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Description

“Wash It Off.” Written by Kyle Murphy. Performed by Jesse Williams. Kyle chats with his friend (and series executive producer) Aaron Bergman a few weeks ahead of his release about his political activism and fully realizing his literary dreams after a decade inside the system.

“Some people might feel like they’ve written me off, but I’ve got news for them – that s*** is incorrect. I got a bright future ahead of me.” – Kyle Murphy

Written Off contains mature language and themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. To hear a bleeped version, go to lemonadamedia.com/shows/writtenoff.

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Transcript

SPEAKERS

Kyle Murphy, Aaron, Walter Thompson-Hernandez, Jesse Williams

Walter Thompson-Hernandez  00:52

I’m Walter Thompson Hernandez. And this is WRITTEN OFF. Kyle is our only writer coming to us from inside the system. Specifically a fire camp three hours outside of LA. It’s a level one security prison. The lowest of is kind. Kyle had to earn his way there through a spotless resume. That didn’t make it easier to communicate with him now. First, we got to make sure we can even record Kyle and get that cleared with the state corrections department which was amazed to navigate, four different offices in total. We then got an email address but no one responded to our multiple requests there. Finally, after two months, we received word that Kyle could call his collect. So we wrote him. Asked him to try calling his collect which again, is usually the only way to talk with folks on the inside. This is how it went.

Kyle Murphy 

You have a collect call from an inmate at the Mountain Home conservation camp Springdale, California, what’s call and your telephone number will be monitored and recorded to executive call […] or dial five now. Thank you for using global tel link. Hey, what’s going on? Alright, we’re gonna get into it. Are you there? No. How did you hang up? Thank you for using global panel link. What happened, bro? All right. Can you just tell us how you use […], drops again.

Walter Thompson-Hernandez  02:33

No joke. That happened a dozen times. We accept the call, only to be immediately disconnected. With no way to know if God would attempt to call back with the limited time already given to him. Imagine what it’s like for families trying to speak to their loved ones. Our executive producer, Aaron, was finally able to get through. Aaron himself, is an IOW teacher and a friend of Kyle’s. They’ve known each other for six years now. They met when car was inside. You can sense a strong familiarity in their conversation. One punctuated by automated voices reminding you of Kyle’s situation.

Aaron 

Okay. Hey, Kyle you there?

Kyle Murphy 

Yeah, I’m here man. What’s up, man?

Aaron 

I hope this doesn’t drop. Alright. I’m gonna play you your peak read aloud by the actor Jesse Williams. If you don’t know Jesse, he’s also biracial. He’s the star of Grey’s Anatomy. He’s also in power. And he’s also an activist regularly. So Jesse read your peak, and I’m gonna play for you to hear it.

Jesse Williams  04:10

Talking cops. Come on, let’s start stop them good lies, swearing the other good guys. While they’re swearing oaths and flaming black flesh like rib eyes. Under white Jesus is good as I seen kids waving young fathers goodbye. In black suits through clenched teeth and teared eyes. Licensed to kill sometimes that news don’t even mention. It was all good as long as bad this is on the henchmen, pure hate it’s all slave past a vengeance. Than an old country road reminiscent of a lynchin. Screaming don’t resist but you shots to cut the tension. More important than seeing black bodies living is you making a living and I didn’t even exclusive it’s just a world we live in. Fucked up when you think you, better off in prison. Outside they protest insides a slow death. New world pandemic so we finally fear and closeness. Fake news live from the White House with COVID. Let me my guys free God we need Moses. Real life in a cell wonder what it’s like to be chosen. My president was black. Now I wonder where the hope went. Man, the neighborhood system still broken? I guess unless you’re doing porn and toastin in that case, I guess the system is fine. Besides, hey, it’s a system right? Every move to a tee they got a systemized. I’m not saying stay woke. Just open your eyes. A thin line between following orders and being brainwashed in and out a uniform must be hard to keep the same heart 150 something years still can’t wash the pain off, 365 days times 10 I felt that hate hard. No tattoos but I support some great scars. Man, like some jail bars. No, for real. Lights out, let me send this mail off. PS stay in it and stay sharp. down with that.

Aaron  06:24

We’re curious what’s your reaction like what’s your honest reaction is to hearing someone read it, read your piece out loud.

Kyle Murphy

It’s crazy, it’s definitely it’s definitely different hear somebody else doing I mean it’s not less awkward say other than I enjoyed it. I thought it was dope man. Came out. I think it came out nice.  think he captured everything I was trying to capture so I like the emphasis he used behind it to man. I thought it was great.

