WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.360 --> 00:00:09.040 From Futuro Media and PRX. It's Latino USA. I'm Marieno Rossa. 2 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:13.840 Today a preview of the first episode of season two 3 00:00:14.040 --> 00:00:29.280 of our Bulletzer Prize winning podcast Suave. Well, Dear listener, 4 00:00:29.560 --> 00:00:33.000 it's been seven years since the release of David Luis 5 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:37.960 Suave Gonzalez from a maximum security prison. Suave had been 6 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:42.400 sentenced to life without parole as a teenager. But you 7 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:46.720 might remember we were there when Suave finally walked out 8 00:00:46.760 --> 00:00:52.360 of prison seven years ago. Now, Suave is navigating life 9 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.639 as a freeman and dealing with all of the feelings 10 00:00:55.720 --> 00:00:59.520 and pressure that comes with it, because starting over is 11 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:03.280 complic and on the outside, life can come at you 12 00:01:03.760 --> 00:01:09.000 dangerously fast. This season, we're gonna go deep into Suaves's 13 00:01:09.160 --> 00:01:13.840 quest to define what freedom really means for him. Rieta 14 00:01:13.880 --> 00:01:17.440 Martinelli is the host of Suavest season two, and she's 15 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:20.959 gonna guide us through this journey. And just a warning, 16 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:26.360 dear listener, this episode contained some strong language. 17 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:31.320 I'm not a pussy. I'm not a pussy at all. 18 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:34.160 What makes you think you could try me? And I'm 19 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:38.720 not going to react because if I get tugger, somebody's 20 00:01:38.720 --> 00:01:43.600 going to get hurt. Not fake hurt, real hurt. 21 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:47.360 This is the voice of a man who's found himself 22 00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.360 at the end of his rope, a man who survived 23 00:01:50.440 --> 00:01:54.559 more than thirty years in a max security prison, got out, 24 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.560 became successful, built what many would consider is a dream life, 25 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:04.240 and now seven years later, was risking it all. 26 00:02:04.960 --> 00:02:08.400 So I guess I don't go ejail down? Yeah, Pope 27 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:10.640 to Teddy bed. Now that you got the grizzly bed, 28 00:02:11.480 --> 00:02:13.639 I'm gonna fuck with me. That's how it's gonna go down. 29 00:02:13.720 --> 00:02:16.880 It's on site. It's not gonna be let's talk outside. 30 00:02:17.040 --> 00:02:17.959 It's on site. 31 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.520 Well, I don't know where we're at. It's gonna be 32 00:02:20.600 --> 00:02:23.600 on site. That's the do y'all wanted, y'all know. 33 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:28.440 And the reason the reason, as the gliic goes, is 34 00:02:28.480 --> 00:02:36.119 that you can leave prison, but prison never really leaves you. 35 00:02:39.600 --> 00:02:43.400 But before we get there, let's start with happier times. 36 00:02:43.600 --> 00:02:45.120 Okay, come on, we're gonna get a picture. 37 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:47.760 Hey. 38 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:55.079 We're standing outside Columbia University's historic Low Library in New 39 00:02:55.160 --> 00:02:59.840 York City. It's October twentieth, twenty twenty two, and spirits 40 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:03.440 are high. Most of the team behind the Swave podcast 41 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:10.040 is here, including journalists Marie no Josa, what's up? 42 00:03:10.040 --> 00:03:10.480 What's up? 43 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:14.839 And Swave, a man who for a long time never 44 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:18.040 imagined that he would ever leave a prison cell, let 45 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.639 alone be here at the ceremony for the Pulitzer Price. 46 00:03:25.480 --> 00:03:28.960 I'm walking in and I'm looking, and I'm looking all 47 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:31.959 these expenses, so I only paid like ninety dollars for 48 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:32.560 my suit. 49 00:03:33.480 --> 00:03:37.280 We walk up the iconic Columbia Steps, through the doors, 50 00:03:37.640 --> 00:03:39.880 past statues of Zeus and Apollo. 51 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:43.160 It feels like standing in a Greek temple. 52 00:03:46.440 --> 00:03:49.560 None of the other journalists here invited their sources to 53 00:03:49.640 --> 00:03:53.880 the ceremony. In a sea of black boat ties, Swabe 54 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:57.640 is rocking this bright blood red tie. 55 00:03:58.160 --> 00:03:58.839 One by one. 56 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:06.280 The winners are now stupid story. They called him swab 57 00:04:06.680 --> 00:04:29.080 like the shampoo. But whatever. On stage, we hold hands 58 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:34.480 and Swave it holds the award. Swave decides immediately he's 59 00:04:34.520 --> 00:04:38.520 going to be the one to keep it. 60 00:04:39.520 --> 00:04:41.080 After dinner, there's a reception. 