In this episode, we sit down with Danny Ratliff, author of From Doing Meth Shards to Running Prison Yards. After his first conviction—charges tied to operating a meth lab—Danny was thrown headfirst into the realities of prison life. With no prior experience inside, he quickly learned that survival meant alignment, ultimately joining a branch of the Aryan Brotherhood.

Danny takes us through his transformation from a nobody to a shot caller, sharing gripping stories from inside and key moments from his book. He also opens up about how he shifted his mindset, earned work release, and walked out the door on his earliest possible release date. A major part of that journey? His fiancée, Jerry—who never stopped reminding him what truly mattered: family, focus, and life after prison.

This is a powerful conversation about survival, choices, accountability, and the possibility of change.

Danny’s book is available anywhere books are sold. (https://amzn.to/3Zp7RLC)

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Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

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The views shared by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts. This podcast provides a platform for people to share their experiences and perspectives. Listeners should verify information and form their own opinions.

In this episode, we sit down with Nancy Peters, a Connecticut-based advocate who recently founded Brothers and Sisters United in Action (BSUACT)—an organization born from lived experience, resilience, and a deep commitment to justice.

Nancy shares how her journey into advocacy began, the moments that pushed her from silent supporter to active organizer, and why she chose to create BSUACT as a space for families, loved ones, and community members to come together and demand change. We talk about the emotional toll of advocacy, the importance of collective action, and what it really takes to challenge a system that thrives on isolation and silence.

This conversation isn’t just about incarceration—it’s about unity, hope, and the power of ordinary people standing together to fight for reform and a reimagined future for those impacted by the system.

If you’ve ever wondered how advocacy starts, how movements grow, or how you can be part of meaningful change, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Find us on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

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We’re opening 2026 with a conversation every mother needs to hear—even if she hopes she never will.

In this episode, I sit down with Black Sheep Mom, a registered psychologist and the voice behind a powerful Substack blog, to talk about what happens when your child goes down a dark path—and the world decides they were destined to fail.

As both a mental health professional and a mother of an incarcerated son, Black Sheep Mom offers rare insight into the shame, grief, and emotional isolation mothers carry when their child is criminalized—often after years of being overlooked, mislabeled, and set up for failure as early as high school.

We talk about:

• The quiet shame mothers are taught to carry

• Processing guilt when you “did everything right”

• How systems fail kids long before prison does

• Why judgment hurts more than the sentence

• And how to survive emotionally when motherhood doesn’t look the way you imagined

This episode isn’t about crime—it’s about humanity, resilience, and the truth no one warns mothers about.

Because you never think it will be you… until it is.

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Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BestSelf Publications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to purchase books by incarcerated authors and help in supporting their rehabilitation.

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Our 2025 finale features Heather and Andrew — the sweetest couple with a love story that starts in the most unexpected place: a gas station parking lot. A window knock turned into inseparability, but addiction quickly complicated their relationship.
What followed were painful cycles, failed rehab attempts, broken trust, and eventually Andrew’s incarceration. But that wasn’t the end — it was the beginning of their rebuilding.
Now both sober, living deliberately through NA, and fully committed to one another, Heather and Andrew show us what real recovery and real partnership looks like. Their energy together is infectious, their love is obvious, and interviewing them as a couple was one of our favorite experiences yet.

Find us on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

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In this heartfelt episode, Julia shares what it looks like to parent with a partner who’s incarcerated — and how her husband refuses to let distance define his role as a father. From teaching her daughter how to ride a bike during a video visit (with the whole unit cheering her on) to attending every doctor’s appointment for their autistic child, he shows that fatherhood doesn’t end at intake.
Julia opens up about how he’s become a mentor to other incarcerated dads, encouraging them to keep reaching out to their children even when the relationship feels broken. She describes how they “bring guys along” for virtual movie nights, girl-time face masks, and family moments they might otherwise miss.
This experience has changed Julia’s life too — so much so that she’s now pursuing law school, fueled by a passion for legislative change and a deep belief that her husband might never have reoffended if the right support had existed. This conversation is tender, inspiring, and a testament to what family can look like in impossible circumstances.

Find us on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BestSelf Publications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to purchase books by incarcerated authors and help in supporting their rehabilitation.

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In this follow-up episode, we sit down with Matt — the husband of our Canadian prison wife from last month — to pull back the curtain on what incarceration actually looks like in Canada. Matt explains how Canada eliminated solitary confinement and why that unexpected change has made prisons safer for both staff and incarcerated people. He walks us through the process for conjugal visits, the surprising “creature comforts” men receive inside, and how wages, communication, and day-to-day life compare to what we see in the U.S. From $6-an-hour work programs to unlimited, affordable phone calls, Matt gives us an honest, eye-opening look at a system that operates very differently from the one most of our listeners know.

Find us on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BestSelf Publications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to purchase books by incarcerated authors and help in supporting their rehabilitation.

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QTM is back — and she’s holding nothing back.
In February, we introduced you to QTM, a woman preparing to finally be with her man after his long prison stint. She walked us through their first Valentine’s Day together, their first intimate moments, and the excitement of building a life with someone who’d been gone for so long.

Now, months later, she returns with an update that’s brutally honest, emotional, and so real.

This episode dives into the actual work that comes after the homecoming: navigating new expectations, rebuilding trust, and dealing with the very human mistakes that happen when someone has been institutionalized for years. QTM opens up about indiscretions, frustrations, loneliness, and the pressure of constantly trying to keep the peace.

But she doesn’t stop there.

By the end of the episode, QTM makes a promise — not just to us, but to herself:
the next few months are about finding her identity again, creating boundaries, and learning how to love without losing herself.

If you’ve ever loved someone coming home from prison, you’ll feel this one in your chest. QTM shares her truth so others don’t feel alone walking this complicated journey.

Find us on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BestSelf Publications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to purchase books by incarcerated authors and help in supporting their rehabilitation.

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When we first met Sheena, we didn’t know where her story would go. What began as a typical tale of young love and bad decisions evolved into something deeply powerful. She met Joe when she was young and naive—he was the gang-affiliated bad boy, and she was drawn in. Their relationship became a cycle of chaos, addiction, and pain. When Joe disappeared, Sheena tried to move on, becoming a mother and surviving life in a trap house she barely understood.

Years later, their paths crossed again and again—each time filled with love, heartbreak, and the weight of their past. Eventually, Joe went to prison, and Sheena made the choice to walk away for good, focusing on herself for the first time. She rebuilt her life—became a business owner, a homeowner, a thriving mom. But while she was growing, so was Joe. Behind bars, he sought mentorship from elders, enrolled in business school, and began transforming himself.

From afar, Sheena watched the man she once loved evolve—and slowly, they found their way back to each other. Today, their relationship is healthy, safe, and full of mutual respect. This is the kind of story every person caught in a toxic relationship needs to hear: that choosing yourself doesn’t mean losing love—it just means making room for the right version of it.

Find us on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Jae's husband Nicholas Ely on Facebook "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More Than An Inmate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" or the Facebook group "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠End Felony Murder Rule in Nebraska⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"

Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BestSelf Publications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to purchase books by incarcerated authors and help in supporting their rehabilitation.

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