Just Justice

S4E1: A Beautiful Pain: Accountability and Transformation with Damon "Sharuka" Venable

On this episode of Just Justice, Damon "Sharuka" Venable, Community Affairs and Policy Specialist with the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender, shares his journey from a Newark childhood marked by poverty and street violence to spending 35 years in prison before being granted parole on his first attempt. Drawing from his memoir, A Beautiful Pain, Sharuka reflects on accountability, survival, education, and the long process of personal transformation behind prison walls. He also explains why he believes that people must be seen as more than the worst thing they have ever done.   Links:  You can order Sharuka's memoir, A Beautiful Pain, here: https://transformativereentry.com/ [https://transformativereentry.com/]   For more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice@gmail.com [jessicahenryjustice@gmail.com]. Or sign up for her newsletter at https://jessicahenryjustice.substack.com/subscribe [https://jessicahenryjustice.substack.com/subscribe].   Production Editor: Kaz Araki

S3E13: Farming for Justice, with Charles Rosen

In this episode of Just Justice, Jessica Henry speaks with Charles Rosen, founder of Ironbound Farm, about an unusual approach to justice: combining regenerative farming with second-chance employment. Charles shares what he’s learned from hiring people returning from prison, why jobs alone often aren’t enough, and how systems like parole can still derail successful reentry. Drawing on lessons from agriculture, he explores "regenerative justice," based on the belief that repairing people, communities, and even the land requires time, dignity, and connection.Join us for a conversation that highlights both the promise and the challenges of farming for justice.  To learn more about Ironbound Farm and Ciderhouse (including how to visit the farm), go to https://www.ironboundhardcider.com/ [https://www.ironboundhardcider.com/]. To watch Charles' TedTalk where he explains the connection between regenerative farming and regenerative justice, go to: https://www.ted.com/talks/charles_rosen_regenerative_agriculture_as_a_model_for_urban_renewal [https://www.ted.com/talks/charles_rosen_regenerative_agriculture_as_a_model_for_urban_renewal]. To learn more about Jessica Henry, subscribe to her free substack "All Things Justice" or visit her website at jessicahenryjustice.com [http://jessicahenryjustice.com/]. Production Editor: Kaz Araki

S3E12: Breaking Good, with author Nikki Mammano

Nikki Mammano is the author of Breaking Good, a fast-paced memoir that traces her journey from suburban New Jersey to the drug underworld of Waikiki and back again, through addiction, arrest, prison, and ultimately recovery. Our conversation is both poignant and unexpectedly funny as we explore trauma and second chances in our criminal justice system. Who gets imprisoned and who receives grace? What is prison really like? What does it take to rebuild a life after you’ve been labeled by the system? This is an episode you won't want to miss!  To learn more about Nikki Mammano (and for links to her fabulous book) go to: https://www.nikkimammano.com/ [https://www.nikkimammano.com/]. To learn more about RYSE Hawaii, go to Rysehawaii.org. For more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com [http://jessicahenryjustice.com].  Production Editor: Kaz Araki

S3E11: Death by Incarceration: Felix Rosado on Life Sentences and Restorative Justice

S3E11: Death by Incarceration: Felix Rosado on Life Sentences and Restorative Justice Sentenced to life without parole at 18, Felix Rosado spent nearly 27 years in prison before his sentence was commuted. In this episode of Just Justice, Felix reflects on the moment he realized what a life sentence truly meant, what's wrong with "death by incarceration,"  and how restorative justice transformed his understanding of accountability and change. Now a restorative justice practitioner and educator, Felix discusses healing, responsibility, and why true justice must go beyond punishment to repair harm and rebuild relationships. For more information about Let's Circle Up, go to: https://www.letscircleup.org/our-history [https://www.letscircleup.org/our-history] To get your copy of Justice From the Inside Up: A Restorative Justice Education Facilitator's Manual, by Felix Rosdao, go to https://livingjusticepress.org/product/justice-from-the-inside-up/ [https://livingjusticepress.org/product/justice-from-the-inside-up/]. For more about Jessica Henry, go to her website at jessicahenryjustce.com [http://jessicahenryjustce.com]. Production Editor: Kaz Araki

S3E10: Sentenced to Life Without Parole as a Child, with April Barber-Scales

In this episode of Just Justice, host Jessica Henry speaks with April Barber-Scales, who was sentenced to life without parole in 1991 as a frightened, pregnant teenager.  After more than thirty years in prison, April received a rare commutation in 2022 from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. Since her release, April has devoted herself to advocating for people in prison and challenging extreme sentencing practices. She is the founder of the nonprofit Fenced In: Fighting For Freedom Advocacy and author of multiple books, including her memoir of the same name. In this moving episode, April shares her personal experiences if incarceration, reflects on the lasting impact of extreme sentences on children, and makes a powerful case for a justice system that leaves room for dignity, accountability and second chances. To learn more about April Barber-Scales, her writing, and Fenced In: Fighting For Freedom Advocacy, visit to https://aprilbarberscales.com [https://aprilbarberscales.com/] To learn more Jessica Henry, visit https://jessicahenryjustice.com [https://jessicahenryjustice.com/] Audio mixing by Kaz Araki.