In this episode of My Cotton Patch Moment, I sit down with Antonio Brown, entrepreneur, activist, and the first LGBTQ person of color elected to Atlanta’s City Council. From growing up with parents cycling in and out of prison to dropping out of high school at 15 to support his siblings, Antonio’s story is a testament to resilience, faith, and the power of possibility.

He opens up about surviving childhood trauma, carrying adult responsibilities far too young, and transforming pain into purpose. Antonio went on to build a nationally recognized fashion brand, raise millions in investment, and step into political leadership—using his platform to champion equity and justice for marginalized communities.

This conversation dives deep into the intersections of poverty, incarceration, identity, entrepreneurship, and public service, offering lessons in grit, faith, and self-belief.

Three Key Takeaways

• Resilience Through Adversity

Antonio’s early years—marked by incarceration, abuse, and poverty—shaped his drive to overcome obstacles and refuse the label of “statistic.”

• Faith as a Foundation

He shares how faith, even as small as a mustard seed, fueled his determination to build businesses, uplift communities, and keep going when the odds were stacked against him.

• From Survivor to Trailblazer

Antonio’s journey from Kroger bagger to fashion brand founder, and ultimately to City Council, illustrates how lived experience can be transformed into leadership and advocacy.

Why Listen

If you care about justice reform, breaking cycles of generational hardship, LGBTQ leadership, or the power of faith and perseverance, this episode will move and inspire you. Antonio’s life proves that no matter your beginnings, you can rise to leadership and create lasting impact.

Find Antonio Brown in these places:

Website: https://www.stirhouse.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stirhouseatlanta/

📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖

This podcast is hosted by Mildred J. Mills. Mildred writes raw and poignant stories describing monumental highs and devastating lows as she takes her reader and listener on a journey of laughter and tears. Mildred survived a childhood of picking cotton on her strict, domineering father’s farm and thrived in a male-dominant IT industry for forty years.

You can find Mildred's memoir, "Daddy’s House: A Daughter’s Memoir of Setbacks, Triumphs & Rising Above Her Roots" and when her new book, The Hope Club, publishes here.

📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖

If you would love to connect with Mildred, join her in these following spaces:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

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Have you been inspired by this Cotton Patch Moment? If so, Mildred encourages you to leave a review, comment, email and tell her about it! Also, share this episode with someone you love. You never know who needs to hear an inspiring word.

The music and sound effects for this episode came from Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe and/or Pixabay. Crackers In Soup is the audio editor and producer for this episode.

In this episode of My Cotton Patch Moment, I sat down with Robyn Hasan-Simpson, Executive Director of Women on the Rise GA and co-founder of HOAPE (Helping Others Achieve Power and Equity). From serving 10 years in prison to becoming a leading voice for criminal justice reform, re-entry advocacy, and women’s empowerment, Robyn shares her powerful journey of resilience, faith, and leadership.

She opens up about the emotional toll of incarceration, raising her daughter from behind prison walls, and how she turned her sentence into a mission to uplift women inside and fighting for systemic change outside. From launching a prison newsletter to co-authoring laws that protect survivors of domestic violence, Robyn embodies what it means to rise, lead, and liberate.

This conversation dives deep into the intersection of mass incarceration, motherhood, re-entry, faith, and advocacy, offering both personal truth and actionable hope.

Three Key Takeaways

1. Resilience is Revolutionary

   Robyn’s story proves that even in the most dehumanizing systems, purpose and community can blossom. Her leadership began behind bars—helping women earn GEDs, creating a newsletter, and mentoring others.

2. Motherhood and Incarceration

   Robyn reflects on raising her daughter from a distance, the painful role shift from “mother” to “sister,” and how honesty and open communication kept their bond alive.

3. Advocacy Creates Change

   Today, through Women on the Rise GA and HOAPE, Robyn is reshaping laws, addressing mass incarceration in Georgia, and restoring voting rights for thousands of formerly incarcerated citizens. Her work is a testament that storytelling and advocacy can transform entire communities.

Why Listen

If you care about justice reform, women’s empowerment, faith through struggle, or the healing power of storytelling, this episode will inspire and challenge you. Robyn’s rise from prison bars to national leadership is proof that redemption and resilience are possible—and necessary—for building a more just society.

Find Robyn Hasan-Simpson in these places:

Women on the Rise GA: https://www.womenontherisega.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenontherisega/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-on-the-rise-ga/

📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖

This podcast is hosted by Mildred J. Mills. Mildred writes raw and poignant stories describing monumental highs and devastating lows as she takes her reader and listener on a journey of laughter and tears. Mildred survived a childhood of picking cotton on her strict, domineering father’s farm and thrived in a male-dominant IT industry for forty years.

You can find Mildred's memoir, "Daddy’s House: A Daughter’s Memoir of Setbacks, Triumphs & Rising Above Her Roots" and when her new book, The Hope Club, publishes here.

📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖

If you would love to connect with Mildred, join her in these following spaces:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

X

Have you been inspired by this Cotton Patch Moment? If so, Mildred encourages you to leave a review, comment, email and tell her about it! Also, share this episode with someone you love. You never know who needs to hear an inspiring word.

The music and sound effects for this episode came from Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe and/or Pixabay. Crackers In Soup is the audio editor and producer for this episode.

In this episode of My Cotton Patch Moment, I sit down with Amy Ard, the executive director of Motherhood Beyond Bars. This organization is rewriting the narrative for incarcerated mothers, their children, and caregivers. Amy’s journey into this work began with one unforgettable—and heartbreaking—moment: witnessing a woman give birth while shackled to a hospital bed. That image sparked a mission that would change laws, build support networks, and offer real hope to families facing unthinkable challenges.

Amy shares how Motherhood Beyond Bars provides holistic family support, from childbirth education inside prisons to supplying diapers for caregivers on the outside. We talk about the reality that every baby in their program is born with two adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): an incarcerated parent and separation from their primary caregiver within days of birth. Through advocacy, education, and direct aid, her team works to preserve and strengthen those fragile parent-child bonds.

We also explore Amy’s wish list for systemic change, which starts with diverting mothers from prison into treatment—addressing the root causes of incarceration, such as trauma and substance use disorders, rather than simply punishing. From anti-shackling legislation in Georgia to groundbreaking research with Harvard on the impact of incarceration on infants, Amy’s story is a testament to the power of action, compassion, and relentless advocacy.

This conversation will open your eyes to the hidden ripple effects of imprisonment—and inspire you to see justice not as punishment, but as restoration.

Three Key Takeaways:

1. Justice Must Be Restorative: We need alternatives to incarceration for mothers, especially when root causes like trauma and addiction go unaddressed.

2. Connection Is Survival: Maintaining the bond between incarcerated mothers and their children is essential for breaking generational cycles of incarceration.

3. Support Changes Outcomes: From diapers to legal advocacy, targeted support can stabilize families and protect children from lifelong trauma.

Find Amy Ard in these places:

Motherhood Behind Bars

Website: https://www.motherhoodbeyond.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodbeyondbars/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motherhoodbeyondbars/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@motherhoodbeyondbars3544

📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖

This podcast is hosted by Mildred J. Mills. Mildred writes raw and poignant stories describing monumental highs and devastating lows as she takes her reader and listener on a journey of laughter and tears. Mildred survived a childhood of picking cotton on her strict, domineering father’s farm and thrived in a male-dominant IT industry for forty years.

You can find Mildred's memoir, "Daddy’s House: A Daughter’s Memoir of Setbacks, Triumphs & Rising Above Her Roots" and when her new book, The Hope Club, publishes here.

📝👧🏽👩🏽🧓🏽📖

If you would love to connect with Mildred, join her in these following spaces:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

X

Have you been inspired by this Cotton Patch Moment? If so, Mildred encourages you to leave a review, comment, email and tell her about it! Also, share this episode with someone you love. You never know who needs to hear an inspiring word.

The music and sound effects for this episode came from Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe and/or Pixabay. Crackers In Soup is the audio editor and producer for this episode.