Aaron 

Why did you call it wash it off? What does that mean?

Kyle Murphy 

I mean, washing it off is something that we all do in our little ways. It’s our way of coping you know with the mud and dirt that life throws at us but you know, sometimes you can’t wash it off like history, you can’t watch history offline. So users can’t fully get rid of it’s there. Even when you know you’ve got it was gone for good.

Aaron 

Your piece is definitely rooted in racial injustice. And definitely rooted in authority and how that plays a role in the system. You know, you open up saying talking cops come on, let’s stop with them good law swearing they good guys, other swearing oaths and flaming black flesh, like rib eyes. What informed this piece?

Kyle Murphy 

Oh, the first one line and actually I wrote back in 2016-15 one of those or no, that was a lot going on, as far as you know, police brutality in the news. And I think Baltimore was lied in something like that, I think Freddie Gray has just got killed and the other person in New York had […]. He had been soaked to death. And you know, we were, I was having a lot of conflict with the, with the […] actually, in my unit. So you know what I mean. And that was one of my ways to express not only what was going on out there, but you know, what I was going through so that’s when I started writing that and then  I would jot little notes down and then when we got back from MKU that I was on a lot of actually while we were out there a lot of National Guard was telling us how you know what I was going through the protests and you know, people were you know, really upset out there about what was going on, about towards Floyd.

Kyle Murphy  09:14

And I had what had on my mind and put everything together. And then I had remembered the piece that I made it back in like 2015. And I started to look at that and I was like, damn, like, some of that is some of the same stuff that I was talking about back then. Still going on, you know what I mean? It is crazy how we’ll know Montana racing. They have stuff like a sword but since expanded things and I feel like you know, we hop on and off and stuff like it’s like as a trend. You know, racial injustice […] not a train you know what I mean? This is real, and it’s really going on and it’s really playing with real lives and it’s a real danger that people out there man and it’s real injustice, you know, I mean, so I feel, you know, we sit and disperse all day, you know, you can’t forget about stuff like that. A lot of people will tell them or their brother or their mother or their father, you know, kid, homie, friend or whatever, you know. So it’s like, you know, it’s the old people wake up and see that man. We just don’t keep doing the same thing. We just don’t keep […] off until it’s us.

Aaron  10:29

I’m gonna ask you a, I’m gonna walk the line here just because we’re close. So you said the […] system, right? Every move to a tee, they gotta systematize I’m not saying they won’t just open your eyes, a thin line between following orders and being brainwashed in and out a uniform must be hard to keep the same heart. Here, you’re referring to cops. I’m curious. Do you feel like cops and also you being.. You being incited the system; do you think there are any parallels between you and the cops being that you’re both in the system?

Aaron 

Do I think the parallel, you know what? I think a lot of them. A lot of them experienced this time. I mean, they’re not an obviously, you know, they go home at the end of the day and everything. But you know, they still spend a lot of time here. And they still experience a lot of time inside. So I mean, that freedom to come and go as he pleases is huge. Like, that makes all the difference. You know what I mean? But I do think that, uh, that in a way, it affects the way they think, too. You know, like, it definitely has an impact on their lives.

Aaron 

And then when you write real life, you say, let me and my guides free God, we need Moses real life and excel wonder what it’s like to be chosen? Do you find yourself to not be a chosen person? And if so, why?

Kyle Murphy

As really one of those things. You know, being here, and it can mess with your mind like that, like sometimes, you know, you start to feel hopeless. it’s like damn like, am I not meant to be successful? Like, is this some type of, you know, like, you kind of start to ask God like, what was going on? Like, what did I do? Like, you know what I mean? Like, is this the plan for me? Really just start to wonder about life? Like, what? Like, what is the meaning in your life? You know what I mean? Like, is this gonna be? That’s really all I meant by being chosen or not.

Aaron 

So for this piece, I’m curious about two things, one, you could argue that this piece is a form of political activism, and was wondering, in this idea, do you consider yourself to be an activist? Do you do you want to become more?

Kyle Murphy

I don’t know if I would go as far as to call myself a political activist right now. Although, you know, I do want to see a change. I think one day, that might be part of the journey, but uh, right now, I have to actively get my life back under control, you know what I mean, because I can’t lend a hand to anyone. It’s a lot like myself, like getting my life back into my hands. But no, who knows, man that might be part of the journey. I’m sneaking. It’s kind of early right now.

Aaron 

When you say your life is not in your hands, you mean that? Because you’re still inside? Or like, what does that look like?

