Socially Just Podcast

Obie Anthony talks with the hosts of SOCIALLY JUST: Public Health Perspectives for Change.

Obie discusses the impact of wrongful convictions on the health of communities. Mr. Anthony has a unique perspective and insight into the complicated problems with our justice system having been framed and wrongfully convicted and later exonerated himself. Through his unique lens, Mr. Anthony poses solutions through policy change and advocacy.

Socially Just is a podcast hosted by Touro University California faculty members Gayle Cummings, PsyD, MPH, Nemesia Kelly, MPH, and Deirdra Wilson, PhD, MPH.

February 10, 2023February 10, 2023

POINT BLACK Interview

Obie Anthony Talks Exoneration on POINT BLACK

Obie talks exoneration and incarceration on the new POINT BLACK Radio Show with Mr. Adolphus Pruitt, President for the St. Louis City NAACP and Rev. Darryl Gray, Civil Rights Activist. Watch the entire video as Obie talks about the importance of helping exonerees after their release.

POINT BLACK is a community show on KATZ-AM Hallelujah 1600 airing on iHeartMedia.

Play Video

November 10, 2022November 10, 2022

Menthol Talk

What’s menthol got to do with it?

A conversation on the predatory practices of the tobacco industry.

We were joined by Dr. Phillip Gardiner, Co-Chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. Dr. Gardiner is a Public Health activist, administrator, evaluator and researcher. Dr. Gardiner received his Doctorate in Behavioral Sciences from the University of California at Berkeley, where he focused on Youth Violence as a public health issue. Throughout his research career, Dr. Gardiner has maintained his community activism to address racial disparities in health through writing, organizing, evaluating and public speaking.

Learn more about the AATCL

WE THANK OUR SPONSORS
FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council

November 9, 2022November 10, 2022

Healing the trauma

Healing the trauma of wrongful conviction and imprisonment

By Douglas Oakley of Kaiser Permanente, October 5, 2022

Exonerated Nation founder Obie Anthony and Board President Gayle Cummings recently interviewed with Douglas Oakley for Look insideKP. Kaiser Permanente has been an ongoing supporter of EN, helping the organization to provide programs and services that aid exonerees in mental health, overall wellbeing and leadership development.

Read the full article at Look insideKP

WE THANK OUR SPONSORS
FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

September 9, 2022November 9, 2022

Social Support Services

Our Social Support team provides services that accommodate the different life circumstances and mental health needs for exonerees upon immediate release. We strive to provide support that is both culturally competent and trauma-informed.

Services include:

Consultation
Evaluation and needs assessment
Social support recommendations
Identify needs, strengths, and challenges for developing a comprehensive strategy
Continuity of social support
Navigation and support for exonerees to access services provided through AB 701-Exoneree Housing, AB 703, Exoneree Higher Education, AB 672 Obie’s Law, and SB 1050-Gate Money (visit Our Policy Changes for more information about these bills)

Contact our Social Support Team for assistance:

Raven Barrow, PsyD, MA, MFT
Social Support Services
(323) 515-9681
raven@exoneratednation.org

Raven Barrow is a clinical social worker with a passion for improving the quality of life within underserved populations by providing individuals and families with the educational resources, support networks, and mental health services that are critically necessary for communities to thrive.

Arene Rushdan, MSN
Social Support Navigation
(951) 454-3686

Arene Rushdan brings a passion for helping others overcome barriers they face and achieve success. As the wife of an exoneree, she and her husband work as a team to help other exonerees achieve their goals. Currently, Arene is pursuing a PhD in psychology with an emphasis in cognition and instruction which she will apply in development of effective educational strategies toward overcoming barriers.

Please reach out to Exonerated Nation if you have any questions about the Social Support Services process. You can reach us by phone at (707) 656-5994 or by email at Info@exoneratednation.org.

WE THANK OUR SPONSORS
FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

July 5, 2022July 5, 2022

EN Strategic Planning Weekend

Strategic planning weekend with Exonerated Nation’s Board of Directors in Napa California

With grant support from Kaiser, we’re planning our annual healing and leadership retreat for 25 exonerees, September 23 -25, 2022 at the Asilomar Retreat Center!

We are counting on additional sponsorship and support to ensure high quality programming to set up exoneree leaders for success!

For more information and details on how you can support this event and other efforts to help exonerees rebuild the lives unjustly stolen, visit exoneratednation.org/donate/

Photo:

Gayle Cummings, Ignacio Hernandez, Dave McLane (zoom), Obie Anthony, Jaime King, and Charleane Williams

June 21, 2022June 21, 2022

4.5 Trillion Cigarette Filters

They may look harmless, but 4.5 trillion cigarette filters are littered worldwide each year making them the most abundant plastic pollutant on Earth. They are not biodegradable but are made of plastic fibers (cellulose acetate) They can take up to 10 years to break down into tiny pieces of plastic- microplastics – which are hazard to our environment. Even worse, the toxic compounds in cigarette butts, including formaldehyde, nicotine, arsenic, and lead, are leached into the natural environment, far outlasting the life of the butts themselves. Studies have shown that 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟰𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿. Imagine the impact of 4.5 trillion cigarette butts if 𝟭 𝗰𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝘆. Just another example of the far-reaching devastation the tobacco industry continues to cause.

The single action you can take that will make a real impact on this problem is to 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴! Going tobacco-free will protect your health and improve the health of the planet.

This message is posted in partnership with the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) to help expand awareness of tobacco harm and their movement to end commercial tobacco use.

June 15, 2022June 15, 2022

COPE Presentation

In a rising tide of exonerations resulting from wrongful convictions, our research is important to gaining awareness of unique reentry needs associated with trauma.

Our Project COPE Team recently presented their research findings at the 15th Annual Academic and Health Policy Conference on Criminal Justice Health in April 2022.

View the presentation here:
ACCJH COPE Presentation_April 2022

Visit our Research page to learn more about Project COPE.

June 15, 2022June 21, 2022

Tobacco Harm Awareness

We’re so excited to partner with the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) to help expand awareness of tobacco harm and their movement to end commercial tobacco use.

Evidence suggests that formerly incarcerated men, including those who have been wrongfully convicted have significantly higher rates of mortality and morbidity than the general population, disparities that have been partially attributed to higher rates of tobacco smoking-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and cancer. (Howell, et al., 2015)

While it is well known that people smoke as ‘self-medication’ to ease feelings of stress, research has shown that smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Nicotine creates an immediate sense of relaxation, so people smoke in the belief it reduces stress and anxiety.

This feeling is temporary and soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms and increased cravings. Smoking reduces the withdrawal symptoms, but doesn’t reduce anxiety or deal with the reasons someone may feel that way. This is a vicious cycle for many, particularly for those who suffer from the psychological trauma of being wrongfully convicted.

However, there is good news if you are a smoker. It’s never too late to give up and you may find that quitting reduces levels of stress, anxiety and depression. There is a lot of support available to quit and EN’s partnership with the AATCLC is here to help!

The AATCLC is the country’s leading public health education and advocacy organization taking on Big Tobacco to save Black lives. Their work informs and influences the direction of tobacco control as it affects the lives of African American and African Immigrant communities.

We’ve provided some information and resources here to help you learn more about the fight to end commercial tobacco. You can also visit the AATCLC website at https://www.savingblacklives.org/. Please share this information with others.