In this episode of Prison to Promise, host Dr. Craig Waleed sits down with Monica Wright, a Peer Support Specialist in Buncombe County, NC, whose work is rooted in lived experience, recovery, and radical compassion.

Monica shares what peer support really means beyond the title—walking with people through trauma, substance use recovery, reentry, and the long-term emotional impacts of systems that often punish rather than heal. Together, we explore the power of shared experience, the importance of boundaries and self-care for helpers, and why healing is not a finish line but a way of moving through the world.

This episode is for anyone interested in recovery, community-based healing, justice-impacted lives, and the quiet, transformative work that happens when people are truly seen and supported.

Listen, reflect, and join the conversation.

In this episode of Prison to Promise, Khenya Robinson interviews Dr. Craig Waleed, a justice-impacted advocate, for a powerful and deeply human conversation about transformation in the shadow of incarceration. Drawing from his personal experience behind the walls, Dr. Waleed reflects on how confinement reshaped his sense of identity—challenging his understanding of who he was, who he could be, and what it means to rebuild a life after being marked by the system.

Together, Khenya and Dr. Waleed explore what justice and fairness truly mean in a society where punishment often outweighs accountability and healing. Their dialogue highlights the essential role of community support, mentorship, and advocacy, and how these forces help people returning home reclaim dignity, purpose, and belonging.

Waleed speaks candidly about the moments that changed him, the lessons the system could not destroy, and the inner work required to chart a path toward healing. He reflects on the growth he's experienced—emotionally, spiritually, and professionally—and shares his vision for a future where formerly incarcerated people are seen not through the lens of their worst mistakes but through the possibilities they carry.

This episode is a testament to resilience, the necessity of compassion in justice reform, and the power of community to help us become whole again. It invites listeners to rethink incarceration, reimagine what is possible, and recommit to building systems rooted in humanity.

In this long-awaited episode of the Prison to Promise Podcast, Dr. Craig Waleed sits down with David Gaspar, CEO of The Bail Project, for a powerful conversation about transformation, leadership, and the fight for real justice.

David shares his journey from the decisions and circumstances that led him to prison, to the mental and emotional grind of incarceration, and the hard-fought process of winning his appeal. He reflects on the leadership lessons he learned inside, the promises he made to himself while locked up, and how those promises now shape his work and his life.

Together, Craig and David dig into what it means to move from surviving a system designed to break you to leading efforts to dismantle its most harmful parts. They explore David's role at The Bail Project, his vision for justice, and the practical wisdom he's gained along the way—offering inspiration and game-changing insights for anyone committed to freedom, healing, and real change.

In this powerful episode of Prison to Promise, Dr. Craig Waleed sits down with Kerwin Pittman — activist, policy reformer, and truth-teller — to unpack a journey that moves from incarceration to transformation, and from pain to purpose. Kerwin shares the pivotal moments that sparked his path toward advocacy, the importance of authenticity in leadership, and how healing became the foundation for his success after prison. Together, they explore building community networks, shaping policy from lived experience, and staying emotionally grounded in the fight for justice. This is a conversation about resilience, faith, and the courage to turn struggle into service.

In this compelling episode of Prison to Promise, Dr. Craig Waleed sits down with Jeff Walker, a beacon of transformation and the driving force behind Wilkes Recovery Revolution, Inc. Together, they explore the intersection of addiction recovery, reentry, and personal redemption—and how one man's pain became the catalyst for a community-wide movement.

Jeff shares his journey from incarceration to advocacy, his insights into peer support and recovery work in rural North Carolina, and his mission to help others find hope where they once saw only despair.

This episode is a powerful reminder that recovery isn't just about surviving—it's about rebuilding, restoring, and rising stronger than before.

In this episode of the Prison to Promise Podcast, Dr. Craig Waleed sits down with Jasmine Milton, a Forensic Peer Support Specialist and President of the Black Coalition of Forensic Peer Support Specialists based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jasmine shares her journey of transformation—from navigating the challenges of involvement in the justice system to becoming a leading advocate for healing, equity, and representation in forensic peer work. Through her lived experience and professional insight, she discusses the power of peer support in bridging the gaps between systems and humanity, the importance of centering Black voices in reentry and recovery spaces, and how authentic connection can break the cycles of trauma and incarceration.

This conversation is more than a story of resilience—it’s a blueprint for change.

Tune in to hear how Jasmine and her colleagues are redefining what it means to heal, lead, and build hope from within our communities.

In this episode of Prison to Promise, Dr. Craig Waleed speaks with Jessica Younts — a powerhouse advocate, scholar, and changemaker in the fight for justice reform. Jessica shares her deeply personal journey through incarceration and how it ignited her passion for criminal justice advocacy. Together, she and Dr. Waleed explore Florida’s historic Amendment 4, the ongoing struggles with fines and fees that hinder reentry, and the ways women and families are impacted across generations by incarceration. Jessica also reflects on how merging scholarship with lived experience drives real change — and how hope, support, and community can shape a more equitable future for all.