What we saw is that example after example of individual who served a mass amount of time in returning to society, they heavily lean on their family, their friends, and their significant others.

If that's the case, then the state should be providing resources to their family, friends, significant others, and also other formerly incarcerated people, other former lifers.

Hi, I'm Brittany, and this is for colored nerds.

The weekly show where we peel back the layers of black culture we rarely discuss

in mixed company.

Today on the show, Eric interviews one of our friends from college, journalist and podcast host

Pandarvis Harshaw, as well as filmmaker

Brandon Towsick, about a moving multimedia project they created about life after incarceration

called Facing Life. Through the words and images of facing life, which also ran in the LA Times,

we see the everyday struggles of many formerly incarcerated people,

like adjusting to smartphones and re-embracing their personal style.

But we also learn of their bigger hurdles, like the lack of access to adequate health care

and difficulties finding stable employment.

After the break, you'll meet Penn Darvus and Brandon,

and you'll hear the stories of some of the unforgettable people who have shared their experiences navigating an impossible system.

So don't go anywhere. We'll be right back.

So before we get into the interview, I want to give a bit more background about this project.

Facing Life is an online documentary series that follows the lives of eight formerly incarcerated Californians as they acclimate to life outside of prison. Through written profiles by

Pandarvis and arresting photos, videos, and cinematographs by Brandon, we're able to see the

triumphs of life after prison, like with a recently released man named Treveille.

You know, I still have the euphoria, you know, of being free.

I still, you know, I can get up in the middle of the night and drive to the store or just go out and open the door and walk outside at 1, 2 o'clock in the morning.

...