But I still didn't believe it to November 20, 2017, when they opened that gate and said, you are a free man. It's impossible. I'm like a baby learning how to be a decent human being. I'm not perfect. You know, and I say all the time, in 2017 when I stepped out that prison, not my family, not my community, not my friends - it was Maria Hinojosa that was there waiting for me. If we would just stop our chaos and look at people individually! Julieta Martinelli is an award-winning investigative reporter and currently a producer at Latino USA. There are still several episodes to go in this podcast, so I don't know how the story ends up. Suave leaves Graterford and kicks off his first day of freedom by checking things off his bucket listincluding a long overdue conversation with his brother and an apology to students at a school in his neighborhood in the Badlands. It tells the remarkable story of David Luis Suave Gonzalez. Edmond, Oklahoma. For years, Gonzalez. The organization gave away scholarships of $500, $1,000 and $2,000. Approximately 2,500 juveniles have been effectively sentenced to die in prisonconsidered "irredeemable" by the state for crimes committed when they were just teenagers. This represents a 38% decline since 2016. At Graterford State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania, Suave joined the largest population of juvenile lifers in the country, young men considered by the U.S. justice system to be irredeemable. Then, in 2016, a Supreme Court decision changed everything. Maggie is an Adjunct Professor at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and formerly the Producer-at-Large for Latino USA. Rahsaan New York Thomas reported this story for Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education. And then the Supreme Court says HINOJOSA: It's going to happen. "I was given a second chance for a reason," says Gonzalez, who spoke with WHYY host Cherri Gregg. The Story of The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" Spanish Lyrics. Invite your employees, members, and customers as a. If you in it, you in it for the long run. Now, Gonzalez is a support coach with I Am More, a reentry program for formerly incarcerated students at Philadelphia Community College. I mean, I was really struck by something you said in the first episode - that, quote, "We have this tool that we journalists can use, which is our humanity" - that if you give humanity, you're going to get it back. Me, I say, fuck this jail shit. STOP creating chaos against people you know nothing about. Contact us today about becoming a sponsor! GONZALEZ: I always understood what a source meant. What gave you the motivation even to keep breathing, bro? Suave returns to prison. So winning that prize means that our issues are in the frontline right next. I mean, listen, I put it like this: our struggle and our journey in the prison system prepare us for this. And Suave reveals to Maria a shocking story shes never heard before about the night of the murder in 1986. I like to say, I found a new habit. Juvenile life without parole sentences disproportionately hit Black and brown children. A Philadelphia judge sentenced him to life without parole for a crime he committed when he was 17 years old. Our partnership demonstrates the heights we can reach together in public media. I'm still trying to understand society for what it is. What can I do? Hinojosa responded, You could be my source. Gavin Newsom earlier this year. David Luiz on leading by example and Christian Pulisic's Chelsea prospects. Then one day, Im walking down the hallway and one of the guards asked me to interpret for another Latino guy. In many statesincluding Pennsylvania, where Gonzalez. He started painting watercolors when he was in prison. She teaches audio reporting at the NYU School of Journalism. And I want to talk to Maria about that because, Maria, you essentially become a character in this podcast, which is a choice - right? Its nothing but white guys in there. You have this dilemma with Suave - trying to keep some journalistic distance from him in the beginning, but then developing a genuine friendship with him, genuine affection. Dehumanized as super-predators, these inmates pay the price for institutionalized racism. Thats true, but its also bullshit because I was a lifer and I did it. As she anxiously awaits a phone call from Suave, Maria sets out to try and figure out what happened and eventually finds herself torn between her faith in Suaves innocence and her responsibility to believe his accuser. Like, if you never go home, what does that matter? In order to be able to do that, you gotta be educated to some extent. Rahsaan New York Thomas: What was the highest level of education you completed on the streets? Hinojosa and David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez, the namesake for the podcast, first met in 1993 while speaking at the Graterford State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania. Can you just talk a little bit about that? I will say this, that when you do give one of us a chance to shine, this is what you get. If I had not decided to stay in touch with Suave, decided not to take his phone calls, decided not to send him a Christmas card and a birthday card, we wouldn't have the kind of journalism that we're able to do now. Im gonna get my degree by any means necessary. And what that means is start saving your pennies, start taking them correspondence courses, start accumulating them credits, and get that degree. In the corner of 8th and Somerset, Maria encourages Suave to talk about that night, which theyve never discussed in nearly three decades of friendship. The story leads us back to North Philadelphia in search of someone else who was present the night of the murder. Convicted of the first-degree murder of a 13-year-old boy, Suave had received a sentence of life without parole when he was 17. Based in Harlem and founded in 2010 by award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa, Futuro Media is committed to telling stories and uplifting voices and perspectives often overlooked by mainstream media. Additionally, Hinojosa was the first Latina to anchor a PBS FRONTLINE report: Lost in Detention which aired in October 2011 and was the first to explore abuse at immigrant detention facilities, garnering attention from Capitol Hill as well as both the mainstream and Spanish-language media. Confronting Satan in a Dark Spanish Castle, Three Women in the News Are