Hello, and welcome to the Borealis experience. I'm

your host Aurora. And I'm very excited to be posting this

interview for you with Gianna Steen and Reginald Joseph, a

conversation among warriors about guys who are so inspiring

and they share just such beautiful stories. You also

touched on racism and how Reginald approached a very

racist situation back then when he was 17. Enjoy our

conversation, and I'll be out there very soon again for you.

Bye.

Okay, I'm john Epstein. I am the founder and president of any

second wind nonprofit organization. I have served over

20 years on 150 centers on nonviolent drug charge. Now that

I have my freedom, working towards helping others serve are

now and helping them best what I can.

My name is Reginald Joseph and I live here in Florida. I, my

father of six. Each and every one of them have grown and doing

well. I guess I linked up with john esteem through my brother

who played football with him in college, he knew that I knew him

from college. And I've been on this path of motivating and

encouraging people for a very long time. It's I think it's

been my life's calling to be that type of person. And so I

was on a mission to get some things started here. And my

brother introduced me to john. I don't know how the conversation

went between himself in john, but he told john that he needed

to meet me. So we linked up, I immediately noticed that we had

a lot in common, I'd never served time in prison. But I've

faced many adversities out here in the world. And it seemed to

put us on basically the same type of path, wanting to give

back wanting to encourage, but also wanted to see people reach

the pinnacle of success in whatever form of fashion that

may be whether being released from prison or being encouraged

and empowered, during their time in prison. As well as out here

in the world, being able to maneuver and manipulate

situations to the point where it always empowered myself or

empower that individual, encourage them to do better and

be better. And to be a better example to to the youth. I think

that's very important that we talk about, we always talk a

good game about how the world is changing, and what things need

to take place. But this world, but we never emphasize or

EMPHASIZE ENOUGH importance of education and educating our

youth. And that not only goes with classroom education, it's

about our morals, and educating them on having a higher self of

self esteem. We're going to all face adversities through every

day of our life, there are things that we go through just

to get us to the next point. And I just believe that we

encouraged through our, our life experience, I go through things,

but you don't have to know what I'm going through because of how

I react, you've got to see me encouraged, you got to see me

happy. And that there is going to encourage you and give you a

sense of empowerment that you can do to no matter what your

situation is. And I think that's how john and I are both kind of

motivated to see this thing. And to help as many people as we

can.

That is so beautiful. And the Borealis experience here is also

about showing to the world that there's such good masculine role

models out there. Because I feel there's a lot of men in power

right now that Miss guide their their power, their influence,

and they misuse it and use it against women and guys, and this

is why I feel it's so important to have you on my show because

especially when it comes to you, john, there is so much judgment

when it comes to People who came out of jail that people say no,

that person was bad in the past, they will never change, they

have no chance in society. And I want to change that image, I

want to show people that people deserve second chances, and that

there is strong, beautiful masculine role models out there.

And we just got to focus more on that we have to take the focus

away from these aggressive bullies, and put the focus on

guys who have really good intentions and who have learned

from their mistakes. So, john, if you want to maybe share a

little bit more of your story, and how you got back into

society now. And maybe some of the adversity that you have

encountered, and maybe beautiful experiences that you went

through now that you've out there in the world again. Yes.

was not an easy gone to prison. made, I think it all stems from

me coming back from war. I came back from war couldn't really

find myself, I was lost. And now we're looking to see what

direction to go in. And, unfortunately, I've got hooked

up with friends that were doing wrong things. And I had got to

hip to doing things like that. While I was in war, so I was I

did things at war, and Saudi Arabia that I have never done in

my life. So it kind of brought me to the kind of transformed me

to another person, a person that I wasn't brought up to be. So

when I came home with that same mindset, it was easy for me to

fall in a traps of doing things that I don't supposed to be

doing. And it led me to do my first tool in prison. And that

was Pensacola, Florida. The softball field is a federal

prison camp. My first conviction ever young man, still trying to

find myself. And I did three and a half years there, and I came

home it kind of like scared me straight for a little while. I

was married to my wife and the young lady that I met in

college, not playing football. We missed the regionals,

brother. So I'm home now and I'm working, everything working out

good for me, then that has got that charge and I got the people

I met new people that was doing what I did before. So quite

naturally, I kind of lean towards that we made extra money

is all about me. It was about making extra money is what

nothing else is wanted. I guess some people say it was selfish

motives. And I do believe that too. But I'm so had good

intentions. I want to take care of my family, my son. And now I

do have a son. He's our attorney now. So I'm proud of him.

