Amplified Voices

In this episode of Amplified Voices, Amber and Jason speak with Melissa Tanis, a ferocious advocate for parole justice, compassionate release, and children of incarcerated parents. Melissa shares her story of having her father incarcerated when she was five years old and the impact that it had on her own life as well as the lives of her family members. She shares the emotional path she navigated to reconnect with her dad after many years of no contact. She authentically outlines her feelings...

Ray Boyd was incarcerated in 1992, facing a 50 year sentence. He ultimately spent close to 30 years in prison in Connecticut before being released. Ray experienced Covid 19 while incarcerated and reentry during the pandemic. Ray shares his story with Amber and Jason. Ray, Amber, and Jason are joined by Barbara Fair from Stop Solitary Connecticut. You can find Ray's book, Model Inmate on Amazon by clicking here. In 2021, the Protect Act to limit the use of Solitary Confinement and create...

In the opening episode of Season 3, Amber and Jason speak with Nicole, a sixteen-year-old girl who authentically shares the experience of having her life turned upside-down at age twelve when her father was arrested, incarcerated and eventually placed on a public registry. Her journey winds from the initial shock, how she was treated at school, to visiting her father while he was incarcerated, to what happened when he was finally able to come home. She also covers how probation restrictions...

As the year came to a close, Amplified Voices hosts, Jason and Amber took some time to reflect on everything that 2021 threw at the world. In this candid conversation, they walk listeners through the year; covering podcast production, behind-the-scenes information, personal triumphs, advocacy victories, guest insights, and so much more. Fans will enjoy a sneak-peek of what's in store for Season 3 as the show continues to serve as a platform to uplift the voices of individuals and families...

In this episode of Amplified Voices, Amber and Jason sat down with autism advocate, Nick Dubin to discuss his personal experiences involving his early life, autism diagnosis and ultimately his encounter with the criminal legal system. Nick also spoke of his desire and work towards using his personal experiences to help others on the spectrum, and his new book. About: Nick Dubin was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (now ASD-level 1) in 2004. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications...

Come meet Tracie Bernardi, a formerly incarcerated activist and co-founder of Once Incarcerated, an organization designed to help justice impacted families and individuals navigate through collateral damage. Tracie talks Jason and Amber about her experience with the criminal legal system as a young 19 year old woman who was sentenced to 30 years in prison. She talks about how she ultimately spent 23 years of those years incarcerated with 7 years in solitary confinement. Now, she's back home...

Amber and Jason spoke with Marty and took a deep dive into Marty's life before he took actions that landed him in the criminal legal system. Marty shares the bullying and sexual assaults he endured as a young gay man and how this shaped his response to the world. You can hear him express remorse for his actions and what he learned through the process. He describes some aspects of his time in prison. Marty talks about the support he found with ACSOL (https://all4consolaws.org), how he has...

In this episode of Amplified Voices, Amber and Jason speak with Mark who authentically shares the shock, pain and sense of brokenness that he and his close relatives felt when they discovered sexual harm had occurred within their family. This incident abruptly plunged his elderly father into the criminal legal system, ultimately revealing that he had dementia. Mark describes how he and his father encountered severe injustice on one hand and acts of kindness on the other, as they were forced...

In this episode, Jason and Amber speak with Morgan Godvin, a freelance writer, scholar and advocate who spent time behind bars after she sold her best friend heroin and he died of an overdose. In a matter of days, Morgan found herself grappling with the death of her friend while also navigating an unrelenting justice system. Morgan shares her story of addiction and struggle, highlighting how she quickly became aware of racial and socioeconomic disparities in the criminal legal system. She...

In this special episode, Amber & Jason welcome Stop Solitary CT activist and lead organizer, Barbara Fair, back to the show to discuss Governor Lamont's recent veto of SB 1059, known as the Protect Act. The act, meant to uphold and protect the safety of individuals living and working behind bars, recently passed both houses of the Connecticut legislature, only to stop short of becoming law with the stroke of the Governor's pen. In order to address the inhumane practices challenged by the...