61 00:04:41.880 --> 00:04:46.640 There's lots of very polite mingling happening over wine. Pretty boring, 62 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.159 to be honest, So we sneak off outside for some 63 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.400 fun of our own. Right on the Columbia Steps, we 64 00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:57.279 sip on our drinks maybe even a little joint gets sparked. 65 00:04:59.440 --> 00:05:03.000 We go out with side and in my head, I'm thinking, 66 00:05:03.640 --> 00:05:08.479 tonight it's the night that I realized I'm free. I'm 67 00:05:08.520 --> 00:05:13.320 really free. It was like one of the movies that 68 00:05:13.400 --> 00:05:17.320 I watch in prison that you know is a sad movie. 69 00:05:17.400 --> 00:05:20.400 But at the end, you know, when they sit like 70 00:05:20.520 --> 00:05:23.520 in the steps and they see the sunlight, you know, 71 00:05:23.640 --> 00:05:25.880 it's like something magical is gonna happen. 72 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:34.279 In this moment, everything is perfect. A man who was 73 00:05:34.320 --> 00:05:37.719 in prison for more than thirty years just won the 74 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:41.040 highest award in journalism. 75 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:44.119 That was the night that mister Pulitzer was born. 76 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:52.000 Y'all know what it is. 77 00:05:52.080 --> 00:05:53.520 Yeah, this is your man, Swab. 78 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:57.560 Yeah, I'm just chilling it. A tough man ready to 79 00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:58.919 take a shot of bad. 80 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:01.640 But I just want to introduce you man. 81 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:02.000 Yo. 82 00:06:02.600 --> 00:06:07.080 This is the Adventures of Swave Gonzales and his full 83 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:07.400 of shir. 84 00:06:07.760 --> 00:06:10.520 So, yeah, I'm going to with my pullus. 85 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:12.680 I'm going to give my Pullaser shower because you know, 86 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.240 we got to stay clean, man. You know, we just 87 00:06:15.320 --> 00:06:16.680 can't be too in the world. 88 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:21.559 Mister Pulleitzer living his best life. It's happily ever after. 89 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:35.160 Right from Futuro Studios. This is Suave. I'm Julie de Martinelli. 90 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:41.880 In twenty seventeen, David Luis Swave Gonzales was released from 91 00:06:41.960 --> 00:06:46.040 prison after thirty one years serving a life sentence without parole. 92 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:49.640 He was one of thousands of juvenile life first granted 93 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:53.400 a second chance at life. This is a story about 94 00:06:53.440 --> 00:06:57.560 life after incarceration and the search for the true meaning 95 00:06:57.760 --> 00:07:06.200 of freedom. This is season two, Maria. 96 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:06.960 How are you. 97 00:07:07.440 --> 00:07:10.800 Oh my god, Julieta, I am great. I mean yeah, 98 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:12.080 season two. We're here. 99 00:07:12.280 --> 00:07:14.440 Yeah, we're back. I'm so excited. 100 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:16.840 I think maybe we should introduce ourselves, right. 101 00:07:16.880 --> 00:07:17.760 Yes, of course. 102 00:07:17.840 --> 00:07:22.040 So you are legendary journalists marieo Josa, the host of 103 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:25.160 Latino USA and the founder of Futura Media. 104 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:28.720 Okay, well, legendary is a big word. But in this case, 105 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:32.520 because I'm actually part of this story, I'm not going 106 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.240 to be doing the job of hosting. That is going 107 00:07:35.280 --> 00:07:37.440 to be done by the host of Suavest season two, 108 00:07:37.760 --> 00:07:39.840 and that is you, Julieta Martinelli. 109 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:42.080 Yeah. Hi, So I'm Julieta. 110 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:45.640 I've been covering criminal justice pretty much all of my career, 111 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.040 and I'm actually the co producer of season one of suaves. 112 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:51.760 So I was always there in the background, reporting and 113 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:54.640 writing for the show. And you might have even heard 114 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:58.160 me here and there in that season, most notably on 115 00:07:58.200 --> 00:08:02.040 episode six while running down the street, Like running. 