Despite my downfall. He's he persevered and became a fine

young man, you know, so I'm proud of that. I'm glad I'm

thank God for that. And so now that I'm home came home from the

federal penitentiary around, I say 95 and 1998, I caught my

second charge, led me to Angola state prison was at one time the

most bloodiest prison in the world. And it seemed to calm

down a whole lot since we had a pro, a warden, by the name of

bro Kane, who would change the face of Angola would would

charge you with religion. So that was a good thing. So when I

get to Angola, you know, it was kind of shocked to me, it was

like it was on a world of his own. And I just couldn't believe

I was in there. But have a lot of distractions while there. And

I know I had a son for the years of my head that I don't do

anything about it. My feed would end right there, right there in

Angola. And, but what triggered me now we never talked to

original. And I realized that I realized that what triggered me

to fight the way I did for my freedom. And that's it. When I

was a color God, an angle on what was our head of veteran

program. And we would deal with buried out on. You see, and I

mentioned that to you before. And but as I reiterate, that is

not the thing that came up to my mind was that when that when I

seen that man that we bear going ahead and going around that big

ol dark hole, and it touched me I like I felt his pain, I felt

his family pain, I felt, they just came something came over me

that brought tears to my eyes. And I felt also I realized that

at that moment, it's like the old me was dying with that man.

And that ground going that ground with him. And that

changed me I was prior to that all I was doing was playing

sports.

The good thing I was doing is getting educated. I gotten a

Bible college that they had in Angola. So I got my own

bachelor's degree in Christian ministry. Then I got a

horticulture certification. So we're doing positive things. And

I was a leader there in Angola. So I taught a lot of classes,

their leadership classes. See.

So

all that add up to like, what am I going to do, and lay down on

my get up and fight and gain my freedom? The best way I know

how, and I decided to fight. It was that moment that I saw that

guy being buried. It touched me that much to make me grew up at

that moment there man and stand up for myself. And I have no

pity party and getting them Law Library and learn the law as it

pertained to my situation. And put God first half the room had

to put I put God first learned that, well, God all things are

possible. And I stuck with that. And I believe that my whole

heart. And I knew that God worked through us, not for us.

So knowing these things, helped me, the owner to stay on the

straight and narrow and the focus on my freedom as map

eautiful you want to start a podcast, where you encourage and

motivate people. And was Reginald, you guys want to want

to start a big project? What do you guys would like to share

with us?

Live resin? We'll talk about that. Yeah, please help me a lot

with my nonprofit filming things cutting, pasting, and he doesn't

beautiful things from me. And I like to him to elaborate on

that. Yes.

I've always been a writer since a kid. But um, I'd like to

comment one thing on on what john was saying. As far as

laying down or getting up and fighting. I think you have an

uncanny ability to block things out. One thing about me when I

run, I can run I used to run in a military and I would when I

went to Ranger School, I was always the guy out with the guy

on I would run up mountains and I was I could run distance. When

it came to running laps around a track. I couldn't do it. I was I

was very ineffective, basically, because I would count those laps

and how many more I had left, and it would really cancel it

out for me. So I was very effective at running. But if I

got out and I had to go seven miles out, I didn't have miles

to count I just ran You know, I'm saying and what you did was

with 150 use in my opinion, is I've never had to experience it

at that magnitude. But in my my opinion 150 years most people

would just settle would just give up would lay down and say

you know what, there's no fight left in me because what am I

gonna fight for 150 communities. This is what I got to do. I'm

dying, right? But you failed, you refuse to lay down because

you're able to block that out and I applaud that. And that's

an ability that I hope I can find in me at some point. That

extreme but as far as the big project

I

my my whole I guess makeup has been to help people to give back

to do what I could to be a selfless person. Selfish in the

sense that I put me first I my happiness is important to me.

