“I signed for 29 years in prison.” Az F., San Diego, Feb, 1999

Jeannine and Kim interview Azraal Ford, who was released four months ago after doing 22 years in the California prison system for assault with a firearm. He shares with us the events of February 1999, which resulted in a 29 year prison sentence. Az describes his evolution through incarceration from an active participant in prison politics, managing a heroin addiction behind bars, and ultimately the transformative experience he had while participating in “Shakespeare in Prison” while in San Quentin. Az has now been sober for 16 years and is committed to sharing his story with others in the hopes of helping and inspiring other addicts. “Rise of the Phoenix” a play written by Az and performed by the Marin Shakespeare Company while he was incarcerated at San Quentin: https://youtu.be/jUEPB5CvKbc (Az’s play is around 1 hr, 30 min in) Connect with the show! https://instagram.com/chasingheroine?igshid=bfcv0no1jms6