Broken is Beautiful

Artie Gonzalez, who was tried as an adult at 16 and spent 21 years in the California prison system, including 8 years in solitary confinement, takes us inside the reality of supermax isolation—sensory deprivation, the loss of sunlight, the psychological toll—and the moment a single beam of sunlight through a damaged skylight became a turning point: a decision to “walk on the path of love.”Together, we explore the difference between responsibility vs. accountability, why lasting transformation can’t be forced, and how a culture trained to equate “justice” with revenge can learn new models rooted in healing, investment, and humanity. 

Charlie Kirk was murdered — and the country chose sides. Chris and Katherin sit down to talk about the nation’s response to his murder, and what it reveals about our divisions. Speaking openly as friends, they unpack how to resist polarization, lean into accountability, and imagine healthier ways forward together.

Gail Brashear was 15 years old when she was sentenced to 51 years in adult prison. She spent many of those years in solitary confinement before a prison psychologist’s words cracked open a new path. Today, Gail is a paralegal with the Seattle Clemency Project, where she draws from her own experience in the prison system to support her clients and advocate for justice reform. Hosts Christopher Blackwell, an incarcerated journalist, and Katherin Hervey, a documentary filmmaker and lawyer, speak with Gail about her remarkable journey which challenges us to rethink what justice means and why second chances matter.As we get started, we want to learn more about you. Where are you listening from, what does your view look like, and what do you want Chris and Katherin to dive into on the pod? Email us at [email protected].

What does it take to build real intimacy when every conversation is monitored and a first kiss might be years away?Hosts Christopher Blackwell, an incarcerated journalist, and Katherin Hervey, a documentary filmmaker and lawyer, explore the raw realities of finding love behind bars, and the relationship challenges people face on both sides of the prison wall. Plus, why doing “nerdy, stupid, simple shit” like crafts may be the ultimate relationship goal. As the Broken is Beautiful pod gets started, our team wants to hear from you. Where are you listening from, what does your view look like, and what do you want Chris and Katherin to dive into on the pod? Email us at [email protected]. As a bonus for reaching out, we’ll send you Chris’ sketch of Chubbs, the “super fat raven” that everybody at the prison loves.

Marlee Liss did something revolutionary. After surviving a sexual assault, she asked the courts for an outcome rarely seen: not punishment, but healing. She advocated for her assailant to undergo therapy and to meet with her in a restorative justice circle. Her case became the first in North America to conclude with restorative justice through the court system. Today, Marlee is working to ensure other survivors have access to the same life-changing process.Hosts ​​Christopher Blackwell, an incarcerated journalist, and Katherin Hervey, a documentary filmmaker and lawyer, speak with Marlee Liss and learn why she believes “your healing is not separate from my healing.”As we get started, we want to learn more about you. Where are you listening from, what does your view look like, and what do you want Chris and Katherin to dive into on the pod? Email us at [email protected]. As a bonus for reaching out, we’ll send you Chris’ sketch of Chubbs, the “super fat raven” that everybody at the prison loves.

Prison walls separate them. But what connects friends Christopher Blackwell and Katherin Hervey? A chunky bird or two, an unwavering belief that criminal justice reform can — and must — be done better, and a willingness to go deep… real deep into the messy chaos of simply being alive. Join the conversation.As we get started, we want to learn more about you. Where are you listening from, what does your view look like, and what do you want Chris and Katherin to dive into on the pod? Email us at [email protected]. As a bonus for reaching out, we’ll send you Chris’ sketch of Chubbs, the “super fat raven” that everybody at the prison loves.

Friends Christopher Blackwell, an incarcerated journalist, and Katherin Hervey, a documentary filmmaker and lawyer, had an idea: Could a podcast, partly recorded behind prison walls, help uncover what truly connects us? Broken is Beautiful strips away comfortable narratives about the justice system, and dives deeply into the messy, beautiful complexity of being human. Listen now and discover how our broken parts can reveal our greatest strengths.