But to be able to be a value, everything about me must be a

value to other people to help them grow, to help them get

better to help them see better and to do better. And working

with john, I see greater possibilities and everything

that I want to do that I need to do or aspire to do. Because we

have a we have like mind, we like minded individuals, we have

a lot in common as far as a military background. He went to

prison, but I, I was I faced adversity in the sense that my

father didn't raise, he went out and he adopted another family

and he denied my brothers. And he read, he retired from General

Motors 33 years, we never saw any of the benefits. My mother

saw not a lick of child support. And it hurt me all the way

through my adult life. I was searching for my purpose. When I

always knew what my purpose was, it was just hard to grasp what

my true purpose. Without that father figure, I had a mother, a

single mother raising three boys, and tend to be men, she

couldn't do it. So naturally, as the oldest, I get into trouble,

I didn't have a father there to teach me how not to make certain

mistakes. So how to make better decisions. So I had to learn a

lot on my own. But one day, I came to a point where I was I

was sick and tired of being sick and tired, if that makes any

sense to me. If I was 17 years old, and I got kicked out of

high school for fighting, and it was a senior year, and I told my

mother that I wasn't going to transfer to another school, I

was just gonna get a GED. And I said, You know what, I'm gonna

go to the army, forget college, I'm gonna go to the army. And

the day I was having that conversation with her, I got the

knock on the door. And I knew who it was, but I was

surrendered to what I was going to do. I was done with the old

stuff. And I was I was on to something better. And so I

opened the door and they told me, let's go man. And I was

like, Nope, not doing that anymore. I'm done with it. I'm

going into the army. And when I closed the doors last time I saw

them, those guys. they wound up they were two brothers, they

wound up in Angola, 124 years of peace for what they did that

night that they came to get me. That's right. 124 years with no

chance of parole for two counts of armed robbery in the state of

Louisiana at the time it was 99 years max sentence and 25 years

minimum. So they got two counts. And I went on. And my third day

in basic training. I was used in very spiritual way to change a

man's life. He was a racist. He was a professed racist, and he

was saying things and everybody wanted to get him. And at 17

years old, I didn't know much about life. I didn't know much

about, you know, scriptures and Bible anything like but

something in me rose up and I was able to go over and have a

conversation with this man. And he was an older guy. He was like

27 years old with a wife and kids and I was just snot nosed

kid off the block. I didn't know anything about anything. But the

conversation between the two of us left him in tears. And he

became one of my best friends in life changed his life from being

a racist to embracing diversity. And that's what I am I'm drawn

to that every time I talk with john St. And I'm drawn to

memories of that of my purpose is greater than what I've what I

could ever imagine. And there's so many great things that I'm

still get to do. And being that we the same age we kind of

timetable is really it's like, we don't have to race we don't

have to rush we don't have to fight against it. We just have

to relax into the flow of it and just be who and allow things to

come together. So the podcast, my podcast is choking on cigar

smoke and choking on cigar smoke, you know that the phrase

close but no cigar.

choking on cigar smoke means that you want it so much that

you can't even handle it. You don't even learn how to handle

so what we need to do is take To time Be patient, and focus our

efforts on being positive and happy. And educating ourselves

and therefore educating the youth. Therefore, the recidivism

rate, which John's mission is, it's curbing that recidivism,

it's, it's kind of bringing the diminishing that where there

won't be as many people going in and out of prison, and things of

that nature is really cultivating in saving the family

aspect. So that's what my goal is. And I think we're gonna make

a powerful statement in regards to family in regards to

education in regards to a recidivism rate.

Yeah, this is such an incredible mission. And I know you guys

will make such a big impact and change in society, all around

the world. And one thing I wanted to add to that is, when

it comes to criminal energy, john Astin, like said, he was

very selfish, he wanted to, yeah, earn a little bit of

money. But it was to be a provider, you want it to be a

provider for your family and help support them. So with a lot

of people who commit crimes, I feel they are extremely

intelligent, and know how to function and organize and

network, and then they get into jail. And most of the time,

horrible things happen in jail that so that when they get out

of jail, they're completely lost and don't know what to do. But

if you can now channel that energy, that energy that was

misguided, at the start channel into goodness, and helping

others, then you can create incredible things. And I feel

this is what you guys will be doing, you will pick up guys who

are lost, and maybe broken, and give them a purpose and give

them a sense of self and make them feel needed in our society

again, because that's what is lacking. Right now people come

out, beat up, and then are forced through administration

and are being judged by other people. And you guys are kind of

the supporting that who can receive them and help them into

a new direction. Did I get this right?

