Hosted by Ivana Rojas, Between The Lines takes audiences behind the walls of the correctional facilities for a raw and unfiltered look at the true duality of human nature. We sit down directly with individuals serving time for severe offenses to uncover a profound reality, introducing you to some of the most deeply introspective minds you will ever hear. By sharing these untold stories of accountability and survival, we prove that genuine rehabilitation is possible and that a person is always more than their worst mistake. This podcast is not just an interview show; it is a blueprint for overcoming massive odds and a community for anyone fighting to rebuild their life from rock bottom. It is time to take the pen back, change the narrative, and read between the lines.
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#24 - After 7 Prison Terms, He Says He Finally Became a Man in His 50s
Monday, July 27, 2026 • Duration 36:57
Born in San Diego, Brian grew up as a Navy brat and says he came from a decent home. He played baseball, played football, and had opportunities — but the pull of gang life, street culture, money, anger, and identity led him down a path that kept bringing him back to prison.
In this episode of Between the Lines, Brian opens up about his seven prison terms, his struggle with authority, the lifestyle that shaped him, and the mindset that followed him for decades.
One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is when Brian talks about “the third man” — the mask he wore to hide his emotions, avoid vulnerability, and protect himself from being truly seen.
Now, at 55, Brian says he did not start becoming a man until his 50s.
Today, he says he wants to repair his relationships with his children, return to his community, and help young people understand who they are before the streets define them.
This is a story about prison cycles, identity, fatherhood, faith, accountability, vulnerability, and becoming a different man.
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#23 - After Years of Robberies, He Realized the Pain Started With His Father
Monday, July 20, 2026 • Duration 48:44
Frederick Bowden Jr. says he entered the streets at just 10 years old.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Frederick carried deep resentment toward his father. He wanted him to be a better husband, a better father, and a better example of what a man should be. Instead, Frederick says he ran to the streets, learned the wrong version of manhood, and eventually wanted to become “worse” than his father.
That pain shaped years of destructive choices.
Now, after 22 years incarcerated, Frederick looks back with a completely different understanding. Through self-help work, education, accountability, and a powerful timeline exercise, he began to see how much of his hurt came from his relationship with his father.
Before his father passed away, Frederick called him and told him he wanted to rebuild their relationship. His father agreed to stop drinking — and Frederick says he did. In one of the most emotional parts of this interview, Frederick shares how he was able to tell his father that he loved him, appreciated him, and forgave him before he passed away.
In this episode of Between the Lines, Frederick opens up about childhood trauma, growing up in the streets, prison, fatherhood, his daughter’s words, the ripple effect of his choices, and the forgiveness that changed the way he sees himself and others.
This is a story about resentment, accountability, fatherhood, healing, and the long road toward becoming a different man.
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#22 - Man Explains How He Walked Away From His Gang in Prison
Monday, July 13, 2026 • Duration 31:52
Alexis grew up in Union City in the East Bay Area, raised mostly by his mother. His father was alive, but not present in his life, and after losing a stepfather figure he had accepted, Alexis says he began drifting away from his family.
At 14, he started running with a gang.
At first, it felt like acceptance. It felt like belonging. But over time, what started small became more serious, and Alexis found himself living by a set of beliefs that pulled him farther from his family, his future, and the person he could have become.
In this episode of Between the Lines, Alexis opens up about joining gang life, leaving it behind in prison, entering recovery, finding faith, and learning what accountability really means.
He also speaks about the unconditional love of his mother, the moment he told her he was walking away from gang life, and the message he would give to his younger self:
Mom was still waiting for you to come home.
Today, Alexis says he is focused on recovery, faith, helping others, and proving through his actions that he is not the same person he used to be.
This is a story about belonging, consequences, accountability, faith, recovery, a mother’s love, and the belief that it is never too late to change.
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#21 - He Reached the Top of Gang Life… Then Realized It Gave Him Nothing
Monday, July 6, 2026 • Duration 35:25
Luis Lopez grew up in South Central Los Angeles, where the streets seemed to offer the things he felt were missing at home: acceptance, attention, money, status, and belonging.By 14, Luis says he had dedicated his life to gang culture. What started as a search for love and identity eventually led him into years of destructive choices, a life sentence, and the painful realization that the path he once gave everything to had given him nothing in return.In this episode of Between the Lines, Luis opens up about growing up as the oldest child, joining 18th Street, chasing reputation, becoming a father from prison, and the moment he realized the life he once believed in was not what he thought it was.Today, Luis says he is no longer the man he was in 2003.He has walked away from gang life, taken accountability for the harm he caused, and is working to become a better father, husband, and mentor. His message to young people is simple: it is not worth it.This conversation is about choices, consequences, fatherhood, accountability, and the possibility of change after years behind bars.
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#20 - He Has Life Without Parole… Now He Mentors Young Men in Prison
Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 31:59
Joe Moore has been incarcerated for 23 years and is serving life without parole. For years, he says anger, trauma, and violence shaped the way he saw himself and the world around him. But after years in prison, Joe says one prayer changed the direction of his life. Today, he has earned multiple degrees, found purpose through mentorship, and now works with young men entering prison so they do not have to go through the same obstacles he did. He may never go home. But he says he wants to help someone else make it home to their family sooner than he ever will.
