Jesse Maroney and Amin Eshaiker
Recorded
April 26, 2021
Archived
April 26, 2021
40:26 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
ddv000711
Description
Jesse Maroney (37) talks with his friend and colleague at LinkOutside, Amin Eshaiker (37) about some of the biggest influences in his life growing up as a biracial child in Connecticut and spending time with his father's family in North Carolina. Jesse talks about his time in prison as a teenager and an adult, finding Islam, and his commitment now to connect with other inmates who practice Islam.Subject Log / Time Code
JM reflects on his upbringing in Connecticut as a biracial child.
JM talks about the influence his father and his father's family had on his life. He remembers visits with his father's side of the family in North Carolina.
JM remembers the influence of his Uncle Seymour.
JM talks about the importance of hip hop culture in his adolescent and teenage years.
JM talks about high school and fights he would get into with other students because of how they would treat him and call him racial slurs. He talks about transitioning to a technical school that was more racially diverse, but also had a larger influence of drugs and violence.
JM talks about the robbery that landed him in juvenile prison for the first time in his life. He talks about the poor treatment he and the other prisoners received.
JM talks about his second time in prison and the difference in being around other adult prisoners, particularly his exposure to Islam.
JM discusses his pursuit of books and knowledge about Islam, and the lack of resources and support for Muslim prisoners.
JM recalls leaving prison in 2012, living in a halfway house temporarily, and going back home with his family.
JM talks about traveling to California to continue his journey with Islam and connecting with prison outreach programs that support Muslim prisoners. He shares wisdom he has learned from practicing Islam.
Participants
- Jesse Maroney
- Amin Eshaiker