Setting Fire to an Ancient Trope, Trumps Lawyer Did Him No Favors on Thursday. Julieta Martinelli is an award-winning investigative reporter and currently a producer at Latino USA. When I met Maria, I was at a point that I wanted to commit suicide. Thats the way we change the world. After a decade reporting on music for various outlets, he served as Senior Editor on the public radio program Latino USA. She is the author of two books and has won dozens of awards, including four Emmys, the John Chancellor Award, the Studs Terkel Community Media Award, two Robert F. Kennedy Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Overseas Press Club, and the Ruben Salazar Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAHJ. Martinelli previously wrote for CBS-46 in Atlanta, the Gwinnett Daily Post, and the Atlanta Latino Newspaper. CHANG: Now that he has been released from prison, the two of them are sharing their story in a new Futuro Media podcast called "Suave.". In 1988, Gonzalez was found guilty of a first-degree homicide committed when he was 17 years old. What was it like to catch up with the world almost 30 years later? At Futuro Media, Hinojosa continues to bring attention to experiences and points of view that are often overlooked or underreported in mainstream media, all while mentoring the next generation of diverse journalists to delve into authentic and nuanced stories. Fifteen seconds changed my whole life.. "So this day is not . All contents Invite your employees, members, and customers as a The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. And it was just the most unbelievable thing, truly. At Graterford State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania, Suave joined the largest population of juvenile lifers in the countrymen considered by the justice system to be irredeemable for acts committed when they were just teenagers. When I came out, I had basically nobody. Support for Suave was provided by the Art for Justice Fund, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and The Heising-Simons Foundation: Unlocking knowledge, opportunity, and possibilities. That's when it hit me. CHANG: David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez is the focus of the new podcast "Suave." You know, it was scary because even though I went to college, I got my degrees, I educated myself, transformed myself, I never thought about living as a free man, as an adult. As a reporter for NPR, Hinojosa was among the first to report on youth violence in urban communities on a national scale. It is no accident so many children of color get such extreme sentences. I saw some of the hardest dudes in the jail walking down the corridor with school books, because they want to go to school. I definitely respect that but the average person is not mentally strong enough to face a life sentence and then have more obstacles than opportunities and still become something. I was on a suicide mission. kevin@deathbyincacerationpodcast.com. Justice Kennedy, writing for a 6-3 majority, found that children are constitutionally different from adults in their level of culpability. Kennedy wrote that the severest penalty must be reserved for the rarest of juvenile offenders, those whose crimes reflect permanent incorrigibility., Justice Kennedy was responding to research that showed that because of developing brains, children were less culpable for their crimes and were more likely to be rehabilitated than adult offenders. And the more she learns about Suaves crime, the more she comes to question the events that put Suave in prisonand the system that puts away children to life in the first place. Suave ponders what it truly means to be free. And I'm still honored to be that source. I mean, it was, like, the farthest thing from my mind. Thats the way I was thinking because in PA, life without parole, means till you die. Fantasy Premier League FPL set-pieces: Free-kicks add to David Luiz appeal. Maria learns more about Suaves childhood in the south Bronx and the sudden move that led him to the Badlands of north Philadelphia as a teenager. At the same time, people knew who I was in the jailI was a renegade. Fifteen seconds. Yeah, definitely, definitely, definitely. Released in 2017 and now in his 50s, the series follows Suave as he transitions to life on the outside and tries to live as a model citizen, yet he soon realizes there are limits to how much freedom he can ever truly have. Suave was also a talented artist. The story of David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez on Latino USA - Saturday at 6pm This week, a story three decades in the making. But it was new to me because when I went in, I had a complete family. We are so proud of our partners at Futuro Media, who represent the best of journalism and audio, saidKerri Hoffman, CEO of PRX. She teaches audio reporting at the NYU School of Journalism. Additionally, Hinojosa was the first Latina to anchor a PBS FRONTLINE report: Lost in Detention which aired in October 2011 and was the first to explore abuse at immigrant detention facilities, garnering attention from Capitol Hill as well as both the mainstream and Spanish-language media. Hes become a man and built a life behind bars. You came out when you were in your mid-40s. And I'm still honored to be that source. But as Suave readies for life on the outside, his excitement gives way to a never ending list of fears about what life outside of prison might be like. And that someone was Maria. They are part of the broader trend of racial disparities in sentencing with people of color getting harsher sentences. Attendees who make a suggested donation of $15 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an original piece of Suave Gonzalez artwork, painted expressly for PVS, courtesy of an anonymous donor. And so it was like this long-haul battle. One of the worlds leading podcast publishers, PRX works in partnership with TED, PBS, the Smithsonian, Futuro Media, GBH, Religion of Sports, and more. As the decades pass, Suave becomes a mentor for younger men and a model citizen inside the prison. View local obituaries in new jersey. Hes become a man and built a life behind bars. Suave had a rough startas a teenager walking into a maximum-security prison he says he was a target, and much like in the neighborhood where he grew up, Suave decided he had to be tougher than everyone else. December 6, 1986. I began reading every law book, I began learning their system, to the point where I could memorize all of the rules and regulations and pinpoint when they was violating my rights. Gonzalez, though not visited by PVS, speaks powerfully about the importance of human connections during his time inside. They kept in touch over the decades by phone, letter, and occasional visits. The DOC is not there to make it easy for us, bro. Career. CHANG: So Maria, I want to start with you because you met Suave back in the early '90s when the conversation around the criminal justice system was so different from the conversation we are having now about the criminal justice system. 