Anger. It’s the emotion nobody talks about — but almost every formerly incarcerated person feels it.

In this powerful episode of Conviction Fiction, host Antoine Rivers takes you on an unfiltered journey through the emotional challenges of reentry, focusing on the role anger plays in both survival and sabotage. From the trauma that fuels it to the moments where it threatens to undo progress, this episode breaks down what it really means to confront your triggers and choose healing.

🧠 This episode covers:

• • Understanding Anger: The deep roots of rage within the incarcerated experience.
  • Anger’s Impact: How it creates roadblocks in jobs, relationships, and freedom.
  • Management Strategies: Real tools — mindfulness, reframing, and support systems.
  • Building Resilience: Turning emotional landmines into stepping stones.
  • Hope & Transformation: Stories that prove anger doesn’t have to win.

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  With reflections from No Turning Back: The Journey Home and the Work Within, this episode speaks to anyone who’s felt overwhelmed by emotions they don’t fully understand — and offers a path forward.

• 🎧 Tune in, reflect, and pass it on. Because emotional reentry is reentry — and healing is the real victory.

  #TriggersAndTriumph #ConvictionFiction #ReentryHealing #NoTurningBack #PrisonToPurpose #AngerAwareness #SecondChances

What happens when the prison gates open—but the trauma stays?

In this episode of Conviction Fiction, we dive deep into the unseen weight that many returning citizens carry: trauma. From childhood wounds to the emotional toll of incarceration itself, trauma can shape how we think, feel, and move through the world long after we’re released.

Join host Antoine Rivers for a real, unfiltered conversation about the emotional and psychological challenges of reentry. This episode breaks down:

• • The hidden grip of trauma on our mindset and behaviors
  • Why navigating reentry isn’t just about logistics—it’s about healing
  • How we start rebuilding when we’re still recovering
  • The path to creating a future rooted in purpose, not pain

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  Backed by powerful statistics and personal reflection, this episode also draws from the new book, No Turning Back: The Journey Home and the Work Within, offering guidance and hope for anyone on the journey home.

  Whether you’ve been incarcerated, love someone who has, or simply want to understand what real second chances look like—this episode is for you.

  🔗 Subscribe, share, and step into the conversation that’s changing the narrative of life after lockup.

  #Reentry #ConvictionFiction #NoTurningBack #TraumaHealing #ReturningCitizens #JusticeReform #SecondChances #HealingAfterPrison

The gig economy is booming — but for many formerly incarcerated individuals, it's more than a side hustle. It’s a lifeline.

In this episode, host Antoine Rivers explores how platforms like Uber, DoorDash, Fiverr, and Instacart are offering returning citizens a way to rebuild their lives — one gig at a time. But it’s not all flexibility and freedom. We break down the barriers, from tech literacy to lack of benefits, and spotlight the strategies that actually work.

💡 What you'll hear in this episode:

• • Why 70% of returning citizens struggle to find traditional jobs
  • How gig work is helping some individuals take control of their futures
  • The dark side of gig labor: misclassification, instability, and burnout
  • Real success stories — including a man who turned bike deliveries into a full-time business
  • Reentry programs and partnerships making a difference
  • A call to action to share, support, and shift the narrative

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  Whether you're navigating reentry yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode sheds light on the real-life grind — and the real hope — behind the gig economy.

  🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and check out the book No Turning Back — available wherever books are sold.

  #Reentry #GigEconomy #FromPrisonToPlatform #ConvictionFiction #SecondChances #NoTurningBack #JusticeReform #ChangeTheNarrative

In this inspiring episode of Conviction Fiction, we sit down with Michael Clark, a formerly incarcerated student and full-time worker who is rewriting his story through education and service. Michael shares how Common Good Atlanta — a powerful organization connecting Georgia’s colleges and professors with prison classrooms — helped him rediscover his purpose and build a future rooted in growth.

From the emotional challenges of reentry to the quiet victories of academic success, Michael walks us through the highs, lows, and honest moments of rebuilding life after incarceration.

💬 In this episode, we explore:

• What it really feels like to come home
• How access to higher education empowers returning citizens
• The role of Common Good Atlanta in creating second chances
• The media’s distortion of justice-involved individuals
• Practical wisdom for those just beginning their reentry journey

Michael’s story is a reminder that education isn’t just about degrees — it’s about dignity, direction, and the belief that we are more than our worst decisions.

