365. Good Humans of 2022: JJ Velasquez

This episode is part of our special Good Humans series chronicling incredible conversations with some of the most inspiring people. Learn more about Good Humans here.

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Overview

Meet JJ. He’s worked tirelessly to redefine the humanity of incarcerated people . Even while spending 24 years incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, he seized every opportunity to learn, lead, support and give to others. This fierce advocate for justice holds many titles including son, dad and grandpa. He’s co-founder of Voices From Within, an educational program addressing gun violence in New York City as well as Program Director at The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice. From Sing Sing prison to the West Wing. From a prison classroom to Columbia University. JJ will quiet your shock and bitterness and replace it with hope and belief in second chances. This is a conversation about humanity. About redemption. About chasing justice rather than vengeance. And about how each of us have a role to play in equalizing and humanizing each other. Thank you for modeling it first, JJ.

Today’s Guest

JJ Velasquez, Justice Policy Consultant, Program Director & Partnership Coordinator of The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice and Co-Founder of Voices from Within

“When people start to believe in others, those individuals are empowered to believe in themselves.”

— JJ Velasquez, Justice Policy Consultant

Episode Transcript

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Episode Highlights

JJ’s childhood growing up (3:30)
Re-defining the humanity of men inside the system (26:00)
Redemption + Where he’s found hope (45:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in JJ’s life (56:20)
JJ’s One Good Thing: What defines me is not the time I lost, but the time I donated. (1:02:20)
JJ’s favorite human quality: humility. (1:03:40)
How to connect with JJ (1:04:00)

Powerful quotes

“I would never want to relive it over again, but I found purpose there.” -JJ

“I’ve always had influence over people. When I was playing sports I was the captain, in school my classmates really listened to me and had me as a spokesperson, so in prison, these old timers were able to see something in me that I had not yet put together. I wasn’t aware of the influence that I had.” -JJ

“I felt helpless in terms of being able to overturn my case. I felt helpless in terms of being a father and a son to a mother.” -JJ

“When people start to believe in others, those individuals are empowered to believe in themselves.” -JJ

“These are the things that helped me survive. I felt so helpless for the people I love. What I did know was that the people that were around me, I could help.” -JJ

“We don't have to wait for something to happen to respond.” -JJ

“We need to start preventing these things from happening. The best place for us to start that mission would be with our youth. We're under estimating our youth.” -JJ

“Let’s be the humanity we want to see in the world.” -Becky

“It is not the duration of your life that matters, it is the donation you make to life that really counts.” -JJ