Alvin Hill - "Murder Was The Case" episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 20, 2026 · 1H 5M

Alvin Hill - "Murder Was The Case"

from Sticky Note Conversations · host Erika Washington

What is the price of a Black child's life? Host Erika Washington sits down with returning guest Alvin Hill — entrepreneur, formerly incarcerated father, and constraint navigation researcher — to unpack two cases that shook the internet: the not-guilty verdict in South Carolina v. Rick Chow, where 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton was shot and killed over a suspected dollar water bottle, and the 35-year sentence handed to 18-year-old Karmelo Anthony in Texas.Erika and Alvin go deep on the layers beneath both cases — from the complexity of young Black boys carrying guns in dangerous neighborhoods, to how a defense attorney can strip a child of their innocence in a courtroom. They wrestle with hard questions: Was justice served? Can you judge anyone's reaction? And what do we tell our kids about a system that was never designed for them?Alvin gets raw about his own past, fathering a son in Southwest Detroit, drill music, and what it really means to teach Black children to maneuver a world that's stacked against them — without snuffing out their light. The conversation also touches on the calls to boycott Asian-owned businesses and what it truly means to support Black businesses with intention.This one is layered, honest, and necessary. (00:00) - SNC S3 Alvin Hill - "Murder Was The Case" (00:42) - Intro & Context (04:06) - Alvin Hill Returns (05:05) - Alvin's PhD Journey (08:25) - South Carolina: Rick Chow Case Breakdown (20:11) - The Verdict: Was Justice Served? (34:47) - Karmelo Anthony Case (39:38) - Navigating Prison at a Young Age (47:06) - The Justice System Wasn't Built for Us (49:19) - Teaching Black Children to Navigate a Rigged System (54:43) - Boycotting Asian Businesses: Is It the Answer? (55:24) - Supporting Black Businesses

What is the price of a Black child's life? Host Erika Washington sits down with returning guest Alvin Hill — entrepreneur, formerly incarcerated father, and constraint navigation researcher — to unpack two cases that shook the internet: the not-guilty verdict in South Carolina v. Rick Chow, where 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton was shot and killed over a suspected dollar water bottle, and the 35-year sentence handed to 18-year-old Karmelo Anthony in Texas.Erika and Alvin go deep on the layers beneath both cases — from the complexity of young Black boys carrying guns in dangerous neighborhoods, to how a defense attorney can strip a child of their innocence in a courtroom. They wrestle with hard questions: Was justice served? Can you judge anyone's reaction? And what do we tell our kids about a system that was never designed for them?Alvin gets raw about his own past, fathering a son in Southwest Detroit, drill music, and what it really means to teach Black children to maneuver a world that's stacked against them — without snuffing out their light. The conversation also touches on the calls to boycott Asian-owned businesses and what it truly means to support Black businesses with intention.This one is layered, honest, and necessary. (00:00) - SNC S3 Alvin Hill - "Murder Was The Case" (00:42) - Intro & Context (04:06) - Alvin Hill Returns (05:05) - Alvin's PhD Journey (08:25) - South Carolina: Rick Chow Case Breakdown (20:11) - The Verdict: Was Justice Served? (34:47) - Karmelo Anthony Case (39:38) - Navigating Prison at a Young Age (47:06) - The Justice System Wasn't Built for Us (49:19) - Teaching Black Children to Navigate a Rigged System (54:43) - Boycotting Asian Businesses: Is It the Answer? (55:24) - Supporting Black Businesses

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Alvin Hill - "Murder Was The Case"

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This episode is 1 hour and 5 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 20, 2026.

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What is the price of a Black child's life? Host Erika Washington sits down with returning guest Alvin Hill — entrepreneur, formerly incarcerated father, and constraint navigation researcher — to unpack two cases that shook the internet: the...

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