Kyle Murphy 

Don’t get me wrong, I mean, in my life is still in my hands. But there’s certain moves that I would like to make and certain things that I would like to do that, unfortunately, I don’t have the resources right now. Because I’m still here, I’m still serving time. So I’m actually free until I have freedom to do, you know, to control my life, almost like it’s out of my hands, you know?

Aaron  14:23

Does writing offer any sense freedom?

Kyle Murphy 

Words have a way to live in living on their own merits. So like, when I leave or when I whenever I’m gone, words are still here. I think it’s a way of giving my life meaning. You know what I mean? I think writing helps give life meaning and I mean, at the end of the day, I want my life to matter.

Aaron 

who was your intended audience for this piece? Who do you write it for? Or who would you want to read it?

Aaron 

Anyone who’s curious enough to take a look man and see for themselves. I like to write for people that’s searching for ways to express themselves so like they might find some type of desperation awful. Awful what I’m doing, you know, or they might, they might be looking for a way to express themselves and not know women, you know, something that they may read it, might not be mine or just any day, it might hurt them or like, okay, I didn’t know I had that outlet. I write with people like that. Heads up, somebody else has a call right now.

Aaron 

Okay. Well, I put $25 on the books, I guess.

Kyle Murphy 

Let me see if I can slide on after this person. Yo, we got till 8:15, bro.

Aaron  16:57

Perfect. How would you express yourself before you started to write ever in your life? What was your form of expression?

Aaron 

You know what? I’m not a lot, man. I’ve been writing. Since I was a kid, man. I’ll say like writing has always had like a spot in my life. Like from early age. I used to try to write, like, scary stories and whatnot. And then that turned into writing raps and trying to do music.

Aaron 

Do you know what, like, the first time you decided to write, do you remember what that was?

Aaron 

Actually, yeah, matter of fact, I had just read Goosebumps. And as a kid, that’s what I like. I like the like horror books and mystery books like that. So I wanted to write my own little story, you know? So I tried to write like a scary story. It didn’t work out because I didn’t stay consistent. But that’s what I tried to do.

Aaron 

Do you remember where you were like when you first did that seem like could you paint that picture? Where were you what it looked like around you? Were there any noises? You know, when you first did that? How old you were?

Kyle Murphy 

I have to be if like, first or second grade. I think my mom was upset with me because my teacher had gave me like a bad grade on an assignment. She basically said, look go on the room, turn the TV off, turn the game off, you need to read, you need to practice your handwriting. So I remember, we had a cool little library my parents had when I was a kid, they had like, encyclopedias and whatnot. And I remember picking up that Goosebumps book. So I was just sitting in the room and it was me, it was quiet. And I just started to read.

Aaron  18:59

When did you transition over to using poetry or lyric?

Aaron 

I think that went hand in hand with like trying to do music. You know like when I got into my teenage years I remember I was at a my boy […] back in Chicago we was at his house and weaves his plan around with like a camcorder and I remember I had a little verse and he was like he was actually kind of clean man like did you write that and I would like to invite me to sit here and write something like, so we gave it aside we started writing lyrics or whatever and we just started recording stuff and I didn’t really think too much of it back then like I didn’t think I was gonna stick with you but you know he thought it was doped so and then eventually I just started to like jot my thoughts now you know, like, things would come to my mind I could be doing anything man and watching TV. Reading, taking a shower, sleeping something to take me in. It’s like okay you know that makes sense. So I don’t know it’s kind of like looking at a puzzle you’re trying to solve you know what I mean and things of that start to click so I grab a pen and just start jotting things down next thing you know I’m four or five days […]

Kyle Murphy  20:21

Was writing, I know when we started writing as we got into it, you took a very introspective approach. So it wasn’t just storytelling, it wasn’t just what was going on around you but you actually started to analyze kind of like the systems you started to analyze what was going on inside you with that happening at the same time with music and if so just curious, like, when do you decide to kind of to make that transition into those harder more, I guess provocative issues.

Aaron 

I think that happened probably when I was in reception I started to like self-reflect and you know I think that comes from you know being there and you know I was 18 and would be like the first month we go on lockdown so it’s just me and my family and I really have a lot of other outlets to express myself at the time. So I think I gravitated towards writing you know it’s like damn I’m here so what can I do? How can I get my thoughts on the page and then be able to see me or I start to self-reflect and really got to find out about myself

Aaron 

In your life I guess the typically on your life with your life on the inside Can you talk specifically the role that writing plays for you?

