Coley Gates Episode 3: What does it take to come back from a 999-year sentence—and not just survive, but transform?

Lamont Jackson: Seeds in the Soil: Breaking Cycles, Building Futures

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, host James Trice welcomes back Lamont Jackson for an unfiltered dialogue on what’s really happening inside our schools—and our communities.   Lamont, a social behavioral educator working with middle school students in underserved communities, pulls back the curtain on the daily realities facing young people navigating trauma, instability, and broken systems. From classroom disruptions to deeper emotional struggles, he shares what it means to stand in the gap—not just as an educator, but as a mentor, advocate, and “surrogate voice” for accountability and hope.   Together, James and Lamont tackle hard truths: the impact of fatherlessness, the normalization of dysfunction, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the tension between systemic inequities and personal responsibility. But this episode isn’t just about problems—it’s about purpose.   Lamont offers a compelling vision for change rooted in community, faith, and relationship-building—challenging families, churches, and leaders to move beyond talk and into action. He reminds us that real transformation starts with planting seeds—seeds of discipline, love, accountability, and identity—even if we may never see the full harvest.

Healing the Hurt: Breaking the Silence Around Black Men’s Trauma | Sam Simmons on Community, Healing & Hope

What happens when Black men are finally given permission to speak openly about pain, trauma, healing, and hope? In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with behavioral consultant and licensed chemical dependency counselor Sam Simmons for an honest and deeply needed conversation about Black men’s mental and emotional health, trauma, healing, masculinity, and community. Sam shares the powerful story behind the creation of the 18th Annual Community Empowering Through Black Men Healing Conference, a movement born from a heated debate that evolved into a mission to create safe spaces for Black men to heal, grow, and reconnect with themselves and each other.

Coley Gates Episode 3: What does it take to come back from a 999-year sentence—and not just survive, but transform?

In this powerful third installment of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice continues his deeply moving conversation with Coley Gates, a man whose story defies logic and redefines faith, brotherhood, and purpose. After spending 25 years incarcerated, Coley opens up about the emotional weight of reconnecting with family, the unbreakable bond of the “Seven Mighty Men,” and the spiritual foundation that carried him through the darkest seasons of his life. This episode dives deep into what real brotherhood looks like—men who prayed together, cried together, held each other accountable, and ultimately helped one another survive and thrive against impossible odds. Coley shares what shocked him most about the world after his release—the disconnect in community, the shifting dynamics of family, and the tension between opportunity and temptation. With raw honesty, he speaks on navigating freedom, resisting old paths, and stepping into his calling as a voice of hope for others still trapped—physically and mentally. From mentoring youth and serving the homeless, to returning to prisons to uplift those still inside, Coley is living proof that transformation is real—and that no one is beyond redemption. The episode closes with a gripping spoken word performance, “Oh Say Can You See,” challenging listeners to reflect on justice, identity, and unity in today’s world.

Coley Gates episode 2: From 999 Years to Freedom: Faith, Forgiveness, and Redemption

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Coley shares what it was like to be sentenced to 999 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit — and how faith, accountability, and deep personal transformation carried him through 25 years behind bars. But this story isn’t just about prison. It’s about healing. Coley talks about: * Coming to terms with his past and taking responsibility for his life * Building a relationship with the victim’s family * Letting go of bitterness toward the man who committed the crime * The moment he hugged his children for the first time as a free man * The release plan that helped convince officials he was ready for freedom * Why support systems and relationships are the key to transformation * How he chose the legacy he wanted to leave for his children

From Supermax to Purpose: Coley Gates’ Journey of Faith and Redemption

In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with Minneapolis native Coley Gates for a raw and deeply moving conversation about faith, accountability, and transformation. Coley opens the episode with a powerful spoken-word piece from his book Common Sense: We Are Bigger Than the Box You Put Us In, reflecting on identity, pain, and the legacy of Black men in America. But his story goes far deeper. As a young man, Coley was sentenced to 999 years, 99 months, and 99 days in prison for a crime he did not commit. Instead of “snitching” on the person responsible, he accepted the consequences of the life he had been living. Behind the walls of Supermax prison in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, Coley began a profound journey of self-discovery.