The Waiting Room with Nadine Graves
Nadine Graves
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The Waiting Room with Nadine Graves provides a mic for the unheard. Exposing the invisible impact of the US Criminal (in)Justice System through the stories of those waiting for justice, waiting for freedom, and the professionals helping those in the wait.
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Feb 15, 2023
Updates, save the dates, and opportunities S3,E4
In this solo episode, Nadine gives a brief update on previous bills mentioned on TWR. She also shares some upcoming events as well as opportunities to share with either MNJRC any experiences you’ve had with cash bail and/or with the Human Rights Initiative at the University of Minnesota any impact police violence and surveillance has had on you or your loved ones.
Upcoming events:
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Legal Rights Center (Know Your Rights) and Until We Are All Free Black History Month Event February 22, 2023, 6:30 - 8:30 pm @ Open Book in Minneapolis! There will be free food, guest speakers, and a performance by Lewiee Blaze. We will also sell limited edition and limited batch (50 total) Black History Month STAND shirts (Pictured on TWR’s IG page) with a portion of the proceeds going to folks who are currently incarcerated. Shirts are sliding scale, starting at $30. Reserve a shirt in advance for pick up at the event using either PayPal (office@legalrightscenter.org) or Venmo (legarightscentermn). Cash will also be accepted as an in-person form of payment at the event.
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Second Chance Day on the Hill March 8, 2023, Press Conference – 9:30 a.m. Rally in the Rotunda – 10:30 a.m. Visits with legislators – 12:00 onward.
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Art From the Inside Exhibit April 5 - 30 at Creators Space in St. Paul, MN
Survey/Research opportunities:
Angela Rose Myers - Former Minneapolis NAACP President - IG @angelarose_sr
Contact Angela at Myers813@umn.edu or 612-624-8543
Minnesota Justice Research Center use the (MNJRC) link above or call 612-293-8262.
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Feb 1, 2023
Power of Organizing S3, E3
Antonio Williams, Founder of T.O.N.E U.P joins Nadine in the Waiting Room for an in-depth conversation about the importance of healing and liberation. From prison to the “free world,” Antonio embodies the power of community organizing against injustices. He is a canvasser, writer, community builder, father, and activist, and we are all much better because of his commitment to uplifting people. Please support Antonio’s work by donating.
Also in this episode:
House File 28 Testimony - Right to Vote
House File 93 Testimony - Remove the exception that allows slavery or involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime!
Rush City Prison Strike:
https://theappeal.org/a-prison-strike-in-minnesota-actually-got-results/
https://psmag.com/news/how-rush-city-inmates-organized-a-successful-prison-strike
Book recommendation:
We Are Our Own Liberators: Selected Prison Writings by Jalil Muntaqim
Articles featuring Antonio: Activists: Floyd's death spurred global change
Reimaging Public Saftey Washington Post
NPR All Things Considered: Where Minneapolis’ Pledge to Defund the Police Stands Now
Public Safety Reform - MPR
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Jan 15, 2023
The Value of Opportunity S3, E2
Marcel Hofker, Founder of Strive Staffing joins Nadine in the Waiting Room role where he shares how he overcame his addiction and now is in the service of others as he provides second chances for those seeking employment.
Check out more about Marcel here: “Minneapolis Man Connects With Hockey, Overcomes Addiction, Gives Others A Second Chance”
Also mentioned in this episode:
Challenge Incarceration Program aka Boot Camp
Summit Academy
Proverbs 24:11-12 - Sin of Omission
SEIU - Union
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Jan 1, 2023
Greed to Gratitude S3, E1
Happy New Year! We at TWR apologize for the unexpected break. Nadine is back with a new season, rested, and hopeful for what the new year will bring.
Tracy Jackson Director of Talent at Repowered formerly Tech Dump joins Nadine in the Waiting Room role where she shares how she overcame the shame of her conviction through the second chance received through Tech Dump, which ultimately led to what she describes as her calling to help others.
Tracy is deeply committed to providing each individual with the opportunity to successfully gain employment as they re-enter our community after incarceration.
Check out more about Tracy and Repowered here: Grantee Spotlight.
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Oct 26, 2022
In Process DV recap S2E12
In this solo episode, Nadine shares how therapy is helping process past traumas and reshares S2E2 in support of Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Mentioned in this episode:
The Body Keeps the Score
Hello Hubby S2E201: Have you been in a toxic relationship?
Donate: We Are All Criminals
Domestic Abuse Power and Control Wheel
Domestic Abus / Harassment Resource Sheet
Hennepin County Lawyer Shares Personal Domestic Abuse Story
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Sep 26, 2022
Gratitude and Requests S2, E11
In this solo episode, Nadine shares her gratitude for the recent awards she received recognizing her efforts to reform the criminal legal system. She also highlights the importance of the Hennepin County attorney race and asks people to research the candidates and make an informed decision from a place of innovation and creativity instead of repeating the same policies that perpetuate harm.