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#19 - Former Content Creator Now Serving Life in Prison
Monday, June 22, 2026 • Duration 52:29
Before prison, Donel was filming interviews, building a YouTube channel, and chasing a dream. Then one night changed the course of his life forever.
In this conversation, he shares the story behind the 72-years-to-life sentence and the perspective he's gained since.
Interviewee: Donel Poston
Host: Ivana Rojas (@ivanareds)
Interview Date: April 16, 2026
About The Program:
Between The Lines is a nonprofit organization focused on reducing recidivism through mentorship, educational programming, and sports as a form of therapy. Additionally, we provide a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their unique stories, connecting them with the outside world and offering a deeper understanding of their experiences. Our mission is to build bridges between the incarcerated population and society, creating opportunities for growth and rehabilitation.
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#18 - Former Prison Shot Caller Explains How He Climbed the Ranks
Monday, June 8, 2026 • Duration 43:08
Teiquon Lewis is serving 150 years to life with five separate life sentences for second-degree robberies and attempted robbery as a third-strike case.
In this episode of Between the Lines, Teiquon opens up about growing up in Vallejo, California during the crack era. After losing his father at a young age and growing up around poverty, drugs, and street life, Tyquann says he became known in his town for the wrong things — selling drugs, robberies, and violence.
At 14 years old, he started selling crack. By 17, he tried the drug he was selling and says he was hooked from the first time. His life quickly shifted from making money to addiction, robberies, and repeated prison sentences.
After being sentenced to 150 years to life, Teiquon says he was angry at everyone except himself. That anger pulled him deeper into prison politics, where he became involved with prison gangs, drugs, violence, and life as a shot caller on Level 4 yards, including Pelican Bay and New Folsom.
But after losing family members, his wife, and decades of his life behind bars, Teiquon began asking himself who he really was and what kind of legacy he wanted to leave. Through faith, self-help programs, accountability, and service, he says he has become a changemaker — someone committed to helping others avoid the life that cost him everything.
This is a story about the crack era, addiction, three strikes sentencing, prison politics, power, loss, accountability, faith, and redemption.
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#17 - Life in Prison for a Robbery? Michael Montes Tells His Story
Monday, June 1, 2026 • Duration 01:00:24
Michael Montes is currently incarcerated for two counts of second-degree robbery and two counts of intimidating a witness from reporting a crime with gang enhancements. He has been locked up since 2009.
In this episode of Between the Lines, Michael opens up about growing up in Colton, California, surrounded by gang life, domestic violence, and chaotic environments that shaped what he thought was normal. His father, grandfather, uncles, and mother were all connected to gang culture, and Michael says he grew up wanting to be like the people around him.
At 19 years old, Michael confronted two men he believed had stolen from one of his friends. He took their belongings, punched one of them, and threatened them if they called police. At the time, he says he thought it was “nothing.” But because of the charges and gang enhancements, he received a life sentence.
Michael was eventually sent to Pelican Bay, where he says he had to adapt to one of the most intense prison environments in California. For years, he wore a mask, tried to survive, and continued living out the destructive identity he had carried most of his life.
But through disappointment, accountability, education, the Defy program, carpentry, Healing Through Art, and learning how to serve others, Michael says his life began to change. Today, he says he wants to use his story to help young people, support those impacted by domestic violence, and show others that there is another way.
This is a story about childhood trauma, gang life, domestic violence, accountability, prison, transformation, service, and finding purpose after a life sentence.
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#16 - He Murdered a Witness… Then One Letter From His Daughter Broke Him
Monday, May 25, 2026 • Duration 53:51
Saahdi Coleman is serving 84 years, eight months to life for murder, arson, and discharge of a firearm.
In this episode of Between the Lines, Saahdi opens up about the childhood trauma that shaped him, including the moment he walked in on his father attempting suicide while on drugs when he was just 11 years old. After his parents became addicted to crack cocaine, his life changed overnight. He became homeless, searched for acceptance, and eventually found himself surrounded by gang members who gave him the identity he was desperate to find.
By 16, Saahdi says he was walking a prison mainline with grown men. Instead of rehabilitation, he says prison trained him to become a better criminal. Years later, after being released, he lived a double life — trying to build a family while still holding onto the gang lifestyle that would eventually lead to murder.
About The Program:
Between The Lines is a nonprofit organization focused on reducing recidivism through mentorship, educational programming, and sports as a form of therapy. Additionally, we provide a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their unique stories, connecting them with the outside world and offering a deeper understanding of their experiences. Our mission is to build bridges between the incarcerated population and society, creating opportunities for growth and rehabilitation.
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#15 - He Was 11 When Gang Life Found Him... Now He's Serving Life
Monday, May 18, 2026 • Duration 28:07
Daniel Nunez is serving life without parole for aiding and abetting murder. In this episode of Between the Lines, Daniel opens up about growing up without his father, being surrounded by gang life at a young age, and how he started believing prison was simply the life he was meant to live.
After nearly 20 years in prison, Daniel reflects on regret, accountability, fatherhood, and the moment he realized he had been “lying to himself.” Today, he mentors others, helps men earn their GED, and says his sons are his reason for living.
If you want to support Daniel Nunez directly on his journey through rehabilitation, use the GiveButter link below and choose his name.
https://givebutter.com/btlpod
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