Kyle Murphy 

You know, some people watch TV or some people like to you know spend their time doing normal hobbies or whatever and stuff like that but for me writing is like a way to really get all my thoughts on the page man and really get like a clearer picture it helps me understand a lot about what’s going on around me or what’s going on inside like you know, sometimes I might be going through something and I start to write and you know, stuff starts to make sense that like kind of gives me like a mental clarity includes me like a space that like really outside of you know my current circumstances so it’s almost like a little metal escape I don’t know if I will be as self-aware as I am without it. I think more of my time will be spent talking with the fellows working now you know stuff like that.

Aaron  22:50

Can you just kind of because we’re not there with you set the stage like we don’t know where you are what it looks like. Just curious for you to break that down.

Aaron 

Right now actually, I’m outside at a like what looks like a telephone booth. So I don’t know how many people remember the telephone boots you know nowadays you know it’s pretty much this see-through glass I got a nice little wooden share right here. I’m sitting on actually, it’s a pretty nice view too. I’m like literally on top of a mountain and hundreds of trees around. We got animals here we got all we got two dogs two cat plant and like a gardener, the […] right across from me, we got wooden rocking chairs right there. That kind of garden with white roses. I mean, playing basketball right across from me two other guys on the phone. If you look to the west, the sun is starting to set. But you still feel like nice, warm sun rays on your skin. On the outside looking here, probably wouldn’t be able to tell if this will be perfect man. It’s really nice actually. […]

Aaron  24:19

Can you just tell people what you do like what your hobbies are inside because I want you to say it outside. Just what you do on your free time?

Aaron 

I love to work out. That’s what I do like from sunup to sundown, so fitness is me. Reading heavily is huge. I love to read books, out wraps many books and we’ll find out more. I could sue but I love to read as much as I can about you know pretty much a variety of subject whether it’s a racial topics or whether it’s, you know, political stuff or philosophy, you know, I like to mix into so, you know, Stephen King like I said, I always love for know what else, love music, you know I’m always writing music or whatever or you know listening to music listening to new stuff, learning how to play guitar, no, I just love that type of stuff and writing is, is huge, you know. So that’s pretty much majority of my time when I’m not at work because you know I am at a fire camp, we do got to work from around a 8:45 to 4:30 every day. So that’s a big chunk of the day like

Aaron 

Me and you have been writing six years, back and forth. And I’m just curious. Yeah, and I’m just curious, like, for me, it meant a lot to be able to share a lot with somebody even though we barely got that we never we never even got FaceTime after the first time we met for almost three years, but I was just curious like, what I don’t know what  that process was like and did it did it serve a role for you in the sense of writing was a different than writing to yourself?

Kyle Murphy  26:23

It made all the difference. It was like it was like having somebody there will be no adverse reforged you that I was, that was like, the hardest time that I had. So, you know, around those times when I felt like you know, most, you know, a lot also kind of, like, adding speed them up family on the phone for at least four years. So you know, having somebody that I can chop it up with and be myself with, and that, you know, I can let my guard down from the first day, you know, I felt like he was somebody that I could trust. You know, that I could relate to […] so you could just leave that on hand and the frustration they have when they try to have a conversation with being in their fan page letter and they like, […] what does he look like? And I’m like, nah, nah, like, this is my boy like, know what I mean? So definitely did.

Aaron 

Did you get any of them to start writing?

Kyle Murphy 

Actually, I did. Yeah, a lot of them started writing my […] actually at the time when we first started writing, right? Yeah, like he seems writing and I told him what I was trying to do and I was like, man, like, no, we don’t have to just sit here and do this part of the unproductive like, nothing to write books. Writing news is a good outlet and great, he started writing. He actually ended up you know, one of his books published I don’t remember the name, but he was telling me about it. I mean, this was years ago, so I haven’t seen […], thinking that solid grant now but notice that right there, you know, I know that stuff.

Aaron  28:24

Are you able to be the person to write as when you’re inside? Like, are those two different people? Whether you’re writing to me, whether you’re writing to a friend, whether you’re just writing to yourself, like is that a different person than who you have to walk around as or is that the same question?

Kyle Murphy 

I don’t think that’s a different person. I think when I write I’m more of a whole I think you know, I can’t always so solidly it’s normal to get the full story but uh in here look at it like this and hear from […] who he needs to be given the situation. But no, […] what I allow you to so if I felt the way I write to someone here they might go how well.. But when I write it’s like wall barriers come down in there so if it’s a secret I really make a feel you know, there is a lot of guys I can’t talk to him be Kyle. Know what I mean, because Kyle  is still Kyle. Kyle, it’s who Kyle is. You know, Kyle is the whole Kyle […]. So it’s just like out there. You know, you need to choose wisely. You know, who you trust and let me just circle so I really feel like there’s a time and a place for everything. But we got to run out of time right now.