116 00:08:03.440 --> 00:08:07.640 Threw me off. Well, clearly he lives at that house, 117 00:08:09.200 --> 00:08:10.320 and we should hire the fuck. 118 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:10.880 Up and get out of here. 119 00:08:11.440 --> 00:08:15.000 Yeah, it's like, get out of there as fast as possible. 120 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.680 Yeah, And you know, I applied for the job to 121 00:08:17.760 --> 00:08:21.000 work on season one because the prison system has always 122 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:24.280 been really real for me, right, It's always been a 123 00:08:24.320 --> 00:08:26.400 part of my life. I grew up around a lot 124 00:08:26.400 --> 00:08:29.360 of people that were affected by the car Sooro system, 125 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.440 and you know, one of the first memories I have 126 00:08:32.880 --> 00:08:36.000 is of my dad being accused of a crime and 127 00:08:36.400 --> 00:08:39.120 my mom wanting to separate us from all of that 128 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:40.960 and bringing us to the US. 129 00:08:41.520 --> 00:08:43.240 And here I was undocumented. 130 00:08:43.280 --> 00:08:45.439 I grew up in a community around a lot of 131 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:49.960 undocumented people, so heavy police presence. You know, I've seen 132 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.520 a lot of people lose their freedom, and I think 133 00:08:52.640 --> 00:08:56.160 that really taught me that people are very complex. People 134 00:08:56.200 --> 00:08:59.160 can be good and do bad things. And I don't 135 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:03.320 think that we're always telling the story about those gray areas, right, 136 00:09:03.920 --> 00:09:07.160 And so the story we're telling the season. It's a 137 00:09:07.160 --> 00:09:12.680 little different from last time. It's about the long shadow 138 00:09:12.760 --> 00:09:16.480 of prison, about the challenges that no one warns you 139 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:19.960 about when you get out, and about how after spending 140 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.360 the majority of his life locked up, freedom for Suave 141 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:26.560 has not been everything he imagined it would be. 142 00:09:27.760 --> 00:09:29.880 Now, for those of you out there who are new 143 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:33.360 to the show, in season one, which by the way, 144 00:09:33.400 --> 00:09:35.840 you should really go listen to right now, but in 145 00:09:35.880 --> 00:09:39.520 season one, we told the story of Luis Suave Gonzalez. 146 00:09:40.160 --> 00:09:43.880 Now I met him decades ago in a maximum security 147 00:09:44.040 --> 00:09:49.520 prison in Pennsylvania. Suave at that time, he was convicted 148 00:09:49.640 --> 00:09:53.240 of verter as a teenager. He was sentenced to life 149 00:09:53.400 --> 00:09:58.480 without parole. And after we met that day, well, I 150 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:01.560 mean essentially we stayed in touch over the years and 151 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:05.640 we developed, you know, a relationship, right, some people might 152 00:10:05.640 --> 00:10:08.679 even say it was a friendship. But then what ends 153 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:12.880 up happening is that laws changed because of the Supreme Court, 154 00:10:13.640 --> 00:10:17.400 and Suave now had a chance to get out of prison, 155 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:21.680 and so we documented his release and we followed the 156 00:10:21.760 --> 00:10:24.880 ups and downs of his journey to the outside. All 157 00:10:24.920 --> 00:10:27.599 of that is in season one. 158 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:33.720 So you know, Maria, when season one ended in twenty 159 00:10:33.760 --> 00:10:37.280 twenty one. Save was focused on starting his new life 160 00:10:37.280 --> 00:10:41.319 in Philadelphia, and I think we could have stopped documenting there. 161 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:43.800 I mean, we definitely thought about it. 162 00:10:43.800 --> 00:10:46.720 Right right, he's out of prison, I mean, end of story. 163 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:49.800 We tracked it all as the time passed. You know, 164 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:53.440 It's just so natural for me to record everything. So 165 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:56.240 even after the podcast dropped, I'm still recording. And that's 166 00:10:56.280 --> 00:10:59.360 when I realized, hold on a second, like this story 167 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:03.520 is not over at all. In many ways, I was like, 168 00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:07.599 we're just scratching the surface. And so basically we just 169 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:12.479 kept documenting everything that was happening in Swabi's life, and 170 00:11:12.800 --> 00:11:13.760 there was a lot happening. 