🎧 Tune in now to hear how the narrative is being rewritten — one class, one voice, one story at a time.

In this thought-provoking episode of Conviction Fiction, we sit down with educator, justice advocate, and powerful voice for change, C. Jay Tarter. Together, we explore how language shapes not only public perception of incarcerated individuals but also the policies and systems that keep cycles of injustice in motion.

C. Jay breaks down the impact of labels like “offender” and “inmate,” and how reclaiming our narratives can lead to healing, dignity, and transformation. We also dive into the critical role education plays—both behind the walls and beyond them—as a tool of liberation and self-discovery.

Whether you're directly impacted, a justice reform advocate, or just someone who wants to better understand how words and systems intertwine, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in and discover what’s possible beyond the bars.

#ConvictionFiction #BeyondTheBars #CJayTarter #TheCommonGood #JusticeReform #LanguageMatters #EducationIsFreedom #PrisonAbolition #ReentryJourney #FromPrisonToPurpose #ChangeTheNarrative

As part of the Starting Over series, host Antoine Rivers explores how technology is reshaping what reentry looks like for returning citizens. From that first moment of holding a smartphone behind bars to navigating online job platforms, we break down how digital literacy is no longer optional — it’s essential.

Antoine shares his own journey of learning how to use tech while incarcerated and how that knowledge transformed his opportunities on the outside. We also dig into how AI is changing the job market, the importance of digital skills in today’s workforce, and how returning citizens can catch up — and thrive — in a digital world.

This episode also highlights key organizations doing the work to bridge that tech gap and empower justice-impacted individuals through training, education, and opportunity.

Featured Resources:

• Defy Ventures – https://www.defyventures.org
• The Last Mile – https://thelastmile.org
• See Us Rise – https://www.seeusrise.org

Whether you're a returning citizen, an advocate, or simply curious about how second chances are built in the digital age — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to share, subscribe, and leave a review!

#ConvictionFiction #ReentryMatters #DigitalLiteracy #TechForChange #SecondChances #FromPrisonToPurpose #TheLastMile #DefyVentures #SeeUsRise #LifeAfterLockup #CriminalJusticeReform #ReentrySuccess #PodcastEpisode #ReentryTech

What happens when your child is sentenced—but you’re the one still doing time on the outside?

In this powerful and personal episode, Antoine Rivers shifts the focus to the often unheard voices of parents and families who carry the emotional, financial, and spiritual weight when a loved one is incarcerated.

From the guilt of wondering “Did I fail?”, to the sacrifices made just to maintain a connection, Antoine opens up about his own family’s journey—how his parents and sister stepped up to raise his children, how they supported him through rejection and reentry, and how love held everything together even when the system tried to tear it apart.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• • The silent struggle of parents who feel like they raised “an inmate”
  • The cost of cross-state visits, job losses, and emotional exhaustion
  • Community programs that support families like POD Movement, Dreambuilders Foundation, Focus21, and 1MoQuestion.org
  • A special shoutout to those who never stopped visiting, writing, or praying

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  This episode is a tribute, a truth session, and a thank-you to the ones who never let go.

What happens to the children when a parent goes to prison?

In this episode of Conviction Fiction, host Antoine Rivers explores the often-overlooked impact of incarceration on children. From the confusion and emotional trauma of separation to the long-term effects on mental health, education, and trust — this conversation dives deep into the invisible wounds these young people carry.

Antoine shares personal reflections, including the painful memory of his daughters visiting him behind bars during a Fatherhood Initiative workshop — and not understanding why they had to leave.
He also revisits a powerful past conversation with Nolan, a young man who opened up about losing his passion for sports because his incarcerated father wasn’t there to cheer him on.

You'll also hear about:

• • Programs like Angel Tree and the Fatherhood Initiative working to preserve the fragile bond between parent and child
  • The unique struggles of incarcerated mothers, featuring insight from April Paulk, founder of AP Rose Entertainment
  • The systemic changes needed to support children of incarcerated parents and break the generational cycle

  
  

  This episode is personal, raw, and necessary.

• 📚 Don’t forget: Antoine’s new book is on the way. And if you haven’t picked up his first book, The Conviction Fiction: Changing the Narrative of Life After Lock Up, grab it now on Amazon.

  🔗 Subscribe, listen, and share — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms.