Leandra Feliz, the mother of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz appeared on Street Soldiers with Lisa Evers to talk about her son and the outpouring of support she has received from the community.
The song “Crossing a Line” is Mike Shinoda’s tribute to his close friend and fellow Linkin Park band member Chester Bennington, who took his life in July 2017.
Shinoda’s debut solo album is called “Post Traumatic” and features music with a message. Shinoda told me his goal with “Post Traumatic” was to peel away every layer of superficiality in the national mental health conversation and get people talking and reaching out.
[WATCH THE EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH MIKE SHINODA: https://youtu.be/S3m1OJc1KhY]Sometimes there is no warning. Anneliese McCain was a popular college junior who took her life at age 20. Her father, a retired Port Authority Police Department ESU sergeant who spent his career saving lives, said he didn’t see a hint of any problem. He said the day before she died they were texting each other as usual. Then, less than 12 hours later she was gone.
High-profile celebrities like Mariah Carey and Kanye West are among those talking openly about their personal battles with mental health issues.
Dr. Elisa English said that getting professional help can save lives. She points out that mental illness has an 80 percent cure rate, which is phenomenal.
And government statistics show about a third of Americans suffer from depression. The CDC said that suicide rates are rising across all demographic categories.
Getting help saved Lawrence Hines’s life. His message to anybody dealing with suicidal ideations and depression is that hope really is out there but along with that hope you have to get help. You can’t do it alone, he said.
We want to share those important phone numbers if you or anyone you know might be at risk. Call 800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which provides free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for people in suicidal crisis or distress. You can also call that same number to talk to someone about how you can help a person in crisis. Para soporte de crisis en Español, llame 888-628-9454.
–LISA EVERS
STARRING: LISA EVERS, Host and Executive Producer, Street Soldiers https://twitter.com/lisaevers
MIKE SHINODA, Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Linkin Park https://twitter.com/mikeshinoda
DR. ELISA ENGLISH, Clinical Therapist https://twitter.com/AskDrElisa
SGT. EVERETT MCCAIN, Retired PAPD ESU Sergeant https://twitter.com/emcc4
LAWRENCE HINES, Mental Health Advocate https://twitter.com/LawrenceHnyc
WATCH THE EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH MIKE SHINODA: https://youtu.be/S3m1OJc1KhY
Street Soldiers celebrates 25 years of Summer Jam.
We see it, we smell it, and it seems to be everywhere. The push is on to legalize recreational marijuana. But is it a solution or just the start of new problems?
The humor in Afroman’s hit song “Because I Got High” drives home the deeper message that getting high can be so good you don’t want to do anything else. More than two-thirds of Americans have no problem with it, according to recent Gallup Poll.
But Bishop Jethro James of Paradise Baptist Church foresees trouble ahead because good employers may ask people to be drug-tested. So if you can’t work, you will have other problems.
Popular culture and music are full of smoking celebrities, and weed images and references, especially in hip hop.
Bishop James is concerned legalization and increased use will make it even more difficult for young African Americans in economically disadvantaged communities to get ahead.
Recreational use is legal in eight states plus the District of Columbia. But not in New York City. Possession of small amounts of marijuana has been decriminalized and overall arrests are down, but racial disparities in enforcement remain. A recent report says you’re still about eight times more likely to get arrested for smoking marijuana if you’re black or Latino, despite the fact that blacks, Latinos and whites smoke at comparable rates.
Chris Alexander, the policy coordinator at the Drug Policy Alliance, said his group wants to remove marijuana as a “tool for criminalization” and advocates for legalization.
Former prosecutor Charles Tucker Jr., the founding partner of Tucker Moore Law Group, said making marijuana legal would take away the tool of racial profiling and will slightly level the playing field.
A marijuana conviction on your record is an automatic disqualifier for many jobs and educational programs. Tucker believes that legalization must also rectify the damage already been done. That means any new law or measure must also expunge convictions and “right the right the wrongs and put these individuals back on solid ground.”
Bishop James acknowledges the racial disparity with law enforcement but said his main concern about legalization is with the social impact in neighborhoods where resources are scarce.
–LISA EVERS
FEATURED CAST: LISA EVERS, Host and Executive Producer, Street Soldiers https://twitter.com/lisaevers
CHARLES TUCKER JR., Founding Partner, Tucker Moore Law Group https://twitter.com/sirchase27
CHRIS ALEXANDER, Policy Coordinator, Drug Policy Alliance https://twitter.com/DrugPolicyOrg
BISHOP JETHRO JAMES JR., Pastor, Paradise Baptist Church, and Chaplain, New Jersey State Police https://paradisebaptistchurch.org
In 1988, the show “Yo! MTV Raps” debuted on television. Host Fab 5 Freddy traveled the country, bringing hip hop to millions of people for the very first time. He interviewed artists in their own environment—Tupac, Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flava Flav, Run-DMC, Jam Master Jay, and many more.
Today, Fab 5 Freddy says back then hip hop wasn’t on the radio. “Yo! MTV Raps” showed fans who these guys were and where they lived. He would go into basements where the music was recorded. He met N.W.A in Compton and the Ghetto Boys from the 5th Ward in Houston.
During this golden era, legendary female artist and battle rapper Roxanne Shante was part of hip hop’s national explosion. Her life story is now a Netflix film.
“Yo! MTV Raps” evolved when Ed Lover and Doctor Dré took over hosting duties. The duo and Lisa G went on to become a top-rated morning show on Hot 97.
For Kool DJ Red Alert, who broke many records on Hot 97, what’s good never goes out of style.
In some ways, the qualities you need to make it big in the music industry have stayed the same. In other ways, major changes have happened.
—LISA EVERS
FEATURED CAST: LISA EVERS, Host and Executive Producer, Street Soldiers https://twitter.com/lisaevers
KOOL DJ RED ALERT, DJ and On-Air Personality, WBLS https://twitter.com/KoolDJRedAlert
ROXANNE SHANTE, Pioneering Hip Hop Artist and Battle Rapper https://twitter.com/ImroxanneShante
FAB 5 FREDDY, Artist, Filmmaker, and Original Host, “Yo! MTV Raps” https://twitter.com/FABNEWYORK
Street Soldiers hosts special town halls in various communities. Lisa Evers has hosted events in Harlem, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and even Rikers Island. Special guest panelists have included Ja Rule, Jaquae, and Papoose. Watch this special episode that recaps the best moments from those town halls.
FEATURED CAST
LISA EVERS https://twitter.com/LisaEvers
JA RULE https://twitter.com/Ruleyork PAPOOSE https://twitter.com/Papooseonline
JAQUAE https://twitter.com/JAQUAE