I think so. I also the point where john, his son, becoming a

responsible individual, despite his father being sentenced to

150 years in penitentiary, it was because of your refusal to

lay down your work ethic, your constant aggression towards

doing something proactive, yes, that would constantly teaching

your son, he couldn't give up because he wasn't being taught

to give up. He was watching you, and being empowered. So he can't

give up and he'll pass that on to his, his offspring. And all

of those around them, they'll, that energy will, will transfer

into their lives if if they so desire, but I believe that it's

just like I said, my values, not only for me, but more

importantly for those around me, especially my offspring, and my.

And that's why I believe you and I attract so strongly because

we've shared that share that same sentiment of positive

strong work ethic, work ethic, and the refusal to quit. I just,

I just can't quit at 53 years old man, I just I got I got more

energy than I did at 29. That's really, I truly do not thoughts,

and I get so many wonderful thoughts on how to I mean,

business and just everything I got into a PhD program because I

couldn't stop learning. I was just, I finished my master's and

I was like, Okay, I'm done with learn. And then I went got a

master's in screenwriting. And I said, Okay, I gotta do something

with this. So I thought I'd get the PhD in psychology to kind of

change the way things work in Hollywood. And I met john St.

Then my purpose was was reborn, it seems, you know, yes, this is

what it's about. So yeah, I agree with everything you said,

or, and I agree with everything John's and I'm just more than

happy to be on this journey.

So beautiful

and rich.

And you did The same good thing like john esteem did for his son

you did for your children and making that huge decision that

night that you're not going to go out and commit a crime,

right? You had to say, No, I made my decision, and I'm going

to the army, and it's gonna give me structure. And that was such

a huge, huge decision that you're gonna look at and feel so

inspired by to.

And it was only it was only a three and a half years later

that I had my first job three and a half years later. So I

mean, things work out the way they're supposed to, I believe,

but you have a specific responsive ability to ensure

that it does go through at the moment that it's supposed to go

through. If not, I mean, it's not to say that it won't happen.

But it's gonna take some time to get back to. And I feel like the

obstacles on either side. Yeah, obstacles on either side, there,

my focus should be on my goal, line, my purpose in my path with

the goal, and those obstacles won't be a distraction to me,

because I don't focus my attention on those obstacles, I

focus on my goal, because those obstacles are going to be there.

Regardless. If I put time into studying and being depressed and

being sad and angry, I'm wasting time, time is something you can

never ever, ever get back. So I'm going to put my time on

realizing my goals and, and focusing on my purpose, and then

things will be fine as what I believe.

And I just got really good news that our zoom meeting can be

extended a little bit, so we don't have to stop in five

minutes. That's awesome. Maybe content is so great.

Yes, yes. Nothing, um, I like to express two is the guys that I

was in Costa Rica with. They all need some type of positive

influence, leadership. And I thank God that He allowed to use

me for part of that. And when my case hit nhc guy, these guys see

my whole walk for 18 plus years in Angola. And to see the end

result of it, the end positively. It changed. It

changed many of their lives. And I'm and I'm thankful for that.

And I give God glory. Because it wasn't for him. I wouldn't be

here talking to either one of you today. I know this, because

I know I'd be stuck in that trap, knowing what Jonathan

wants to do. But I can do what john Astin wanted to do. I had

to put what john has been wanting to do and put what's

more important is what does says alone. You see, and I learned

that and and you benefit more, of course. Um, but it's one

thing that stuck out to me one inmate because a lot of inmates

went home on my, on my case. Before I did, I never went home

on my case. So I will clear that up, too. I never did go home my

case ever. I'm still on parole. Right now. I have 80 years of

parole because I have 80 years left to serve, because I left 80

years early because they brought me out. I had 150 years. I did

20 so I don't even know what the rest. See, you know, and that's

crazy. I know. And I'm still fighting that but it's one me

out on them. They went home before me. They're really his

name was Cushing. Nellie is Italian that oh my guess even my

age but he just wasn't in he wasn't healthy condition. He was

in a wheelchair. And I never knew my case affected him. He

was on he shot. And that was on a West show. So we don't really

see each other. Okay, even though we're in the same area,

but is separated. I was going to see my lawyer just particular

day by my situation. I was waiting in line. And I'm it's

close to where we visited and connected to the visit is a

medical everybody has to go to the medical before they go home.