Mentioned in this episode:
Minnesota Lawyer 2022 Up and Coming Attorney
Mitchell Hamline 2022 Recent Alumni Reward
Hennepin County Attorney Forums
ACS Minneapolis-St. Paul: Candidate Forum - March 2022
Minneapolis Foundation and Minnesota Justice Research Center Forum - May 2022
Downtown Council - July 2022
Also referenced in this episode:
FreeWriters
All Square
Myon Burrell
1935 Minneapolis Map
"Murderapolis,” The Sense of Neglect, and the Both-And Approach to Public Safety
Snowfall
James Baldwin
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Aug 20, 2022
Love Speaks S2E10
Nadine’s long-time friend, Kristi of Love Speaks, joins Nadine in the Waiting Room to share a remarkable story about how and why she started her prison ministry, which focuses on restoration, freedom, and healing.
Kristi can be contacted via email at lovespeaks416@gmail.com.
Scriptures shared in this episode:
"There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]." 1 John 4:18 AMP
"...Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people..." Genesis 50:20 MSG
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Jul 17, 2022
We Resolve to Empower the Community
Damon Drake of We Resolve MN joins Nadine in the Waiting Room to share about how his organization is utilizing the Participatory Defense model to empower the community as either they or a loved one navigates through the criminal legal process.
We Resolved can be contacted through the link above or by calling: 651-505-3288. Also, please consider supporting this important organization by donating or spreading the word.
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Jun 18, 2022
Things We Already Knew S2, E8
Nadine is joined by Civil Rights Attorney, Zorislav Leyderman, and they have a blunt conversation about the things most of us already knew about the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department in response to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights Findings.
Mentioned in this episode:
Link for Public Comment regarding consent decree.
Article on the Hardel Sherrell Act, which was advocated for by Zorislav's former client, Ms. Del Shea Perry, in response to the death of her son, Hardel Sherrell, in Beltrami County Jail in 2018.
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Apr 29, 2022
Painting A Different Picture S2E7
Father and Art from the Inside, artist Ricardo Dominguez shares how his early exposure to art provided an outlet that helped him reflect and reset while incarcerated. His art forces anyone who sees it to see something beautiful, something more than his past. This art is now opening doors to the life he’s been waiting for.
Check out and purchase Ricardo’s artwork here.
Also mentioned in this episode:
* Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much, Revised Edition by Anne Wilson Schaef
* Minnesota Justice Research Center and the Minneapolis Foundation Hennepin County Attorney Forum RSVP here
* Minnesota Department of Human Rights Investigation into the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department Findings April 27, 2022.
Contact at TWRpodcast.com
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Mar 31, 2022
Black Girl Advocate S2, E6
In this episode, Nadine gives tribute to a sister, Leslie Redmond who is a powerhouse for justice as well as other influential women in her life. She also highlights National Public Defender Day and the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Leslie Redmond is the founder of Don't Complain Active, a movement that encourages all of us to get involved in social justice. She can be reached at: leslieredmond.com.
Nadine also mentions the author of The Lawyer as Leader: How to Plant People and Grow Justice, by Dr. Artika Tyner.
Also mentioned in this episode:
Black Girl Advocate created by Shamaria Jordan
We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Flawless by Beyonce
We Are All Criminals founded by Emily Baxter
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Feb 21, 2022
FreeWriters: A Space to Escape S2, E5
In this episode, Nate Johnson, founder and executive director of FreeWriters, and I have a rich conversation about his journey from being a prosecutor to helping incarcerated folks with creative writing opportunities that improve mental health, reduce recidivism, and inspire hope about life after incarceration.
Learn more about and $upport FreeWriters.
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Jan 31, 2022
New Year, Same Goals S2, E4
In this episode, Nadine gives a brief update on what's new with her professionally as the new Deputy Director of Community Legal Services at the Legal Rights Center.
Nadine also provides a brief review of the must-read memoir, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement by Tarana Burke.
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Nov 29, 2021
Immigration Intersection S2, E3
In this episode, Mirella Ceja-Orozco, Co-Executive Director of the Minnesota Freedom Fund. She shares how her upbringing led her to a career dedicated to being a fierce advocate for immigrants’ rights. She also shares historical and current trends in immigration law. Lastly, she describes how the US Immigration System and Criminal Legal System are embedded in one another.
As mentioned in this episode:
https://www.newsweek.com/ice-deports-92-somalians-plane-human-rights-747557
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/12/13/minnesota-somali-deportation-fears-raw-rising
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Oct 5, 2021
Survivor: S2, E2
October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. Heidi DeFord, Hennepin County Attorney, joins TWR to share her story about being in an abusive relationship with the hopes of helping others to heal. Heidi shares that she approaches her work with a holistic view with each person’s humanity at the forefront.