10.20.2022 David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez A curated collection of links The Record What are records? It's ugly to say it, but Suave and I knew it, basically - Suave was going to come out in a box. In 2018 she was a Fellow at Shorenstein Center at the Harvard Kennedy School and is a frequent speaker across the country. He has continued community-based work since his release, as Director of Nu-Stop Resource center, an organization that offers assistance to individuals transitioning from prison to life outside. All rights reserved. This is an incredible moment for American journalism the choice to recognize a piece going deep into the humanity of not just the source, but also the journalists. And then the Supreme Court says HINOJOSA: It's going to happen. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 505 likes. Recently I listened to the seven-part podcast Suave. And I trusted her, and I still do. Suave returns with Maria to the corner of 8th and Somerset in the Badlandsthe place where his victims young life ended and the place that changed the course of Suaves life. She was an NPR Next Generation Radio fellow and 2019 Ford Foundation 50 Women Can Change the World in Journalism fellow. I failed miserably in going to the hole for fuckin guards up. Contact us today about becoming a sponsor. Her stories about immigrant youth, life in prison and what happens after have aired nationally on NPR programs, including Here and Now, Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. PRX serves independent producers and organizations by helping them connect to their most engaged, supportive audiences. He's a source. Thats how you get the street credibility. GONZALEZ: That I am a human being that committed a mistake, paid for it and still trying to work on myself. What was it like to catch up with the world almost 30 years later? With the first two episodes of the new Suave podcast from Futuro Studios now playing, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Futuro colleague and Suave co-producer Julieta Martinelli to talk about the making of the podcast and how the story of David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez is the story of one man's incarceration and redemption and an unusual relationship between a . America is infatuated with prisons and incarceration. In 1988, David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez was found guilty of first-degree homicide. I think thats the reason we won., This is a remarkable achievement. Co-Host. Co-Host/Inspiration. My God theres so many more important things in life. During her eight years as CNNs urban affairs correspondent, Hinojosa often took viewers into communities rarely shown on television and continued that work longform on Now on PBS. I tried eight times before I passed it. In this episode, we follow Suave in his first year of freedom as he experiences countless firsts: leaving the halfway house for his first solo apartment, adopting a pet, finding a job and the start of a promising relationship with someone from his past. And for me, one of the messages for my fellow journalists is, always stay in touch with your sources 'cause you never know. After a decade reporting on music for various outlets, he served as Senior Editor on the public radio program Latino USA. David Luis Suave Gonzalez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole when he was 17. Northern California Public Media (SM) reserves all rights to content on this site. She found her passion for radio at Indie 103.1 FM in Los Angeles, as an engineer, producer, and on-air personality. You got to know how to read and write. During her eight years as CNNs urban affairs correspondent, Hinojosa often took viewers into communities rarely shown on television and continued that work longform on Now on PBS. Journalist Maria Hinojosa met David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez in 1993 while speaking at the Graterford State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania. Tim Pilleri . At Graterford State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania, Suave joined the largest population of juvenile lifers in the countrymen considered by the justice system to be irredeemable for acts committed when they were just teenagers. If you wait for the DOC to give you permission to do it, its never gonna get done. GONZALEZ: I always understood what a source meant. But I always say that there's - lucky for me, I had someone that was there for me. Convicted of the first-degree murder of a. Jennifer Amell. When Suave is finally released from prison, he is placed on house arrest and tries to adjust to his new reality while he awaits his chance to plead his case in front of a judge. Who and What the Hell Is a White Hispanic? HINOJOSA: Yeah. l mean, of course it would have been easier, but guess what? So I did and I looked over and seen a class. Were all dying in here. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. CHANG: Yeah. The Pulitzer is an example of American excellence. So please be kind to everyone and everything. When you start getting educated in prison, you start seeing yourself in a different light. Things in Suaves life took a completely unexpected turn when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 in the case of Miller v Alabama that for juveniles, mandatory life without parole sentences violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Totally written off by the system, given an IQ of 56 and told he was retarded and would never amount to anything, Suave taught himself to read. That means he was never going to get out. When you do something like that it feels so good to see your kindness saved a life. Thank you Suave for seeing life in a different light and changing our world. Thank you so much for joining us, both of you.

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