Dr. Topeka Sam went from facing more than a decade in federal prison to becoming one of the country’s prominent advocates for women impacted by incarceration and eventually receiving a full presidential pardon.

Topeka was sentenced in 2012 after pleading guilty to a federal drug conspiracy charge. In this episode, she takes Brian and Makan inside the moment everything collapsed, what she encountered after entering prison and why meeting incarcerated women from radically different educational and socioeconomic backgrounds changed the direction of her life. The archived White House clemency announcement says she received a 130 month sentence and served three years before becoming an advocate for criminal justice reform.

Topeka says she became convinced she wouldn't serve her entire sentence.

After writing directly to the judge, her sentence was reduced. Additional programming and sentencing changes shortened her incarceration further, and she was ultimately released on May 5, 2015 after serving roughly three and a half years.

But her story didn't end when she walked out.

Topeka founded The Ladies of Hope Ministries and began advocating for women and girls affected by incarceration. The organization now describes its mission as ending poverty and incarceration while providing housing, reentry support and advocacy.

On December 23, 2020, President Donald Trump granted Topeka a full pardon. The White House announcement cited her post prison advocacy and identified Alice Johnson among those supporting the pardon.

This is a story about what happens after the sentence. From federal prison to advocacy, Alice Johnson, Kim Kardashian and ultimately a presidential pardon, Topeka Sam turned one of the darkest periods of her life into a mission to change what comes next for others.

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Website: / https://www.drtopekaksam.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome Dr. Topeka!

03:18 How Her Life Led to a Federal Case

06:47 Facing More Than 10 Years in Prison

10:26 Entering Jail and Seeing Who Really Gets Incarcerated

14:03 What Federal Prison Was Actually Like

17:38 Why Topeka Believed She Would Get Out Early

20:16 The Letter That Helped Change Her Sentence

23:41 Walking Out After Three and a Half Years

26:08 Building The Ladies of Hope Ministries

29:37 The Alice Johnson Case Goes Viral

32:24 How Kim Kardashian Became Involved

35:06 Alice Johnson Helps Topeka Get a Presidential Pardon

37:42 Trump Pardons Topeka and the Backlash Begins

40:13 Why She Works Across Political Lines

42:16 Restitution and the Punishment That Continues After Prison

44:07 What Topeka Is Building Now

#TopekaSam #TruthHurtsShow #PrisonReform

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