Referenced in this episode:
Hennepin County Lawyer Shares Personal Domestic Abuse Story
Domestic Abuse / Harassment Resource Sheet
Domestic Abuse Power and Control Wheel
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Sep 15, 2021
Man on Fire: S2, E1
In this episode, Elizer Darris, founder of the Darris Consulting Group, Co-Executive Director of the Minnesota Freedom Fund, former Coordinator for the ACLU of Minnesota’s Smart Justice Campaign, and formerly incarcerated individual sentenced to life in prison as a juvenile, shares powerfully why he is a Man on Fire for justice and accountability.
Mentioned in this episode:
African American Leadership Forum Josie R. Johnson Leadership Fellowship
All Square.
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Aug 18, 2021
Can't Just Preach: Dream and Experiment: S1, E13
Welcome to the one-year anniversary of TWR! Thank you for all the support and for sharing TWR with your friends and family. I am also extremely grateful for all my guests who have joined me in the Waiting Room to share some of their selves with us. Your transparency, vulnerability, and dedication to eradicate the systems as we know it has been infectious and inspiring.
In this episode, Jason Sole, a formerly incarcerated abolitionist, author, criminal justice educator, co-founder of Humanize My Hoodie Movement, and 2019 recipient of the John Legend “Can’t Just Preach” award for his work to abolish prisons shares his story as well as his hopes, dreams, and vision for a society that doesn't rely on cages and the illusion of 911.
Jason and I talk about everything from why he wrote his book, From Prison to Ph.D., what abolitionist means to him to one of our favorite artists, J. Cole!
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Jun 19, 2021
Tribute to Fathers: S1, E12
Happy Juneteenth and Father’s Day!
In this episode, Seanie Shepherd shares how having her dad sent to prison shortly after she graduated from high school impacted her and her 9 siblings. Our conversation highlights the importance of fathers and what a pivotal role they play in their children’s lives despite whatever crimes they may have committed. Seanie is a wife, mother, daughter, and the Vice President of the Graves Foundation. She is also a business owner of The Black Market and MN Black List. Please support Seanie and other Black-Owned Businesses.
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May 24, 2021
My Time Will Come: S1, E11
I invite you to check out an interview on TPT where several community leaders and I share our thoughts on: "Trial & Tribulation: Where Do We Go From Here?" one year after the death of George Floyd.
* https://www.tptoriginals.org/trial-tribulation-where-do-we-go-from-here/
I also invite you to check out an interview I did through Club Book, where I interviewed Ian Manuel, author of the highly anticipated book, My Time Will Come: A Memoir of Crime, Punishment, Hope, and Redemption.
* https://www.clubbook.org/club-book-episode-122-ian-manuel/
"Sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for a crime committed at the age of 13, Manuel languished in prison for 26 years. Thanks to a coalition of supporters, including renowned activist Bryan Stevenson and the woman shot by Manuel in 1990, Manuel received a fair resentencing from the Florida Court of Appeal in 2010. His story is told in Stevenson’s #1 New York Times bestseller Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (20…
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Apr 17, 2021
For Such A Time As This: S1, E10
In this episode Nadine, believing she has been called “for such a time as this,” tells the whole truth about the injustices she has seen involving the police as a public defender and in her personal life. This episode serves as a call to action to question the system of policing in America, be a part of the solution for change, and support organizations who are boots on the ground doing the work necessary to help us create a more just society.
As mentioned below are some organizations you can partner with and support finically:
MN INJUSTICE: features a must-read op-ed about what would've happened had George Floyd not been murdered. They also provide specific ways to Learn, Act and Give.
Leslie Redmond, former Minneapolis Chapter NAACP president, civil rights activist, founder of Don’t Complain Active, is currently seeking to raise funds to purchase the first of many activation buses, which will be used as a resource to the community for education and healing.
Nekima Levy Arms…
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Mar 17, 2021
The Matriarch: S1, E9
In this episode, Ms. B. shares how she survived prison after receiving the devastating news of the death of her daughter, Sandy, a childhood friend of mine. She also shares about the struggles of re-entering the community with a criminal record. Lastly, she shares her dream of starting an organization, MySandy.org, in order to help the children of incarcerated parents.
Here is the link for the MPR segment, In Focus presents Locked Out: The path from incarceration to inclusion with Angela Davis, referenced in this episode.
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Feb 24, 2021
Black Love: S1, E8
In this episode, Tennesha Wood, dating coach, matchmaker, podcast host, and my good friend, joins me to talk about the correlation between mass incarceration and other racially driven legal decisions that have contributed to the decline in Black marriage in America. We also talk about the importance of black families, how representation matters, and how the murder of George Floyd along with the increased racial tension and divide in America has impacted interracial relationships as well.
