YANA - Black men, You Are Not Alone

Lamont Jackson: Seeds in the Soil: Breaking Cycles, Building Futures

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, host James Trice welcomes back Lamont Jackson for an unfiltered dialogue on what’s really happening inside our schools—and our communities.
 
Lamont, a social behavioral educator working with middle school students in underserved communities, pulls back the curtain on the daily realities facing young people navigating trauma, instability, and broken systems. From classroom disruptions to deeper emotional struggles, he shares what it means to stand in the gap—not just as an educator, but as a mentor, advocate, and “surrogate voice” for accountability and hope.
 
Together, James and Lamont tackle hard truths: the impact of fatherlessness, the normalization of dysfunction, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the tension between systemic inequities and personal responsibility. But this episode isn’t just about problems—it’s about purpose.
 
Lamont offers a compelling vision for change rooted in community, faith, and relationship-building—challenging families, churches, and leaders to move beyond talk and into action. He reminds us that real transformation starts with planting seeds—seeds of discipline, love, accountability, and identity—even if we may never see the full harvest.

Healing the Hurt: Breaking the Silence Around Black Men’s Trauma | Sam Simmons on Community, Healing & Hope

What happens when Black men are finally given permission to speak openly about pain, trauma, healing, and hope?
In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with behavioral consultant and licensed chemical dependency counselor Sam Simmons for an honest and deeply needed conversation about Black men’s mental and emotional health, trauma, healing, masculinity, and community.
Sam shares the powerful story behind the creation of the 18th Annual Community Empowering Through Black Men Healing Conference, a movement born from a heated debate that evolved into a mission to create safe spaces for Black men to heal, grow, and reconnect with themselves and each other.

Coley Gates Episode 3: What does it take to come back from a 999-year sentence—and not just survive, but transform?

In this powerful third installment of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice continues his deeply moving conversation with Coley Gates, a man whose story defies logic and redefines faith, brotherhood, and purpose.
After spending 25 years incarcerated, Coley opens up about the emotional weight of reconnecting with family, the unbreakable bond of the “Seven Mighty Men,” and the spiritual foundation that carried him through the darkest seasons of his life. This episode dives deep into what real brotherhood looks like—men who prayed together, cried together, held each other accountable, and ultimately helped one another survive and thrive against impossible odds.
Coley shares what shocked him most about the world after his release—the disconnect in community, the shifting dynamics of family, and the tension between opportunity and temptation. With raw honesty, he speaks on navigating freedom, resisting old paths, and stepping into his calling as a voice of hope for others still trapped—physically and mentally.
From mentoring youth and serving the homeless, to returning to prisons to uplift those still inside, Coley is living proof that transformation is real—and that no one is beyond redemption.
The episode closes with a gripping spoken word performance, “Oh Say Can You See,” challenging listeners to reflect on justice, identity, and unity in today’s world.

Coley Gates episode 2: From 999 Years to Freedom: Faith, Forgiveness, and Redemption

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Coley shares what it was like to be sentenced to 999 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit — and how faith, accountability, and deep personal transformation carried him through 25 years behind bars. But this story isn’t just about prison. It’s about healing.
Coley talks about:
Coming to terms with his past and taking responsibility for his life
Building a relationship with the victim’s family
Letting go of bitterness toward the man who committed the crime
The moment he hugged his children for the first time as a free man
The release plan that helped convince officials he was ready for freedom
Why support systems and relationships are the key to transformation
How he chose the legacy he wanted to leave for his children

From Supermax to Purpose: Coley Gates’ Journey of Faith and Redemption

In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with Minneapolis native Coley Gates for a raw and deeply moving conversation about faith, accountability, and transformation.
Coley opens the episode with a powerful spoken-word piece from his book Common Sense: We Are Bigger Than the Box You Put Us In, reflecting on identity, pain, and the legacy of Black men in America. But his story goes far deeper.
As a young man, Coley was sentenced to 999 years, 99 months, and 99 days in prison for a crime he did not commit. Instead of “snitching” on the person responsible, he accepted the consequences of the life he had been living. Behind the walls of Supermax prison in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, Coley began a profound journey of self-discovery.

Sam Simmons: When Survival Becomes a Wound: Black Men, Trauma, and the Cost of Carrying It Alone

What happens when the very strategies that helped us survive begin to harm us?
 
In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with nationally respected behavioral consultant and author Sam Simmons for a raw, illuminating conversation about Black male trauma—personal, cultural, and generational.
 
