Take a journey behind prison walls where artistic expression becomes both sanctuary and act of resistance. In this captivating conversation, artist Kobi Mowatt shares his remarkable story of creating powerful visual art during his 29-year federal prison sentence, revealing how creativity preserved his humanity in an environment designed to suppress it.

Kobi's artistic journey began long before incarceration but flourished within confinement where he developed a distinctive style using pastels—a medium chosen specifically because it allowed him to create in his cell rather than designated hobby areas with limited access. "I just disappear from what's going on in the place," Kobi explains, describing how art transported him beyond his physical reality. "Sometimes it'd be five, six hours I'm gone. I'm not even here, I'm inside the painting."

More than mere distraction, Kobi's artwork became political commentary and historical documentation. His piece "A Beautiful Rising" reimagined the George Floyd protests with bold imagery challenging systemic oppression, while other works connected struggles in Gaza with global resistance movements. These expressions of solidarity and critique reveal how art functions as resistance—and why prison officials actively work to suppress it through censorship and cell raids.

Perhaps most revealing is how society devalues these creative contributions once labeled as "prison art." As Kobi notes, "I didn't want my art to be labeled prison art. I just wanted it to be art." This powerful observation cuts to the heart of how we dismiss human potential behind bars. Co-host Rob Barton puts it plainly: "I'm not exceptional or a unicorn, I'm actually the norm... a lot of the people we advocate for just made mistakes in their life and deserve second chances." Their conversation unveils the extraordinary talent and humanity flourishing despite—or perhaps because of—the harshest circumstances, challenging us to see beyond the label of "prisoner" to the artists, thinkers, and whole persons waiting to be recognized.

Follow this podcast so you'll be informed when new episodes are uploaded (twice a month). Meanwhile, read more stories and learn how you can contribute to reform; visit MoreThanOurCrimes.

What happens when a person with a life sentence is suddenly offered the possibility of freedom? Rob Barton entered prison at just 16 with a 30-year-to-life sentence, facing a future he could barely comprehend. Now free after nearly three decades behind bars, he takes us on a revealing journey through the psychology of incarceration and the transformative power of hope.

"When you're in a mansion, you live like you're in a mansion, but when you're in the woods, you adapt to the woods," Rob explains, capturing the essence of how prison forces adaptation. Without prospects for freedom, people naturally acclimate to their environment in ways that can work against rehabilitation. The mind-bending reality of prison life creates a parallel culture with its own norms – what Rob calls "bidding" – developing routines that make endless time bearable.

The game-changer was DC's Second Look Law, allowing those who entered prison young to petition for release based on rehabilitation after serving 15 years. This legislation created something precious that had been missing: hope. Rob reveals how this hope transformed not just his outlook but the entire prison culture, inspiring people to pursue education and programming they'd previously ignored.

Through powerful personal stories and conversations with others still behind bars, Rob exposes the broken promises of the federal parole system, which routinely denies release even when people meet all requirements. The contrast with second-look laws is striking – of approximately 150 people released under DC's law, fewer than a handful have reoffended.

Today, Rob describes himself as having transitioned from being "a product of to a creator of" his reality – embodying the core message that people are truly more than their worst mistakes. His story offers compelling evidence that rehabilitation is possible and that society benefits when we provide meaningful pathways to redemption, regardless of the original crime.

Join us for this eye-opening conversation that challenges conventional thinking about punishment, rehabilitation, and who deserves a second chance. Subscribe now to support our work advocating for those still behind bars.

Follow this podcast so you'll be informed when new episodes are uploaded (twice a month). Meanwhile, read more stories and learn how you can contribute to reform; visit MoreThanOurCrimes.

Three prison journalists and activists share how they have countered retaliation for exposing corruption and inhumane conditions inside America's federal detention facilities. They risked solitary confinement, prison transfers, parole denials and blocked communication - yet remain committed to fighting a system they describe as a "machine that is counterproductive to rehabilitation."

• Robert Barton co-founded More Than Our Crimes and was denied parole.
• Pam Bailey, his partner, saw her email address blocked at multiple federal prisons.
• Askia Afrika-Ber published exposés on prison corruption at USP McCreary, resulting in 90 days of solitary confinement and transfer to one of the worst facilities, USP Hazelton.

All three continue their advocacy despite the risks, drawing inspiration from civil rights leaders who put their lives on the line. Listeners can support prison journalism by following their work, visiting their website, and sharing information

The next episode will explore the laws and institutions that initially worked against Rob's release and those that finally allowed him to gain freedom.

Follow this podcast so you'll be informed when new episodes are uploaded (twice a month). Meanwhile, read more stories and learn how you can contribute to reform; visit MoreThanOurCrimes.