171 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.480 Early on in reporting, I asked Swavit what he thought 172 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.640 this season. 173 00:11:18.280 --> 00:11:19.120 Should be about. 174 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:21.760 But as I've been thinking about writing season two, in 175 00:11:21.800 --> 00:11:25.960 season one, we ended with you really wanting like some stability, 176 00:11:26.040 --> 00:11:30.240 wanting to get a stable job, like a relationship. That's 177 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:32.640 kind of where you were when we ended. I see 178 00:11:32.640 --> 00:11:37.040 you laughing, and it's killery where you going. So my 179 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:42.720 question is, if I use this tape here in the 180 00:11:42.800 --> 00:11:46.840 episode one, what a swather want to achieve in season? 181 00:11:48.040 --> 00:11:53.080 In life listed season one, I was living life I 182 00:11:53.160 --> 00:11:56.400 wasn't having fun. I was fucking boring. 183 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:57.520 I was. 184 00:11:59.080 --> 00:12:01.920 I wouldn't say stress, but I was out of touch 185 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:05.520 with my community, if you want to call it that. 186 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.000 I'm living in the hood, but I was out of touch. 187 00:12:09.800 --> 00:12:12.800 I chose to do that. Now it's like, fuck, I'm gone. 188 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:17.760 Who has some fun? And I know that it can 189 00:12:17.920 --> 00:12:24.000 lead to destruction ways I know that, right and I'm 190 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:28.040 trying not to, you know, cross that destructive path. But 191 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.040 I'm having fun on all levels. I'm having fun. So 192 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:35.960 with season two, I'm hoping that people get it. Man, Like, 193 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:41.079 we're human beings. We've just been denied certain things because 194 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:47.520 of our incarceration. I'm human being. I'm only thirty right now. 195 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:50.200 I came home when I was twenty one, you know. 196 00:12:50.640 --> 00:12:56.800 I mean, I'm looking at it in them turns right now. 197 00:12:56.920 --> 00:13:00.800 We are going to get to that destructive path that 198 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:04.920 occurred later on in season two, But first cour the 199 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:07.640 truth is Save is having. 200 00:13:07.520 --> 00:13:11.679 Fun, especially after the Pulitzer. I mean, things really just 201 00:13:11.880 --> 00:13:12.439 took off. 202 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:17.040 I've been awarded like three different awards. Well, there's been 203 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:18.600 a couple of new stories. 204 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:21.600 My local man is doing what he can to save 205 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:24.480 our streets. He spent decades behind bars. 206 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:27.640 Sean Att Wilson introduces us to this inspiring man. 207 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:32.199 I was given a second chance for a reason making music. 208 00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:35.800 Making music. That's something that I'm doing, you know, he 209 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:39.200 went on me, Man, I'm like a William inside of 210 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.240 my I was Maily, your child and making decisions thirty 211 00:13:42.280 --> 00:13:45.680 one years I was locked in a prison, started my 212 00:13:45.760 --> 00:13:51.320 own truth Prime True Story, episodes of podcasts with different people. 213 00:13:52.040 --> 00:13:55.480 As a Lieutenant governor, what is your position on juvenile 214 00:13:55.520 --> 00:13:58.840 life is coming home and being on parole for life? 215 00:13:59.280 --> 00:14:01.080 I think that the the juvenile life for. 216 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:05.160 Decision is the live podcast recordings are a big success. 217 00:14:05.760 --> 00:14:10.199 It was pack house, really, I'm talking about we had 218 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:12.240 to turn people away, damn. 219 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.840 And he's drawing the attention of some very important people. 220 00:14:17.280 --> 00:14:20.680 It's no boost about it. It's like the City Service 221 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:21.120 showed up. 222 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:23.040 They did a round up of the building. You know, 223 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:24.200 they checked the whole building. 224 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:25.800 Asked Biden come in. 225 00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:31.520 Ashley Biden as in that Biden the former president's daughter. 