You had to do checkup not everything blood work the whole

night. Everything. So just particularly this guy was going

home on an SDN case. And as he was being pushed up past me, I

know a couple of guys also waiting for the lawyers acts

Cuccinelli. Man where you've gone. He said, Man, I'm going

home. And they asked him how are you? Going on what happened

which case you use what what was going on? He said man st in case

he asked me in case with SDN sitting right there. He say

what? So he turned got the guy push him turn his wheelchair

around and catch on once I got up to walk towards him, it will

hit his, he can loot chunky little white guy, you know,

little talion guy had a little ball cap on his head. And he

said, st come here. So I walked toward him. And I say, Man,

look, go enjoy your life, man. That is good. He said, Can I

shake your hand? I said, Yeah, sure. So he grabbed my hand and

put it place it down here on his chest by his heart. And it's put

his head down and I felt number of materials of water on my

hand. And tears coming my eyes because it was a moment touching

to me, you know, to see a grown man cry, you know, or something

that God gave me the wisdom to overcome. You see, and I never

forget that moment. And that's why I'm doing what I'm doing

today is because of a moments like that. You know, you know

people are showing how they appreciate him. And man is blow

it blows my mind I got chills right now just telling you

because it's so real to me. So real. You know, it's like also

when I come out the gate, get my freedom my mom and dad they're

waiting on me to see me seeming cross that threshold. from

bondage to freedom.

Freedom. Can I say something right quick? Yes, I don't want

to cut you off jam but my stance on things man is just just given

me energy man. Um, yes. You said that you wanted to do if it

wasn't for God, you would do what john wanted to do. Just

because of God that john is doing what john wants to john

wanted to be this way all his life. JOHN had to go through

trials and tribulations and places and a man to get to where

you are right now. Tell me about your mom saying what she said to

you in court that day.

man that was that was

that moment. with with with the Italian guy. Goshen said the

same? Cush, personality, nearly, you'll never forget that moment.

Right? You'll never forget the moment when they told you, you

were going home, you'll never forget the day you got home,

you'll never forget those moments, because they are going

to keep you in subjection to your purpose. And that's what

that's what that's the kind of stuff I'm telling you that I

feed off those types of moments that I never forget, that did

still draw me up. Look at you, man, you got tears in your eyes

right now. Because of those moments, you'll never get them.

They're gonna keep driving you to fulfill your purpose, to

fulfill your purpose every single day. And that's not the

right thing. And it's not because not you're doing what

you want to do. Everything that we go through with the Bible

says that all things work together for good, right? Yes,

right. Everything you've ever experienced, is working out the

way it's supposed to some of the things that some of the

decisions you made cause you to have to endure certain other

aspects. But you are right where you supposed to be. And you've

gone through everything that you were supposed to go through for

that particular purpose. And some of it we don't even we

haven't even realized yet is greater graders come greatest

coming. And all these moments are preparing you for those

greater moments leveling up. So, Zack,

I appreciate that. Man, I see why it's my encouragement right

here. You see that?

Yeah.

so beautifully said. And if I can add this, there's tree seeds

out here. We have pine trees, where the seeds have to go

through fire in order to ignite in order to grow a new tree. And

I feel there's people out there. And I think all three of us are

those those kind of people. We had to go through health through

fire in order to unlock our purpose and to be the people

around us to be here. And it's so incredibly precious to have

you guys here. Like I have goosebumps all over

them. And I feel for all three of us. Again, the moment we

realized that if we don't fight for ourselves, we're going to

let so many people down. We're not going to live our purpose

and In not doing so, we're not going to be able to support

others. And the moment we realized, oh my god, we can help

someone else to freedom and happiness is so empowering and

you feel like you cannot give up. You have to fight not only

for yourself, but for others too.

