In this episode we hear stories where traumatic childhood events set people on a path toward incarceration.
We start with Freddy Lee Johnson, a founding member of FIPPP. Freddy was raised in a New York household rife with violence, with Freddy and his brother cowering as their mother and stepfather fought. Freddy was also born with a smaller left arm that required multiple surgeries to gain minimal use. This disability was a source of shame and stigma; he was bullied and adapted by responding preemptively with violence. Freddy started using heroin at 12 years old and by 18 he was in prison. Through rehabilitation, Freddy unearthed some of his childhood trauma and learned to live without drugs. He became involved with AIDS prevention, and worked at the National Harm Reduction Coalition. Freddy’s been substance free for decades. And, he plays a mean jazz trumpet.
Al Sasser. Al experienced repeated bouts of parental abandonment when he and his siblings were young. He grew up in a South-Central L.A. neighborhood where violence, drug use, and hostile policing were the norm, and he became involved in gangs. As a minor, he was removed from home for an offense he did not commit. At age 19, he was sentenced to 15 years to life for murder while inside. He was paroled at age 50, after serving 31 years. Al is in the 2022 documentary, “The 50” about the first men to become certified counselors while incarcerated. Today he works with incarcerated men helping them transition back into their communities.
Scott Schell was born on the island of Nantucket, where he got involved in drug use early. His father was not around and his mother was plagued by substance use and mental illness, frequently abandoning Scott and his siblings for chunks of time. As a teenager, Scott experienced the suicide of a person he idolized, his brother, and turned to drugs in part to cope, which became an addiction and led to a life of crime, jails, and prison. While in jail he attended the RSVP- Resolve to Stop the Violence Project through the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, and that is where his recovery and redemption began. He’s now the program manager of RSVP, helping others better their lives and reduce recidivism.
A bold, nine-part series amplifying the voices and artistry of people directly impacted by the criminal punishment system. Through performance, FIPPP centers the brilliance, struggle, and imagination of formerly incarcerated community members. Each episode highlights the realities of incarceration and the power of telling one’s own story.