The Blog
Latest news from our network
Letter from the Editor
Hello friends and family, Happy New Year! We hope that with this New Year comes new positive opportunities. We are working to help as many people as we can. We are proud to tell you about the successful year-end first annual online art exhibit event. Showcasing all of...
The Bubba Sparxxx Story (from the Georgia countryside to the Hip Hop Billboard charts)
A few names come to mind when you think of the first white rappers. Vanilla Ice, Eminem, how about Bubba Sparxxx, truly a pioneer in the game. An anomaly of his time, a large white male from the dirty south stunned his community and the hip-hop world by becoming a...
Saying Goodbye to Life of a Lifer
Life of a Lifer the podcast was started back in 2019 as a project between Taylor and I (Cecilia). It started as a dream, when we were just starting #DesignedConviction. It's been an honor putting out the show, and we have learned a lot and have enjoyed every...
A Wrongly Convicted man helps the elderly during Covid-19
The Interview Cecilia brings this great interview of a wrongly convicted man who helps the elderly during Covid-19. Antwann Johnson has served more than 20 years out of life without parole sentence in the state of Missouri. During the first minutes of this interview,...
The Little-known story of Karen Brown, an accomplished woman, Incarcerated 35 Years
35 years past. How much have you changed in 35 years? How much have you changed in 10? Imagine those 35 years in prison and you’ve revolved your world around consistent rehabilitation and self -improvement. Isn’t a second chance deserved? The United States is one of...
We need more Chris Wilsons: The answer to the prison reform battle
The first time I heard about Chris Wilson was back in 2019 when he was a guest on The Daily Show, and he talked about his book: The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose. The thing that stuck out to me was that he was a man who had overcome...
Who is Wife of a Lifer?
Part of the answer is in the title, Cecilia Conley is the wife of a lifer. That is, she is married to a man serving life without parole in prison. You may ask yourself “Why? Why would you marry someone in prison?” The answer of course is love. But it’s not just love...
Incarcerated at the age of 16 to Life without parole
The Interview Cecilia interviews Jose Armendariz, a man incarcerated at the age of 16. From child to a man, Jose has turned his life around. https://youtu.be/xBuSXN2-cmU His testimony My name is Jose Armendariz. I am a 30-year-old Mexican and Salvadoran-American man....
Life on the Outside – Unbelievable Stories of Redemption
Every day we fight against the wrongs of society, fighting for change. We raise our voice and we speak out for what we believe in. We stand up for ourselves and others who face prejudice. We tell our stories and through those stories, we ignite compassion and...
Love has no Bounds: An Interview By Lizzie Kommes
Why would you marry someone in prison? That is a question Cecelia Conley is often asked. The answer isn’t simple but it’s endearing. These nuptials have led to advocating for change and the creation of Designed Conviction. But we will get to that in a moment....