Tennesha can be found at www.tenneshawood.com or on Instagram or Twitter @TenneshaWood
Also mentioned in the show:
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
"Where Have All the Black Men Gone?" article.
Black-ish, TV series created by Kenya Barris, see also Wikipedia page.
Insecure, HBO TV series created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, see also Wikipedia page.
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Dec 29, 2020
No Pretender: S1, E7
In this episode, Mary Moriarty, career Public Defender (PD) and chief of the Hennepin County PD’s Office in Minneapolis, provides a much needed perspective into the work of a PD, countering the public perception of PDs being public pretenders. Additionally Mary offers insight as to role prosecutors and judges can play in holding officers accountable and criminal system reform. Mary also talks briefly about the good trouble she’s gotten herself into speaking out about problems within the criminal system as well as racial disparities. Mary is an avid reader and has provided a list of must read books that she first thinks anyone working in the system should read as well as visitors to The Waiting Room.
Mary’s Reads:
“The Warmth of Other Suns” - Isabel Wilkerson
This is a beautifully written narrative about three black families who moved from the south to northern cities during the great migration movement of the 20th century. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award,…
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Dec 15, 2020
Until We Are All Free: S1, E6
On this episode, Kevin Reese, Director of Criminal Justice at Voices for Racial Justice and Founder of Until We Are All Free shares just a glimpse of who he is and what he's passionate about.
He describes what it was like grappling with the narrative that his incarceration was justified because he was considered a threat to public safety. He also talks about the Bridge, a grassroots partnership he founded while incarcerated that countered the narrative by building a bridge from prison to the community. After spending 14 years in Minnesota Correctional Facilities he's dedicating his life to provide pathways to civic and economic liberation for individuals disenfranchised by mass incarceration.
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Dec 1, 2020
We Do Time Too: S1, E5
In this episode Alyssa Tamboura, advocate for children impacted by the criminal justice system and founder of Walls to Bridges Project, shares about her organization as well as the book project that was created this past summer for system-impacted kids to maintain communication with their loved ones since in-person visits have been suspended due to COVID-19.
Alyssa also shares a powerful poem about what it was it was like waiting while her dad was gone for most of her childhood as he served nearly 13 years in Sanquentin Prison.
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Oct 21, 2020
Pain Into Purpose: S1, E4
In this episode Christina Sorenson, 2019 Sorors Justice Fellow at the Juvenile Law Center, shares how she has turned the pain from growing up in the foster care system into a passion for helping create space for youth caught up in the child welfare system. She acknowledges that her experience was traumatizing, yet it was contrary to what Black youth, especially Black girls experience.
References made in this episode as well as follow up resources:
* Pushout: by fellow Soros fellow – Monique Morris
* Fostering Change Network Alumni Coaching program - Ran by Shalita O’Neale, a foster care alum and change agent powerhouse for any current or former foster youth looking for mentorship.
* No Place For Kids
*
1988: Iowa Admin. Code 441-101.9(218)
"Any individual who believes the individual's rights have been violated by the Iowa juvenile home or who has a complaint concerning the individual's treatment at the Iowa juvenile home may file a grievance. The individual's parent,…
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Oct 6, 2020
Righting His Wrongs: S1, E3
In this episode, Jorge Renaud, Regional Director of Policy and Advocacy at the organization Latino Justice, shares his powerful and thought-provoking story about grappling with the choices and circumstances that led him to serving 27 years in prison.
Since he's been out, Jorge is choosing to live a life dedicated to ending a system of locking people away in cages. He travels the nation, amplifying the voices of formerly incarcerated Latinos, promotes restorative justice opportunities, and mentors youth in Texas. All the while, Jorge is waiting to right his wrongs with his daughter, from whom he’s been estranged.
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Sep 2, 2020
Waiting for a Piece of Herself: S1, E2
On this episode Eliana describes what life has been like waiting for her dad to come home from federal prison, where he has been incarcerated for more than 20 years.
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Aug 17, 2020
The WHY: S1, E1
In this introductory episode Nadine shares what led her to create the Waiting Room and what you can expect to hear on the podcast.
The hashtag for the podcast is #TWRpodcast You can find us on Instagram @TWR_Podcast
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Jul 28, 2020
Episode 0: Introduction
The Waiting Room with Nadine Graves provides a mic for the unheard. Exposing the invisible impact of the US Criminal Justice System through the stories of those waiting for justice, waiting for freedom, and the professionals helping those in the wait.
This episode is an introduction to the podcast.
The hashtag for the podcast is #TWRpodcast
You can find us on Instagram @TWR_Podcast
To be a visitor in the Waiting Room please contact us at www.twrpodcast.com
Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
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