Yeah,

I agree, every everything, everything, even the things that

you said about how my Facebook messages encourage you, the

things that john said, that is just more seems like ammunition

in put into my, into my weapon, more strength, more power, to go

out and combat and fight against the adversities that people

experience every day, the systemic racism, the in

justices, all these things. It's like, you can't push my button

unless I put it out.

exam.

I'm not going to ever when I wake up in the morning, my first

thoughts are positive. My last thoughts before I go to bed are

positive thoughts. And that reinforces when I wake up in the

morning, I'm waking up with positive thoughts. I get up, I

do my exercise, I get myself cleaned up, and I'm ready to go

for the day. And it's non stop until I'm going to sleep. And

I'm having fun and loving every moment of it. Because I feel

like I'm fulfilling my life's purpose. There have been times

and I'm sure you both have experienced this. It's not easy

every day. Sometimes I get to the point where I say man, I'm

so sick of people and their their selfishness and they their

carelessness. And they set these bad examples for one another,

and they hate on each other. And then next moment said, but

that's where I come in to set the good examples and to

encourage people. And it may not be a million people saying I

like what you're doing or saying giving good comments. But I've

gotten messages through Facebook Messenger. I've gotten text

messages where people who won't comment on Facebook for whatever

reason. They give me words of encouragement said please keep

doing what you're doing. If I go a day without posting a message,

or I'm late posting it, for whatever reason, I get a message

saying Hey, man, what's up with the message because I didn't

know that message. And so those type of things. That's the ammo

being put into my weapon. Yeah, keep firing, keep firing and

keep fighting. Because I can't stop. I won't stop. And the

thing is, I don't want to stop. I'm looking for ways I'm looking

for connections with other like minded individuals to make this

thing work. Because people need help. People need help. And it

takes people like us to be willing, not just able, but

willing to continue to fight. There's a talk about the Bible.

And Jesus says Jesus chose 12 ordinary men to be his apostles.

Right? 12 ordinary men, no, they weren't scholars and people of

great stature. They were just ordinary men. And the difference

in those guys were they were willing to follow Him and to do

what he said to do and interpret it. How you will, that's the way

I interpret it. I'm willing to go I'm not the smartest

individual, I'm not the strongest. I'm not the most

skill that this or that. But I am very willing to learn and I'm

very willing to put forth 100% effort to make it work. And

that's what counts. That's what gets me by every single day. And

Lincoln with people like that. My energy goes from, am I gonna

say zero to 100 and say 100 to 1000? Because I know then, you

know, it's like being in in a group of people, group of

friends, right? And you go out and you experience some trouble,

say some, some some crazy person is wanting to fight, right,

whatever. And if you're alone, this group of guys come over,

they want to hurt you. You're vulnerable. But if you've got

your team with you, you feel empowered. And that's what I

feel. Being around like minded minded individuals. I have a

team strength to help fortify what my goal is. Yeah.

Yeah. One thing I didn't forget, that you mentioned earlier, is

that you had a conversation with that guy and the military You

changed him from being a racist to being an open, open minded

person. Can you share with us what you talk with him? Do you

remember the words or?

Absolutely, yeah, I mean, this is a story. Like I said, you'll

never forget those moments. I was sitting on my bunk I was

raised by, like I said, my mother and my grandmother,

right? So one thing was very, very clear to once you get up in

the morning, and you make your bed, never sit on the bed. So I

didn't sit on my bed, and I didn't want anybody else sitting

on my bed. So when we make our bunks in an army, you know

yourself, john, we make them Chris about a quarter of those

things, right? And so I'm there by my Warlock, and I hear this,

everybody's really getting angry. I'm, I'm clueless, like,

what is going on. And I hear this guy yelling out his racist

comments and statements and calling people names. And I take

a peek around, and I look. And I see this little sawed off white

guy, nice little tank looking at. But he's not afraid that we

got I got a guy my bunk buddy was a guy by the name of Tim

Jones from Columbus, Georgia, he was a big country boy football

player. So he's probably like, six, four, he was a big man. And

this little sort of guys over Italian like he me afraid and

nothing, and he must really be full of hate, is what I'm

thinking. But being 17 years old, straight off the block. I

didn't know much of anything. I stopped going to church years

before that. So I couldn't quote scriptures or anything like

that. The only scripture that I was familiar with basically, the

roll off my tongue was For God so loved the world that He gave

His only begotten son and the shortest scripture in the Bible,

Jesus wept. And I wasn't over there trying to say those things

to him. Something rose up in me. And I went around the wall

locker, and I sat on that guy's bed, this racist guy, I sat on

his bed. And I said, Man, sit down and talk to me said, What?