226 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.040 She lives in Philadelphia and has been an outspoken supporter 227 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:38.280 of criminal justice reform. Okay, and she. 228 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:42.160 Is right, I want to work with you. I'm like, sure, 229 00:14:42.680 --> 00:14:43.000 why not? 230 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:49.880 And is looking at each other like really happening. 231 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:53.960 So that's where we are today. 232 00:14:54.520 --> 00:14:56.680 You could say that it's a new day for Suave, 233 00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:59.840 but really it's a whole new life. You know. 234 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:02.600 Mister Pulitzer is killing it. 235 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:05.360 I remember when you told me that he was mister Pulitzer, 236 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:08.200 and I was like, oh my god, because it's like 237 00:15:08.280 --> 00:15:12.880 he's really embodying this entirely new alter ego and it's 238 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.239 like a thing to witness. 239 00:15:14.640 --> 00:15:17.800 Yeah, and maybe it's fed into his tendency that he 240 00:15:17.880 --> 00:15:21.160 already has to be a little bit of a diva 241 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:22.320 for lack of a better. 242 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.840 Word, just a little bit of a diva. 243 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:28.600 So Joey Deville, a younger friend of Suave that he mentors, 244 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.440 he told us a story about one of those moments 245 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:33.920 that Suave had at a restaurant where they were eating. 246 00:15:34.760 --> 00:15:35.880 You throw a lot of tantrums. 247 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:38.080 I do why y'all got this on a menu? 248 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:39.840 Young because he was like, I'm sorry, sir, that Berger's 249 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:40.320 got a stock. 250 00:15:40.640 --> 00:15:41.520 We don't have any more of that. 251 00:15:41.520 --> 00:15:42.880 You want to order something that, why would you have 252 00:15:42.920 --> 00:15:45.000 it on the menu if you don't have it, Hey, 253 00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:49.400 raise the menu, They're saying, there, pal Bro, we had 254 00:15:49.400 --> 00:15:51.240 to order you fooyah, I don't want it, and then 255 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:54.560 you started eating it because you was hungry as shit, diva. 256 00:15:54.560 --> 00:15:57.400 But I thought you to know this is it Dan, motherfucker. 257 00:15:58.040 --> 00:16:00.160 If a white man come in to here, would a 258 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:02.960 grammy of wall and tell you that chief state it 259 00:16:03.040 --> 00:16:04.960 is not right? Excuse me? 260 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:06.840 So we're gonna make it right for you. 261 00:16:06.880 --> 00:16:09.040 So what you're saying is like, if if a white 262 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:12.120 man comes in and like doesn't like what he's being served, 263 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:14.000 nobody's gonna call him a diva for a complaint. 264 00:16:14.040 --> 00:16:14.320 They're not. 265 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:15.240 They're not. 266 00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:17.440 But my old people were like, you acting diva? 267 00:16:17.520 --> 00:16:17.680 Man? 268 00:16:17.760 --> 00:16:18.720 You acting extra. 269 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:22.080 I was there, you were extra. You were actual with 270 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:25.520 a sid with a side of cheese, extra with a 271 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:26.480 side of cheese. 272 00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:27.920 Well you're comical. 273 00:16:27.640 --> 00:16:28.440 Because it's really you. 274 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:29.840 You don't even be kind of be funny. 275 00:16:29.880 --> 00:16:30.600 This really be you. 276 00:16:32.680 --> 00:16:36.560 I couldn't wait to ask mister Pulletzer himself about all 277 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.320 of this later. So when you're walking down the streets 278 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:42.480 of Philly, do you like it when people call you 279 00:16:42.560 --> 00:16:44.680 mister Pullitzer or do you feel like, oh my god, 280 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:46.800 here we go again, Like I just. 281 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:52.280 Know you know that ship plays in my eagles. 282 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:54.040 I was like, guess you love it. 283 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:54.720 I do. 284 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:58.640 I love it. Listen, I ain't gonna lie. And you 285 00:16:58.680 --> 00:17:01.760 know the young people pretend to have this swag with it. 286 00:17:02.040 --> 00:17:03.680 Yeah, my old. 287 00:17:03.520 --> 00:17:06.520 Here's got a bullish that's bigger than a Grammy. It's 288 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:08.520 bigger than jac And be honest, I was. 289 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:08.840 Like, whoa. 290 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.040 That was like, you should collaborate with Kendrid to morn Yeah, 291 00:17:12.080 --> 00:17:12.879 both got a pullaster. 