Walk In Those Shoes grew from seeds of empathy. Those seeds came full circle when two men with over forty-five combined years living on Death Row had a conversation about relations with correctional staff. These are a few of their thoughts.
A clip of Chanton & Mumin from S1, Episode 7 of In The Cellar, regarding Staff Relations.
Who are we to ask or expect better from them, when we’re willing to put our own humanity aside?
I think that if we see an officer in need, if we really believe that we’re all people, and we’re deserving of kind treatment, then at some point we have to take a stand and just buck the notion that we ain’t supposed to deal with them, we ain’t supposed to help them, they’re the po-leece. I think we’re s’posed to.
One of the ways to first break that division, it gotta start from us. We have to take ownership of our part, to our role in this equation.
Episode 4 was released today! Mumin and Chanton share their thoughts and experiences with visitation, discussing it’s value and impact on their lives and those around them. They are also joined by a relative for this one. This project consists of 10 episodes, and I encourage anyone wanting to learn from this community, which in good part is self-governed, to go back and listen to each one.
In their first episode, Mumin and Chanton talk about the impact of first impressions, their and other’s need to convey impressions, and how that is shaped while living in prison.
In The Cellar hopes to raise awareness regarding the psychological impact of living with the looming threat of lethal injection and give policy makers and up-and-coming policy makers a more rounded perspective.
Please follow this project on Spotify, and also leave your thoughts and comments, which will be shared with Mumin and Chanton.
On July 9, 2024, WITS will be sharing the first episode of In The Cellar, a podcast created by two WITS writers. In The Cellar features weekly table talk sessions from NC Death Row. The writers aim to explore the challenges, tragedies and triumphs of living with a death sentence. In The Cellar will be hosted by Jason Mumin Hurst & Terry Chanton Robinson, two men amongst the many Death Row residents who are pursuing constructive ways to effect change. As the podcast strives to remain balanced and bring awareness to those in and outside of prisons, I will occasionally join the two men, aiming to provide insight from the civilian point of view and experience.
In The Cellar will highlight the psychological impact of living with the looming threat of lethal injection. Chanton and Mumin will explore family connections, both broken and restored, community development, spiritual growth, and friendships founded on acts of decency. They will relive the heartbreak of having lost loved ones over the years and the difficulty of finding closure, as well as recount stories of exoneration, mental illness, past trauma, accountability, healing, and of course – executions.
Join us as we crack the door and shine light into one of prison’s darkest reaches and attempt to provide valuable insight on the practice of murdering murderers in the name of justice. The hope is to substantiate the redeeming qualities of those incarcerated, knowing that while they may be awaiting execution, according to Prison Policy Initiative, 610,000 others are being released back into society each year*. Their release plays a key role in society’s restoration, restoration that also takes place right here In The Cellar on NC Death Row.
The first episode of In The Cellar will also be shared on Spotify on July 9, 2024.
*Initiative, P. P. (2022, August 25). Since you asked: How many people are released from each state’s prisons and jails every year? Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2022/08/25/releasesbystate/
