In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, host Brent Cassity sits down with Eddie B. Ellis Jr., returning citizen, author, and advocate to unpack his personal journey from teenage conviction to lifelong activism. Arrested at age 16 and sentenced to decades in the criminal legal system, Eddie reflects on the transformative path of reentry, the perseverance it took to reclaim his voice, and the ways language and labeling shape not only identity, but opportunity. He shares firsthand what it means to rebuild, the gaps in the system he’s worked to repair—especially around solitary confinement, sentencing of youth, and supports for people coming home—and the hope he holds for social change. Listeners will walk away not just inspired by Eddie’s survival, but challenged to rethink how we see “success,” justice, and redemption.

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