At 18, Mike Stephens made choices driven by shame, fear, and a warped idea of manhood, choices that led to one man’s death, another’s injury, and a life sentence. Now, five months after coming home, he sits down with his close friend Carlos to speak openly about toxic masculinity, childhood conditioning, trauma, and the long road toward accountability.

They discuss how change happens in prison, the power of community, the role of education, and the emotional cost of facing the harm you’ve caused. This episode reveals the humanity, complexity, and hope inside a system most people never see.

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In this episode of Daring to Survive, I sit down with Sidney Stephens, my former client from USC’s Post-Conviction Justice Project, and his wife Renee Stephens. Mr. Stephens served 28 years, 8 months, and 23 days of a 35-to-life sentence under California’s Three Strikes law.

Together, they share how faith, education, and an unbreakable love carried them through nearly three decades of incarceration, and how they rebuilt a life of service and hope after release.

You’ll hear about the moment Mr. Stephens decided to change, the power of accountability, and the partnership that turned survival into light.

I refer to him as Mr. Stephens throughout the conversation because he was once my client, and that respect will always remain.

🎧 Topics include:• Finding purpose inside prison• The turning point that led to transformation• How love and faith sustained 28 years apart• What life looks like after a life sentence

📍 If Sidney and Renee’s journey resonated with you, let us know in the comments.Every share helps change the narrative about life after incarceration.

🔔 Subscribe to Daring to Survive for more stories of resilience, faith, and second chances.

Justice by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/

Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US"