Sam traces his journey from physical injury to emotional awakening, unpacking how trauma shows up in our bodies, our relationships, our work, and our communities. Together, James and Sam challenge some of the most deeply held beliefs in Black culture: when “that’s just how we are” is really unhealed pain, when caretaking becomes control, when perfectionism masks shame, and when work becomes an escape from intimacy.
 
This episode wrestles honestly with hard questions:
 
How do you recognize trauma when you’ve been taught it’s just culture?
Why are Black men often rewarded for survival behaviors that later cost us our peace?
Why does society—and sometimes our own communities—struggle with the idea of Black men healing?
And what becomes possible when we choose awareness, honesty, and internal work?

YANA Conversation with Denetrick Powers: Black Men, Intimacy, and the Courage to Be Vulnerable

In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with entrepreneur, urban planner, and community builder Denetrick Powers for a deeply honest conversation about manhood, leadership, and what it truly means to show up for others.
Denetrick shares his journey of becoming a full-time father figure to his teenage nephew and entering the adoption process as a single Black man — a decision that reshaped his life, his priorities, and his understanding of purpose. Together, they talk about the realities of raising a Black boy in today’s world, the emotional weight and reward of fatherhood, and why Black men need intimacy, brotherhood, and safe spaces to be vulnerable.
This episode is about more than fatherhood — it’s about healing, growth, redefining masculinity, and learning that strength is not just about carrying the load alone, but about building relationships, asking for help, and showing up with love.
 If you’ve ever felt like you had to figure life out on your own, this conversation is for you. Because you are not alone.

Tone Capone - From Pain to Purpose: A North Minneapolis Story of Sobriety and Second Chances

In this powerful and deeply honest episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with North Minneapolis artist Tone Capone for a raw conversation about survival, struggle, and transformation.
Tone opens up about being diagnosed at just 14 years old with a rare blood disorder that changed the course of his life. As he grew up navigating depression, PTSD, and the trauma of losing friends to violence, alcohol became a way to cope with the pain and loneliness.
Now at 35, Tone is choosing a different path.
In this conversation, he shares what it’s like to live with a lifelong medical condition, the mental toll of grief and trauma, and how the birth of his daughter became the turning point that pushed him toward sobriety and personal growth. He also talks about fatherhood, rebuilding relationships, rediscovering his passion for music, and learning how faith, therapy, and accountability are helping him become the man he wants to be.

Lamont Jackson and James Ware. Faith, Fire & Fellowship: Black Men Confront Church, Power, and Purpose

In this powerful and unfiltered episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice welcomes two dynamic voices into the conversation—Lamont Jackson and James Ware—for a raw, Spirit-led dialogue about faith, identity, and the state of America.
What does it mean to pursue biblical literacy in a time of political division? How should the Church respond when theology is weaponized to justify hate? And what does it truly mean to be a Black man—and a Christian Black man—in America today?
Lamont unpacks the urgent need for deeper theological understanding, drawing from the legacy of thinkers like James Cone and his groundbreaking work, The Cross and the Lynching Tree. Together, the brothers wrestle with hard truths about white supremacy, evangelicalism, and whether unity in the Body of Christ is truly possible.
James Ware brings the perspective of a retired U.S. Army veteran, reflecting on service, sacrifice, systemic racism, and the difficult questions facing Black men considering military enlistment today. The conversation moves boldly through politics, patriotism, and the painful tension between love and justice.
The episode pauses to honor the legacy of Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) on the anniversary of his assassination, reflecting on prophetic truth-telling, courage, and the cost of conviction.

From Heartbreak to Healing: Dr. Javan Richardson on Vulnerability, Brotherhood, and the Power of Being Needed

In this powerful episode of YANA: You Are Not Alone, host James Trice sits down with author, educator, and mental health advocate Dr. Javan E. Richardson for an honest and transformative conversation about heartbreak, healing, and the necessity of safe spaces for Black men.
 
Dr. Richardson opens up about the painful seasons that shaped him—from growing up without his father to navigating a devastating relationship breakup that brought him to his lowest point. With raw transparency, he shares how therapy, faith, mentorship, and community helped him rebuild from the inside out. Drawing inspiration from songs like You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson and anchored in scripture, he reframes heartbreak not as destruction—but as transformation.
 
The conversation explores:
Why vulnerability is strength—not weakness—for Black men
The difference between replacing a void and having God send representatives
The power of spiritual fatherhood and mentorship
Healing in layers: balancing therapy and faith
Why “you are needed” may be the most important message a Black man can hear
Dr. Richardson also discusses his book, The Blessings of Heartbreak, and how shattered moments can become turning points. His story is not just about survival—it’s about wholeness, purpose, and legacy.