Bruce Bryan is an advocate, speaker, and Justice Defenders program leader who spent nearly three decades wrongfully incarcerated. In this powerful episode, Bruce shares his incredible journey of surviving the U.S. prison system, transforming pain into purpose, and building a new life after release. Host Carlos Vasquez and Bruce dive into the mental strategies, soul-searching, and community support that made resilience possible—even in the darkest moments.
Expect a deep, eye-opening conversation as we explore:
(05:50) Visionary daily growth plan
(09:19) Turning pain into purpose
(12:07) Making higher education cool
(14:43) Foster kids and daily gratitude
(18:46) Journey of self-reflection
(21:29) Reading as escape and growth
(23:03) Becoming a vessel of honor
(27:14) Navigating modern social dynamics
(32:22) Treated differently in Ugandan prisons
(34:49) Choosing human dignity over comfort
(37:54) Resilience during COVID hardship
(42:52) Unexpected changes during COVID
(46:26) Family support and gratitude
(46:59) Reflective gratitude and self-improvement
(50:47) Education’s role in inmate rehabilitation
Links mentioned in this episode:
Bruce Bryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bruce.bryan24/
Bruce Bryan’s Website: https://brucebryanfree.com/
Justice Defenders: https://www.justice-defenders.org/
TED Talk by Bruce Bryan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLhypJwZjxM
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