Yeah. And I said, Man, please just sit down and talk to him.

And we talked for maybe 45 minutes, people would pass by

looking and snarling. And we don't get you a nice things. But

I was able to hold his attention because I listened to what he

was saying. And the thing that I said to him that I think really

made a difference was you're white, and I'm black. This

Hispanic here, there's a couple of Asian guys here, some guys

from Puerto Rico, said, but we're all the same man. Because

look at the uniform we're wearing. We're all the same,

we're fighting for the same purpose. And he stopped. And he

looked at me, and it was a weird look. I didn't know what he was

gonna say. But he's just burnt out crying. And I think that was

the turning point for him. Yeah. And like I said, he became one

of my best friends in life. We stayed together, I was in a

cohort unit. So we all stayed together, through basic nit, and

for three years of my first duty station. So when I needed money

to send home, this guy would lend me money. When I needed to

borrow his truck, he would lend me his truck. And this is and

people could not believe it. What did you say to him? I said,

I didn't say anything, man. I didn't say anything. Because I

didn't know anything to say it was just being present showing

up. And being a friend being someone maybe like, I guess you

could consider it to be like a listening device where he poured

out and I was able to really listen and hear him. And then

when he when he stopped talking, I was able to give him just a

few words of encouragement, a few words. And maybe he looked

at it as this little guy, this young guy is telling me that

I've never heard before that didn't really make sense. So

that basically without using a bunch of profanity, that's

basically how it went. We were I was I couldn't tell him about

marriage. I couldn't tell him about kids because I had none of

that. I couldn't tell him about much of life because I was only

17 years old. Only thing I knew was coming out of high school

what I did in high school and what I aspired to be that was

the only things that I could say, that would probably be

meaningful, but whatever it was, it worked. And I don't say I

changed his life. I was used in such a spiritual way to

institute change in his life. In his heart, I believe that what

you think

flows to your heart. Then, once you begin to feel it, it becomes

it comes out of your mouth and out of your actions. So, believe

you think positive, you'd say some things you can say the

things that you think. So think positive. They say, Take your

time. Patience is a virtue. So think before you speak. Think

about it. Think about the ramifications. If there'll be,

think about the benefits of there'll be think about how this

person's feelings may be impacted, if you say what you're

going to say, and how you're going to say and things of that

nature. So at a young age, I was able to, I don't know where I

got it from, but no, I think I do know where I got it from my

grandmother. Yeah, I said something once my mom spanked me

for doing something I definitely shouldn't have been doing. And I

was probably about seven years old. And I said, I hate myself.

I was crying. I said on the basement steps. I said, I hate

myself. My grandmother said, What did you say? I said, I hate

myself. She says come here. She took me down into the basement.

And if you think my mother spank me, my grandmother destroyed me

in that basement. She said, I'm doing this because you never,

ever, ever will ever say that again. You'd never say you hate

yourself. And I begin to see things differently. I was able

to tell a child that. years ago, a child said that in front of me

that they hated themselves. And I was able to use that same

logic that that my grandmother gave me passed on to me to that

child. And so it's all about loving yourself. How can I love

you? If I don't love myself? How can I be have any type of

support or happiness for you if I don't have happiness, and

genuine happiness in my own heart? So it starts with what I

think. So when I got to that particular point, I was at a low

I was at a real low because my father was there I was just a

teenage boy, I didn't know a whole lot. Other guys knew

things that father taught him. I didn't have those those moments,

but I did have deep inside of me a will to do good to do better.

That's what stopped stopped me from going out with those guys

that because I was going to the army. I said I'm going to go to

the army, but I made a decision to stop to to put all my energy

towards making that a reality. So when they knocked on the

door, I said no, I'm done with that. Head I went out just one

last time. I could probably won't I've kind of probably met

john esteem in prison. So it's things like that, that. That

bring me back to the moment where three days, or it was

actually two months later from that particular point two months

later when I told the guy No, I'm not going with you. Two

months later, I was being used to change that guy's life. Yes.

