21. Reimagining the U.S. Justice System Informed By Survivors of Childhood Trauma with Cyntoia Brown Long
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Stitcher
Overview
Since her release in 2019, Cyntoia Brown Long has been able to travel the U.S. speaking about her experience within the criminal justice system where she was tried as an adult and placed in a womens’ prison at the age of 16. Her story started long before her arrest, however, and long before she found herself fearing for her life in the home of a man who offered to pay her for sex.
Cyntoia shares about her journey out of early childhood foster care and into a loving adoptive family–a journey that was still weighed down by crises of identity and belonging. Her story is one of resilience and faith, and shows how the prison system in the United States should evolve in order to consider the trauma histories of children in the courts.
“I remember when I was finally allowed to be around other people on my 18th birthday. I didn’t even know how to have a conversation. This is a testament to how good God is. ”
“It was the Lord that convinced him, all I did was pray every single day, super hard. He ended up granting me clemency. I would have been 67 years old before I met with a parole board. He reduced that to 15 years, which is what I had already served incarcerated, and then 10 years on parole. I was released about seven months after he made that decision”
“Get involved on the front end. It may seem kind of messy, but like that's where the work needs to be done, because we've all heard it: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Episode Highlights
1:49 - Introduction to Cyntoia
8:40 - Behavioral presentations of children in the classroom
15:53 - Cyntoia’s story and relationship with the criminal justice system
26:17 - Clemency & redemption
30:51 - Advocacy and interactions with the criminal justice system
36:34 - What’s at stake if things don’t change?
41:40 - Where should people of faith spend their time and energy?
49:00 - What’s giving Cyntoia hope?
Links
Kindred Exchange - Become a monthly donor to support this show and our mission
Think Orphan - Learn more and listen to the podcast
Emmaus House - Learn more about their work with orphaned youth in Haiti
Free Cyntioa Book - Get an autographed copy of Cyntioa’s book
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story - Watch the Netflix documentary
Soap & Water Organics - Shop Cyntoia’s handmade organic soaps
The JFAM Foundation - Learn more about their work to broaden understanding and awareness of issues concerning marginalized populations by creating a platform for affected individuals to serve as thought leaders.
Connect with Lauren
Email / Instagram / Leave a Review
Connect with Cyntoia
Instagram / X / Facebook