292 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:15.359 I was like, Hey, the truth is is that we 293 00:17:15.520 --> 00:17:17.359 have talked about this right, Like, you have to have 294 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:17.879 an ego. 295 00:17:18.080 --> 00:17:20.880 I do. I have a big ego. Yeah. I could 296 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.879 say that now because I'm more comfortable with it. I 297 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:26.440 remember I had a conversation with Julia da about a 298 00:17:26.520 --> 00:17:29.520 year ago and we was talking about, dang, everything good 299 00:17:29.520 --> 00:17:31.600 to happen always end up with some bad shit. I 300 00:17:31.600 --> 00:17:36.520 always feel guilty about it. And Julia told me, man, man, listen, 301 00:17:36.560 --> 00:17:39.760 you have the rite to be happy. I'm like, you 302 00:17:39.800 --> 00:17:42.960 know what, I'm gonna celebrate this. It could be twenty 303 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:45.480 years from now. You can't take that away. I don't 304 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:49.680 care if it's twenty years thirty years. We want. If 305 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:55.080 I could inspire other young people to believe that they 306 00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:56.520 could do the same, why not. 307 00:18:22.800 --> 00:18:25.520 One day in November, Marie and I come down to 308 00:18:25.600 --> 00:18:32.240 Philly to visit Suave. Suave is working with young people 309 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:35.760 as a support coach of I Am More. That's a 310 00:18:35.800 --> 00:18:40.200 program for formerly incarcerated students at Community College of Philadelphia. 311 00:18:40.760 --> 00:18:43.280 You know, we're not talking about traditional students. We talk 312 00:18:43.280 --> 00:18:47.480 about people that are still living in shelters. We talk 313 00:18:47.560 --> 00:18:51.880 about people that are basically homeless coming to school. So 314 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:54.640 the school is a safe haven for them. They're coming 315 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:56.240 to school early because they don't want to be in 316 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:56.800 the streets. 317 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:01.560 Being here just a few minutes, it's clear that Swave 318 00:19:01.760 --> 00:19:05.720 is that teacher, you know, the one. He's got dozens 319 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:08.840 of Jordan's and all the colorways. He rocks a fly 320 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:11.399 ass suit with a Yankees cap to work. 321 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:16.199 Being surrounded by younger people. They looking at me like 322 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:18.200 a father figure, they do. 323 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:25.320 So today we are at Swabist School and we're really 324 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:28.560 trying to record a catch up interview with Swave. 325 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:32.720 And yeah, yet the trying would be the key word, 326 00:19:32.840 --> 00:19:36.160 because you know, he's a busy guy. Now, so students 327 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:38.960 are trickling in and out of his office all day. 328 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:43.400 Right now, they're like a dozen students. They're eating snacks, 329 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:49.399 they're having conversations. They're joking around. They're like, they're like 330 00:19:49.560 --> 00:19:52.280 happy to be here in this office with Swave. 331 00:19:52.600 --> 00:19:57.280 You saying that you sing like Russia rights. We can't 332 00:19:57.280 --> 00:20:02.080 be shot. Now what I'm just said, I. 333 00:20:02.080 --> 00:20:04.879 Need a vacae, did he girl? 334 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:05.800 I'll know what to do. 335 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:07.000 I need a bey. 336 00:20:09.080 --> 00:20:12.320 Hey. 337 00:20:16.320 --> 00:20:16.480 Right. 338 00:20:16.560 --> 00:20:18.679 So the thought that I am now a guest in 339 00:20:18.760 --> 00:20:22.000 a class that Suave is teaching is truly mind blowing 340 00:20:22.600 --> 00:20:26.119 because for years in one of my jobs as a 341 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:29.560 university and college professor, Suave would call in from prison 342 00:20:29.600 --> 00:20:32.120 and that's how he would talk to my students. And 343 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:35.600 now here I am visiting a class that he's teaching. 344 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:38.040 I mean it's kind of incredible. 