Maleek Jackson: An extraordinary Tale of Incarceration to Inspiration

What this episode covers

The 5th of 13 kids in a family that had no adult guidance, Maleek Jackson found himself in trouble early and often. Drug dealing, burglary, B&E, as he says, “I did it all except rape and murder.” At age 16, he was tried as an adult and sent to prison on an 8 to 16 year sentence. Inspired by a friend in prison who kept asking him, “What’s your plan when you get out?”, Maleek started to think more and more about that plan. He decided to get his GED, then started boxing and leading workouts for fellow prisoners.Released after 10 years, he had an encounter with Bernard Hopkins, who hired a trainer to work with him. When Maleek’s trainer, boxing manager Danny Davis, had to leave the city for bouts, he left Maleek in charge of the gym. Gaining confidence through experience, Maleek discovered that he had a knack for personal training. He began to pick up his own clients, and within a few years, he decided to strike out on his own.You can find Maleek now at Maleek Jackson Gym in Northern Liberties, where he trains people such as rapper Meek Mill, chef Mike Solomonov (Zahav, Federal Donuts), and NFL quarterback Joe Flacco. As remarkable of a personal narrative as you will ever hear, this is the most inspiring interview we’ve done yet.Thanks to El Camino Real for being a most gracious host.If you enjoy it, do us a solid and give us a 5 star review and even better, a short review. Thanks for listening! LINKS:Maleek Jackson: Instagram / Twitter / Gym El Camino Real : Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

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