Aaron 

Call me tomorrow. I want I want to dive into a couple. All right, so what would be your, what would be your dream place to write?

Kyle Murphy  30:46

What would be my dream? Oh, that’s a hard one. I mean, especially considering most of my writing has like staring out a window into like a prison a room full of stainless-steel cables, white walls, you know, it’s like the boys might realize you got fines and hearing award shots, which, to me is really nice. You know, we can and […] here so you’ve got gun powers, prisoners in blues, shouting at each other feels how it matters. key tingling, the cell doors buzzing been open and slamming shut. So but what I keep imagining though, as my dream place, like is a island in the Caribbean, maybe it’s someplace warm. There’s white sand on a […] ocean is swaying back and forth, here the blue waves crashing. The sun is out skies blue, I’m alone and like a handmade wooden. Pretty much just soaking it all in. And there are people there with me, it would probably be like my mom, my brother, my sister, my nephew, you know, all the friends I’ve met along the way. Even the ones who aren’t here anymore. Pretty much talking to each other laughing and telling stories, you know, smile and they all happy. this like enjoyment. That will probably be my dream place. If it was something else, I will probably be in like the back of like a Bugatti and jeweled up. Pretty much as observing people, you know, doing a daily, you know, I’m just sitting there pretty much everything.

Aaron  32:47

It sounds like writing; I think we talked about how writing is an escape. And I was just curious. You said before how you were in, you know, in yourself.. You were in cell in a bleak situation for most of the time you’re inside. And we’re just curious, when you said writing was escape like, what did that feel like for you? Cuz I’m assuming those situations were as bleak as the surroundings.

Kyle Murphy 

We’ll see. Here’s the thing. When I say writing, there’s lightness, while pretty much saying is that it takes me out of that immediate surroundings. And you know what I mean? So I might be in the cell writing or whatever, wherever I’m writing. I kind of just […] I leave those physical surroundings. And it might even look like if you were to look like I’m meditating. But really, I’m just you know, it really depends what I’m writing about. Like, I’m writing to you. I’m right there with you, you in my presence at that point while I’m writing. While I’m writing about racial injustice that I’m writing about that. I’m on the front line marching. When I say like, almost feels like I’m putting into a lock. I’m twisting. Eventually I hear that click. That’s what I’m sending through that door. And I almost feel like I’m rising slowly. actually kind of gives me like chills, or goosebumps kind of.

Aaron 

What would be the letter that you would want to give to younger Kyle? And I guess do you even think younger Kyle would read it?

Kyle Murphy  34:40

Getting younger Kyle to receive that letter. I think that will be the hard part. But if I was there, or if I had to write to my young self, I will pretty much give him like look, man, no, no, no, don’t let the hate and anger cancel you man. Life is about decisions. You want to make good decisions. You know, you want to choose wisely as far as who you’re around, who you have in your circle, you know, I would tell him to leave the drugs alone. Get the guns alone, leave the streets alone pretty much. Because there’s other ways I would tell him there’s definitely another way. He doesn’t have to do things on impulse anymore. You know, I mean, like, you want to think about the things that you do because they’re gonna affect you down the line. Try stop living at this, […] because you have a future. You want to definitely want to look like okay, so where do I want to be? Five years down the line? What do I want to be 10 years down the line? What steps do I need to take to get there, to just be consistent man.

Aaron 

You know, I know you well, for people that don’t know you like, can you just describe yourself who you are? What’s your, I mean for listeners?

Kyle Murphy  36:08

Well, if you’ve never met me, then you know I’m that tall kid from Cook County with a well for the year, and then their red-light brown and black at the same time. Mixed first generation American, I embrace all my cultural or, I’ve got seven scars on my head and face. And I’m still here for an that guy who took a chainsaw kick back to here and we had to tell about it. Never lost my sense of humor, never lost my childhood smell. And, you know, I love to laugh. I love to see people laugh. I love to see people enjoying themselves. Some people will say I have a big heart. I love my family. I miss my mom and my pops. I’ve never seen my nephew. I want to see my nephew. You I love all my brothers, my sister. I might not show it all the time. But you know, I am compassionate. And you know, I care about people, man. And I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful. I’m just a regular guy really?