345 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.440 Yeah, I mean, and now here you are in Philly, 346 00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:44.199 sitting in his classroom and he's so excited for you 347 00:20:44.280 --> 00:20:45.399 to meet his students. 348 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:48.320 I mean, it's just it's such a beautiful moment. 349 00:20:51.080 --> 00:20:54.040 But before you can really get into this further with Suave, 350 00:20:54.280 --> 00:20:55.480 his phone rings. 351 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:58.520 So one of the biggest surprises for me on this 352 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:03.200 day is like this dude's phone is always blowing up. 353 00:21:03.280 --> 00:21:05.480 I mean it's like non stop. 354 00:21:05.760 --> 00:21:09.000 Yeah, I mean, every fifteen minutes it just goes off. 355 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:13.000 Yeoh, I think it's every ten minutes we call from Pard, 356 00:21:15.320 --> 00:21:21.760 an incarcerated individual at SCI Phoenix State Correctional Institution, and 357 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:25.680 a lot of the times it's friends. Well guys, we're 358 00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:27.199 calling him from inside of prison. 359 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:31.480 I'm telling you, Bro, I'm telling you, Bro. I'm telling you, Bro, 360 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:33.600 you know how much ice cream you could sell out here. Bro, 361 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:37.000 you'd be rich selling ice cream out here versus being 362 00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:39.680 jail house. I'm rich in the yard. 363 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:44.280 Soapa later tells me that one of his jobs when 364 00:21:44.280 --> 00:21:48.000 he was in prison was actually working the ice cream 365 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:51.800 at commissary, which he may or may not have skimmed 366 00:21:51.800 --> 00:21:54.800 the littles to sell on the side. And now his 367 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:57.520 friend Freddy has this old gig and. 368 00:21:57.520 --> 00:21:59.240 I'm gonna leave it that day. I ain't gonna preach it, 369 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:05.600 you know, Bro, Love you, Bro, And you better call 370 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:08.720 me again. Bro, you better call me soon. 371 00:22:10.760 --> 00:22:12.280 That's what you city. 372 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:13.200 I will. 373 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:21.679 Know a long time since I had heard the SCI 374 00:22:21.800 --> 00:22:24.560 made rate one minute. It had been a long time 375 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:27.800 since I had heard that. You know how long it's 376 00:22:27.800 --> 00:22:28.879 been since I have heard that. 377 00:22:28.920 --> 00:22:34.439 Swe Nearly seven years out of prison, Suave is still 378 00:22:34.520 --> 00:22:39.080 deeply involved with the prison system, maybe even more in 379 00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:42.240 New and different ways than he ever was before. 380 00:22:42.840 --> 00:22:45.920 Save is working at this re entry program at school right, 381 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:48.800 but on his off days, if he does happen to 382 00:22:48.800 --> 00:22:51.000 have an off day, he's working with a group of 383 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:54.760 judges and he's juggling whatever he can from the outside 384 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:57.800 right to help the friends that he left behind who 385 00:22:57.840 --> 00:22:59.680 are still on the inside. 386 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:03.800 I get phone calls every day, at least twenty thirty 387 00:23:03.800 --> 00:23:07.600 phone calls a day from prison, and you know, guys 388 00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:12.600 that've never seen a pullaser right calling me telling them 389 00:23:12.600 --> 00:23:15.159 about man, you're representing all of us. This is a 390 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:17.840 win for all of us. And it is when I 391 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:21.119 get phone calls from politicians, you know, they want me 392 00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:24.320 to go speak because they're trying to pass a bill 393 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:27.840 for life fers, and they think that I'm the poster child. 394 00:23:28.040 --> 00:23:30.359 I'm like, at first, I used to get pissed off 395 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.560 because I'm not a poster child, But now I've realized that, like, 396 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.840 somebody has to be the voice, and this is what 397 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:45.120 it means being the voice for the voiceless. Bro, no 398 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:48.320 matter how much you try to run from it, you 399 00:23:48.600 --> 00:23:51.760 are the voice for those that you left behind. And 400 00:23:51.800 --> 00:23:54.520 I'm not running for an I'm embracing it. I'm embracing 401 00:23:54.560 --> 00:23:57.960