Yeah. Have two beautiful story. And thank you so so much for

sharing this because I feel it's so important nowadays. And it's

the only way to approach racism. If you see that those people are

fear driven. They are scared and they don't trust. And if you

approach them with love, if you give them the presence, without

getting involved with their thoughts, and then you know

sucked in. But if you like you did at 17, cut through the BS

with your heart, then you can change people, you have to break

them open with your kind presence. And this is the only

way we can conquer that ugly thing called racism. That is

such a precious story to share. JOHN, is there anything you

would like to add?

Yes, I'm here on Veterans Day some earlier spoke, you know

about concern. be used, you know, my god stuff. And that was

my thing to learn that, you know, my prayer life. This was

my prayer. You know, if you can use anyone, you can use me. So

that was my moment of submission right now. You know, when I made

that prayer, then my prayer, it might grew to this. God give me

wisdom, knowledge, understanding that I may walk up rightly. In

liggio people In a righteous path, that was my prayer

throughout doing time in Angola. And as a result all that I see

doors opening. And as we all know that a lot of people went

home on the SDN case, which God orchestrated, I believe,

wholeheartedly. And it was a reason why they went home before

me, because he wasn't finished with me yet. And when that

moment came, when God completed everything, he wanted to

complete my life, they're the one to bring me to bigger and

better things. And that was that time. And guess what went on

upon parole board? So therefore, my case wasn't for me, it was

for everybody else. It was guys doing and my freedom is guys

doing to the point rule board, and as I'm not hitting still not

finished with me yet to have any years of parole left. Also, yes.

And my end of my message, I want to say is that, like rescue

reiterated is to never give up. Continue doing what you're doing

in your heart that you feel is right, and is and is your

purpose, continue doing that until you are comfortable and

happy, like my boy rational is happy everyday doing what he

doing? Yes, that's why that's my word for the day.

Thank you so much. reginal, would you like to close our

conversation here

would love to I am. Like I said, it makes it's easy. When I

connect with like minded individuals, people with high

energy and focus. I contacted john today because I was so

anticipating this interview, I didn't think I was gonna say

much I was just gonna listen in. But I'm always ready. Always

ready to add to be included. And that's important, I think. Not

just not giving up, but staying ready, staying prepared,

staying, I guess fulfilled with information, paying attention to

what's going on around you. That's that's one thing that I

always told my kids pay attention to every single moment

of your life, everything that you go through pay attention,

because you'll be able to use it down the road, at some point to

either take yourself to another level, or to keep yourself from

falling to a level you don't need to be or to encourage

others based off of your journey. Not just running your

mouth, but your lifestyle is going to be one of the most

important aspects of of helping someone else reach the pinnacle

of what it is they're trying to reach and realize their goals.

So today, this has been a blessing to me, this has been

really encouraging and it gives me a bit more of an insight of

what my purpose is. I know now that I'm not alone in this

fight, and on this journey, and it helps going forward to know

that you're in Alberta, Canada and john Astin is in Louisiana,

I'm hearing water intersecting like a triangle. And we're gonna

spread out and canvass this entire world based off of our

particular purpose. We have aligned together. So thank you

for having me.

Yes. Thank you so much for taking the time and being here

with us. And, john, you are incredible. You are such an

enrichment of my life. And it's been so wonderful to connect

with you. And thank you for introducing me to Raj. Not that.

I think it was wonderful. It was you

know, you enjoy him. It's great guy, you know, I felt him. He

encouraged me and encouraged me and encouraged me anymore. And I

know I needed him on this. I wanted people I want the world

to hear reginal Joseph, I wanted him here. He's a great guy. Yes,

he is.

Thank you, john. Appreciate that now, so appreciate you or I look

forward to many more many more of you.

Yeah, yeah, I feel not the last time. Thank you so so much.

Yeah, I really hope you enjoyed our conversation and feel

inspired and yeah, never give up. As hopeless as some

situation may seem. Know that. Sometimes we just have to fight

through the situation and inspire other people afterwards

to do the same. You're never alone. Take good care of

yourself. And I'm sure we will be back out there for you very

soon. Again. Thank you very much for listening.