2:30 PM Pacific Time: Tuesdays
A bold, nine-part limited series amplifying the voices, artistry, and lived experience of people directly impacted by the criminal punishment system. Through performance, FIPPP centers the brilliance, struggle, resilience, and imagination of formerly incarcerated community members. Each episode illuminates the realities people face during and after incarceration and the transformative power of telling one’s own story.
In this episode we look at life after incarceration. According to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, each year, more than 600,000 people are released from state and federal prisons, and another 9 million cycle through local jails across the country. For those of us incarcerated, freedom is an eternal dream and hope. But, … Continued
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 … Continued
In this episode, we hear from women about their experiences in prison and with the criminal justice system. Women are the fastest growing population of incarcerated people in the United States today. The rate of growth for female imprisonment has been twice as high as that of men since 1980, growing nearly 700% in the … Continued
In this episode we hear from lifers, who were eventually released. These are people who were sentenced to life terms in prison – usually 15 years or more to life. More than 30% of people in California prisons are serving life terms–that’s more than 30,000 people. And they’re disproportionately black and brown men. 1 in … Continued
In this episode we hear the stories of people incarcerated with substance use disorder. An estimated 65% of the US prison population has a substance addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. And on any given day 366,000 people are jailed for a drug offense. Nearly 60% of them for a non violent … Continued
In this episode we look at racism in prison. Systemic racism in the criminal justice system, like racial profiling by police, disparate sentencing and sentencing laws are major drivers of racial disparities in American prisons. African Americans are among the most adversely impacted. In prison, 1 out of every three inmates are Black–that’s 37%. But … Continued
In this episode, two performers share their experiences of being in solitary confinement. More than 122,000 people are locked up in solitary confinement each day in the United States, according to a 2023 analysis by the groups Solitary Watch and Unlock the Box. We start with Algiin Ford, who was in and out of jail … Continued
In this episode we hear the first hand accounts of youth incarceration by two early FIPPP performers: Al Sasser and Pastor Ronnie Muniz. We start with Al Sasser, who was first incarcerated when he was 12 years old. At 19, he received a 15 year-to-life prison sentence for murder while incarcerated. His direction shifted … Continued
In this episode we hear about health care inequities in the prison system with three first hand accounts by Tylon T Boogie Sizemore, Tony Cyprian, and Pamela Keane. A 2013 analysis found each year of incarceration shortens a person’s life span by two years. The poor quality of healthcare staffing and facilities, lack of oversight … Continued