Aaron 

Where’s Kyle at in a year, two years at the end of 2021 like where’s Kyle Murphy? Who is Kyle Murphy?

Kyle Murphy 

I think that remains to be seen right now but I definitely know one thing in a year or two from now. Kyle Murphy will definitely be far from this system, at least that’s the goal. Who knows man I might be a firefighter in the next year so.

Aaron 

Who will be the first person that you write to when you get out?

Kyle Murphy 

That will probably be my boy […] man? Actually, I have a few people that I will write man and I’ve met along the way it’s […] my boy […] […] my boy […], the majority of them have life and really you know we’ve been through some situations together man and we’ve been a lot of time and I’ll just want to let them know like obligation really not just out of an obligation the loyalty with a friendship man like you know, I really appreciate them being there with me and always staying loyal. And you know, I want to let them know I’ve never forgot about them. So I definitely want to write them and touch basis. And also I would like to see them free one day man.

Aaron  38:44

So we call the podcast the title of the entire show is called WRITTEN OFF. And I was just curious like, what does that mean to you? Do you feel like you have been written off

Kyle Murphy 

Do I feel like I’ve been written off? I think there’s times where I feel like that. I mean obviously notice in a lot of doors that have closed for me, but honestly bro, I really feel blessed man I don’t I don’t feel like I’ve written off and if I am that’s okay, like you know what I mean? The world is large man. You know so there’s plenty of opportunities out there. Some people might feel like you know they’ve written me off or whatever. And you know, that’s it for me but I got news for as that […] was correct, man. I got a bright future ahead of me man. So however, I need to do it man. I know I’m making so I really don’t feel like I’ve ever been written off. You know, there’s been a lot of good experiences and lessons that I’ve learned through this whole journey. So I’m grateful for all of that and you know, I wouldn’t take it away for nothing.

Aaron 

Are you getting continue writing when you get out?

Kyle Murphy  40:02

Absolutely man, I think that’s a lifelong thing for me man and it has been there like I said you know it might go away for a little bit and I might take liking off put it away but it’s something definitely I was born to do. I don’t know about you know the whole destiny thing and all that but I really think that from that I was meant to do.

Aaron 

I believe it but, I appreciate you as always man.

Kyle Murphy 

Absolutely man you already know I appreciate, thank you for doing this too, bro.

Aaron 

Thank you man for writing and sharing, sending all these calls, bouncing between phone booths.. I’m excited to see you and much love man.

Kyle Murphy 

Absolutely.

Aaron 

I appreciate you man. Be safe.

Kyle Murphy 

You too, like wise man. Take care.

Walter Thompson-Hernandez

Thanks to our executive producer Aaron Bergman. And thanks to Kyle, who’s actually on the outs as they say, he left the system back in June after 10 years inside. This show has come to an end. I’ve interviewed 13 people. And it’s given me a lot to think about the stories, the experiences, the time spent locked up, the time spent free. It all took me back to a time in my life that I sometimes chose to forget about. I was once part of the system, a high school dropout, arrested several times. And lots of my good friends spent a big part of their teenage years in and out of juvie. I still remember the first time my best friend Danny call me collect from Camp. His voice sounded distant. Like he was calling from a different world. It felt like he was. Danny wrote letters to me. And I wrote him back. Before his life was cut short, then was killed near his home. He attempted to rewrite his story. He had ambitions of writing on things other than ally walls. But he never got the chance. He’s why I chose to host the show. I’ve had the opportunity to write my own story since then. I feel incredibly lucky. Storytelling has taken me places I never imagined. The show, I hope, is a reminder that nobody should ever be written off. That everybody should have the chance to write or rewrite their own story. It’s something we all deserve.

CREDITS

WRITTEN OFF is a co-production of Lemonada Media and Black Bar Mitzvah. Our producer is Claire Jones. supervising producers are Xorje Olivares and Kryssy Pease. Executive producers are Aaron Bergman, Jay Ellis, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Music and sound design by Xander Singh. Mix and scoring by Matthew Simonson. Special thanks to all of our contributors, and InsideOUT Writers, you can learn more about them at insideoutwriters.org. If you like what you heard, help others find us by rating the show and writing a review. Follow us at @LemonadaMedia across all social platforms. To support WRITTEN OFF and gain access to exclusive bonus material. Like additional conversations with the writers and producers of this show. Subscribe to Lemonada Premium, only on Apple podcasts. And for more of my work, visit my website wthdz.com. I’m Walter Thompson Hernandez. Thanks for listening.