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Social Justice warrior Alice Marie Johnson is dancing free

NNPA NEWSWIRE — ohnson garnered national attention when reality star and business mogul Kim Kardashian West became an advocate for her freedom. On June 6, 2018, President Donald Trump granted her clemency. She had been serving a mandatory life sentence without parole for her involvement in a nonviolent drug case.

Published

7 years ago

June 26, 2019

Oakland Post

By Karanja A. Ajanaku, The New Tri-State Defender
kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com

After 21 years in federal prison, Alice Marie Johnson sprinted across a roadway near where she had been locked up. Waiting were family, friends and social justice warriors.

Nearly a year later, many of those same people (and many others) were in Memphis as Johnson danced – literally – onto a stage in a ballroom at The Peabody Hotel.

Alice Marie Johnson brought praise dance to the religious services where she was imprisoned in Forth Worth, Texas. During a recent celebration at The Peabody, she performed one of the dances. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

Johnson garnered national attention when reality star and business mogul Kim Kardashian West became an advocate for her freedom. On June 6, 2018, President Donald Trump granted her clemency. She had been serving a mandatory life sentence without parole for her involvement in a nonviolent drug case.

It was first and only conviction.

Now an author, Johnson has completed her memoir, “After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom.” A movie is in the making.

Johnson told her story at the National Civil Rights Museum last Monday. The gathering a few days before at The Peabody was an all-out family – extended family – celebration. As it wrapped up, Johnson talked of her late parents, Raymond and Sallie Mae Boggan.

“My parents, when things were going wrong, one thing we didn’t do – we never lost our praise,” she said. “I dedicated my memoir to them. I hope you will get the book and read – not just my story – but it’s also their story. It’s also my sisters and brothers’ story, my children’s story. Stories of the women and men left behind (in prison). People who have (traveled) on this journey with me.”

Calling her family members “incredible,” Johnson said they stood beside her throughout the ordeal. Her oldest daughter, Tretessa, served as surrogate mother to Johnson’s children.

“They all bonded together and kept our family unit together,” Johnson said. “Without that happening, I just don’t know if I personally would have been able to carry on the way I was able to. It was that assurance of knowing that my family was OK; that they had bonded in love and just looked after each other.”

Tretessa heaped praise on those who supported her family while her mother was in prison.

“When she went to prison, we all went there with her,” she said. “Behind the headlines that you see and all of the press, (prior to) that there was a lot of disappointment, a lot of rejection. A lot of getting our hopes up only to be dashed again.”

After Donald Trump was elected president, Tretessa said some told her there was no way he would free her mother.

“But what those people didn’t know (was) that God doesn’t care about odds. To witness what happened to her is really witnessing a miracle.”

Kardashian West could not make the trip and a video she prepared malfunctioned. A few minutes later, she was on the phone with Johnson, who shared the exchange.

It was one year to the day that Kardashian West had pitched for Johnson’s freedom during a meeting with President Trump in the White House.

Attorney Mike Scholl of Memphis and Brittany Barnett were part of Alice Marie Johnson’s “Dream Team” of lawyers.

Attorney Mike Scholl of Memphis and Brittany Barnett were part of the “Dream Team” of lawyers, along with Jennifer Turner and Shawn Holley, that Johnson in her book wrote “joined forces to rescue me from prison.”

Reflecting, Scholl said, “It just pained me to see such an incredible person such as Alice be locked away in a cage for something like this. It was nonviolent offense…a woman who got accused of a drug conspiracy, where she never saw any drugs, never possessed any drugs, never held any drugs and was sentenced to life in prison because of (the) archaic laws of our nation. I think it’s just a shame.”

Johnson was developed as a voice for people in similar circumstances, Scholl said.

“The reason I think this was her purpose in life is because if you knew all the things that had to occur, and all the things that had to happen for her to be with us tonight, you would be amazed.”

Barnett, said Scholl, had gotten 17 people out of prison already this year. Barnett said she was a bright-eyed law student representing a friend of Johnson’s, when she met Johnson 10-plus years ago.

“As a daughter of an incarcerated mother myself, one of my visions to change the world was to create a program in women’s prison to sustain a relationship between women in prison and their daughters.”

Faith Morris of the National Civil Rights Museum greets Alice Marie Johnson, who also shared her “freedom journey” during a presentation at the museum last Monday (June 3).

After securing a meeting with Chaplain Robert Danage in Fort Worth, Texas at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell prison and gaining his support, Barnett was introduced to “a woman in prison who wrote plays and was putting on a grand production. …”

Barnett said Johnson never gave up in the face of multiple rejections.

“It takes a special kind of grace and dignity to carry a life without parole sentence. …Thank you for continuing to rise up and thanks for continuing to lift us with you.”

Mayor Jim Strickland welcomed Johnson home.

“We need to use tonight as inspiration to make sure the right thing happens from here on forth,” said Strickland. “We’re all humans …not one of us is perfect. …But life is about forgiveness, second chances and lending a helping hand to those who need it when and where you can.

“Reducing recidivism and helping people get back on their feet has been a priority and passion of ours at City Hall since we took office. And it’s cases like Alice’s that serve as constant reminder that we have to take a hard look at our criminal justice system, especially when it comes to nonviolent offenders.”

Mark Holden, senior vice president of Koch Industries and one of Johnson’s social justice associates, told the crowd that the problem is a “two-tiered system” where the rich and guilty get much better treatment than the poor and innocent. …And if you don’t have resources, you are going to get run over.”

What can be done to make it better?

“What we’ve seen the last 10 to 15 years in criminal justice reform is phenomenal but it’s not happening fast enough,” Holden said.

“What we did in the 80s and 90s…being over-punitive and lock people up and throw away the key, that went really fast. We’re still trying to peel that back. So we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
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AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

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Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY