Terrence Stevens, In Arms Reach

Makeba was out so I hosted the show last night solo.  I kicked things off with the Program Director of In Arms Reach, Sharieff Clayton.  He was released two years ago after serving 15 years behind bars.

Not only did he talk about the program, a non-profit organization that serves children of incarcerated parents, but he shared what it was like to be locked up, watching his kids grow into teenagers before being release.  He spoke candidly about the difficulty of building a relationship with his own kids, as well as the animosity and abandonment that many of the children he works with feels when their parent is behind bars.

Terrence Stevens, the Founder and Executive Director of In Arms Reach followed.  He talked about his own experience with being locked up while bound to a wheelchair, and how he came to found the program.

Stevens and Clayton offered advice to kids dealing with issues stemming from their parents being locked up, as well as how to keep from falling into the cycle of incarceration.

Listen now to hear what you missed!  As always, please share your thoughts about the show in the comments section.  Feel free to offer suggestions for future shows as well.

Terrence Stevens

We took a short break but now we’re back with the third installment of the Family Life Behind Bars radio show.  On Monday, April 20, Makeba and I will be talking to Terrence Stevens, the Executive Director of In Arms Reach, Inc., a non-profit art, music, prison visitation and educational mentoring organization that serves youth ages 7 to 18 whose parents are or were formerly incarcerated.  We’ll also be speaking to a staff member from the organization.

Stevens, who was confined to a wheelchair as a teenager and is paralyzed from the neck down, suffers from muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that gradually weakens the body’s muscles.  In 1993, Stevens was convicted of possessing 5.5 ounces of cocaine and was sentenced to 15 years to life under the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

Stevens was granted clemency by former Gov. George Pataki after serving 8 years of his sentence behind bars and bound to a wheelchair.  Since then, Stevens, also known as “T-Wheels,”  has committed his life to fighting the Rockefeller Drug Laws and working with children of incarcerated parents.  We’ll be talking to Stevens about his amazing story of resilience and triumph, as well as his quest to fight the Rockefeller Drug Laws in light of its recent repeal.

We’ll also be talking with Stevens about how he’s been able to employ artists like Saigon, Trey Songz, Fat Joe and John Forte to help deliver his message.

Be sure to tune in on Monday and call up to comment or ask a question during the show.  Just dial (347) 326-9981, press 1 on your phone, and wait to be patched in.  Keep in mind that the phone number is a New York number and your phone company will charge you for long distance calling.

You can also listen to the show over the internet at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars.

As always, we hope you listen live!  We also welcome your suggestions for guests and topics for future programs so please share those in the comment section below.