Joslyn talks to us about growing up in foster care, running away frequently and the rape that resulted in her daughter. Her bubbly personality is infectious despite all the trauma she has experienced.

Walk in my Shoes Podcast

Joslyn - Foster care, rape and her first child

Brandon is a 31 year old white man who talks to us about living with HIV, recovery from substance use disorder and his incredibly difficult childhood in foster care where he experienced abuse. 

Brandon - living with HIV, recovery and growing up in foster care

We sit down and chat with Eddie again, today we chat to him about his mental health and suicide attempts. He discusses how his struggles with his sexual orientation caused his first suicide attempt when he was 11 years old. *Explicit language*

Eddie Revisited - Suicide attempts, bipolar disorder and mental health challenges

Shelly is a 54 year old black woman from Newark, New Jersey. She is a wonderful role model to many. She lives with HIV, has 15 years in recovery from drug use and now works helping people who are newly diagnosed with HIV come to terms with that diagnosis. She talks about her spent time in prison for killing an abusive boyfriend, her HIV and how her husband dealt with her HIV diagnosis with great kindness.

Shelly - Living with HIV, abusive relationships and recovery

Erin is from Mexico, NY and currently lives in a local homeless shelter. She's trying hard to get back on her feet but continues to struggle to find housing. We talk through her life and discuss her plans to get married in December 2020. Donations to Erin's wedding dress can be made through Venmo @weddingdress2020

Erin - Living in a shelter, disability and the future

Mateo is a 24 year old transgender man from California. He's in his first year of law school but its taken an incredible journey to get there. Born into a highly conservative family with a pastor for a father, he grew up in a homophobic and trans phobic home. 

Mateo - law school, growing up in a conservative family and being transgender

Emily chats to us about the sexual abuse she experienced as a teen, her abusive marriage and her goals for the future.

Emily - escaping an abusive marriage, sex work and trauma

Amber is a 20 year old trans woman. She was "pimped out" when she was only 11 years old and tells us about her experiences. She explain the loneliness associated with being transgender and the challenges dating.

Amber: Dating as a trans-woman, sex trafficking and church

Cliff explains to us the work he does now to prevent violence after he lost his 17 year old son in a shooting several years ago. Cliff literally walks the streets with the goal of intercepting violence. We discuss the loss of his son and how he shows others different ways to resolve conflict.

Clifford: Preventing violence, gangs and the death of his 17 year old son

Ana'lise talks about her experiences with sexual abuse when she was 9 years old, we discuss the longer term mental health implications and how she's found love in her 3 year marriage to her wife.

Ana'lise: Sexual abuse, marriage at 18 and mental health challenges

Lanika is a 45 year old black woman from Syracuse, New York. She lost both her parents to the HIV epidemic. We talk about her mother's life and legacy, while exploring why people of color are more affected by HIV/AIDS and still face significant health disparities.

Lanika: Losing her parents to AIDS and honoring their legacy - World AIDS Day Special

Henry has never used drugs but he fell for a woman who did. He talks to us about how he got sucked into helping her get drugs, her using in his car and the codependency he developed as the relationship progressed.

Henry: Codependency and loving someone using heroin

Miguel explains what it was like to come out of prison after 18 years. He talks about his long affiliation with the Latin Kings gang and the importance of respect on the streets and in prison.  

Miguel: Life after prison, Latin Kings gang affiliation, and avoiding drugs

"Kim" is a young, bi-racial, transgender woman from Geneva, NY. She talks to us about realizing that she was transgender when she was around 4 years old and how she dealt with her family's negative reaction to her gender identity. We talk about her experience in college being outed by people she thought were her friends. 

Kim: Growing up transgender, passing and coming out

"Cody" is 21 years old and he's already spent 9 years in juvenile detention and prison. We explore his childhood and what led to an aggravated assault charge at 11 years old.

Cody: Juvenile detention, bloods affiliation & childhood abuse

We talk to people who face adversity in their lives everyday and explore what it is to be dependent on a drug like heroin, or to live with HIV, or to be transgender for example. We explore their day to day lives and delve into the circumstances that surround their life. *Explicit language*

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Walk in my Shoes Podcast

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