In this episode, Jason and Amber catch up with attorney Kathy Flaherty, a fierce advocate for disability rights. During the conversation, Kathy explores the parallels between the criminal justice and mental health systems, and explains how advocates in both spaces can work together. Kathy walks the audience through her experience with involuntary commitment, law school and the challenges she faced being admitted to the Connecticut bar due to her mental health treatment history. Kathy...

This Amplified Voices conversation with Amber & Jason follows the journey of Anderson Curtis, Senior Field Organizer for Smart Justice with the ACLU of Connecticut. Anderson shares his story, full of examples of both failure and success, as well as emphasizing the people and strategies that helped him during recovery and reentry after incarceration. He encourages those with lived experience to share and advocate, understanding that truth and power are found in forgiving themselves, setting...

In this conversation with Amber and Jason, Ron shares his experience with the criminal legal system. Ron explains how he found himself on the Wisconsin’s Sex Offense Registry and many of the collateral consequences he’s encountered years after his offense, sometimes with life-threatening implications. Be prepared to have some assumptions challenged. Some of the organizations Ron...

Barbara Fair is a licensed clinical social worker and social justice activist with Stop Solitary Connecticut who has worked tirelessly for decades to improve prison conditions, bring awareness to the impact incarceration has on children and families, and demand accountability for state violence as it relates to police departments and correctional facilities in Connecticut. She has long called for the abolition of solitary confinement, testifying in support of and organizing on behalf of many...

Juanita shares the story of her friend, Sincere, who was sentenced to 45 years for an incident that happened when he was 18. Then known as Darnell, he signed an Alford plea deal for first degree murder, arson, and use of a firearm. Sincere has grown up behind bars. Juanita continues to advocate for him. Juanita is parts of a group called The Sistas in Prison Reform https://sistasinprisonreform.com You can connect with Juanita on Twitter at @Sinita11_ Support the show...

In this episode, Amber & Jason meet Carol, the mother of an intellectually disabled son and a passionate advocate for reform. She shares how her family was thrust into the world of courtrooms, plea bargains, ankle monitors and public registration after a situation that occurred in 2012. Their story is one of tragedy and triumph, one that shines a light on the fact that criminal prosecutions of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities often lead to disastrous consequences for...

Amber and Jason talk with Richard about his experience with Wall Street as part of the Wolf of Wall Street firm. In the conversation, Richard takes us on his journey from prison and all of the collateral consequences to reentry up through his entrepreneurial efforts focused on others who have been incarcerated. He takes us from New York to Florida to California. From Richard's bio on his new site Commissary Club: Richard was the founder and CEO of 70 Million Jobs and 70 Million Staffing....

Join Amber and Jason as they launch their second season of Amplified Voices with a guest you won't want to miss: Attorney Stefanie Mundhenk. In this episode, Stefanie talks about how her life was altered by an incident at Baylor University. Her journey takes us from Texas to Washington D.C., where she was a graduate law student at Georgetown, and ultimately to Kentucky where she studied for the bar and is now a practicing attorney. Hear Stefanie explain why she believes the entire criminal...

In a rare peek behind the scenes, Amplified Voices hosts, Jason and Amber round out their first season by reflecting on how the podcast has evolved - exploring how proximity and storytelling have been able to make an impact on the many people who have participated, listened and shared the show with others. Through a candid discussion, the hosts highlight the feedback they have received, what the project has meant to each of them and the many things they have learned from the guests who have...

Join Jason and Amber for a different perspective, as they speak with Thomas Owen Baker, a veteran and former police officer who shares how his involvement in policing affected him, leading to his strong desire to convert his experiences into something of social value . He candidly speaks about life as a law enforcement officer and how his perceptions changed over time. After 9 years serving on the force, he decided to enter the academic sphere, focusing his research on police culture, use of...