't vote , some of us can't rent , some can't work . Some can't sleep at night because of the mistakes we've already paid for . Some can't work . Some can't sleep at night because of the mistakes we've already paid for . And Michelle Alexander said it the

Building Community After Incarceration

Speaker 2 5:49

best Once you're labeled a felon , the old forms of discrimination employment , housing , voting are suddenly legal . Let that sink in .

Speaker 2 5:59

The punishment doesn't end with the time served . It continues every time someone Googles your name . So what now ? We build community . We stop letting society isolate us . We connect . We check on each other . We speak the truth . Don't break stereotypes by yelling . You break them by being consistent , being present and being unapologetically excellent . And we take ownership . We don't just want freedom from the system , we want freedom from the shame , because if we keep walking like we're still in chains , we teach the next man , the next young man , that freedom ain't possible . Let's teach him something else .

Speaker 2 6:41

Here's your challenge this week Write down your story , but not from your past , from your future , just one page at a time . Start with the words today I am becoming , because if you can speak it , you can become . It going to be a straight line , but it is real and it's definitely worth it . So , to every person still carrying the invisible chains I see you , I was you and I promise you you can outgrow this label . You are not your record , you are your redemption . In our next episode , we're closing out the Urban Incarceration Series with my brother , Corey Angelo . He served 10 years and came out swinging . He's a podcaster

Looking Forward: Next Episode Preview

Speaker 2 7:28

, a father , an author and a walking testimony that your story ain't over unless you stop writing it . So don't miss it ! And if nobody told you this week , you're doing better than you think , keep going , keep healing , not for the approval , but for your own freedom . This is Sterling Brown and this is the Struggle2 Success Podcast . And until next time . Remember life is trials . Stay focused .