By Laura Medina
Some of us make mistakes. Some of us are victimized. Even few use that ostracization and isolation to detox the past to make room for the new us. Even fewer come out as the new version of us.
This is what Bobby Gonz, Obie Anthony, and Jim Jordan are all about.
It's toxic masculinity that got Bobby Gonz into jail. It's that toxic masculinity that him fighting over a girl that wasn't interested in him, didn't accept him, much less was aware of him that got him into trouble in the first place. "Claiming that girl," is what landed him in jail. That's where he spent his entire teenage years, in prison.
Prison is also a psych ward. Whereas mere chaos and anger destroy most, Bobby heard rhymes and rhythms in the sirens and alarms amidst the lockdowns, then he would piece and synchronize those beeps, blares, and sirens into hip hop beats and breaks into songs. While in isolation, Bobby would put a wish that once released, he'll release a hip hop song.
Who would have known he'll be opening for Coldplay's Chris Martin. In return, Chris Martin will do a Q & A, introducing Bobby Gonz, the solo hip hop artist, whose fan is Lupe Fiasco.
There's victimization. There's being framed. Obie Anthony, of Exonerated Nation, https://exoneratednation.org/ was an innocent man, wrongfully accused, who was sent to jail as a teen, a real heartbreak.
Once released, he jumped first of many hurdles. Yes, freed but being in prison was being Rip Van Wrinkle. So many years passed, that little technologies that we take for granted, was a culture shock to him. It Obie awhile to handle a smart phone. Those years in prison and isolation was literally a clean slate, in that he struggled to regain his legal identity. Since he was put away in prison as a teenager then spent his late teens to young adulthood isolated, Obie spent his first years of freedom in gain an identity card, his Social Security card, and Driver's License, stuff that we all take for granted.
It's the little things that add up. All that adding up, made Obie founding Exonerated Nation, where wrongful convictions is a human rights issue.
It's about the getting people back on their feet by helping them get and gain the little things to get them acclimated back to normal, real life that we all take for granted, while human right lawyers in Exonerated Nation work in releasing the wrongfully accused out of prison. The innocent, decent, and the victimized have rights.
Obie Anthony never ever thought he'll be at a Malibu estate, being honored for his civil rights and justice works, sipping his first real decent cocktail, a Seabreeze, simply concoction of vodka and cranberry juice, wearing a black velvet blazer in gold thread brocade. It was as though he sipped heaven. After offering his first real Seabreeze, he said, "You sure know your cocktails, aahhh." It's the little things.
As a hair and makeup artist turned fashion photographer, Jim Jordan saw something in Jeremy Meeks, whose mugshot unknowingly became "The Hot Felon." Jim recognized something beyond the mugshot. Jim took it upon himself to set Jeremy as a fashion model.
It ain't easy. The penitentiary literally takes no prisoner. Alright, it takes no bullshit. If you're willing to rehab and sponsor a convict or prisoner, Jim says you're gonna be vetted like no other. After they're done researching you, like if you have a crime record yourself, the authorities will personally inspect your home for weapons, guns, and drugs. The cops don't fuck around.
According to Jim, that's not even enough.
This requires tons of patience and months of patience and psychology of kindness, empathy, and sympathy.
It all started with minute 15 minutes phone conversations, thru Jeremy's ex-wife, while Jeremy was still in jail. Only on Monday mornings, once a week for months.
Then, Jim offered to house Jeremy as a part of rehabbing and re-introducing Jeremy back into normal life, much less a new life as a fashion model.
Jim says that Jeremy struggled to being loyal and faithful to his old friends and family in his old life while recognizing the bright future, as his new life, awaits him. That's real struggle.
Jim used his fashion connections to get Jeremy modeling on the catwalks in Europe.
When promoting Jeremy, Jim can't help but noticing people being magnetized and being attracted to Jeremy. Jeremy was sure as heck, wasn't used to this.
Photographing celebrities, such as Leo DiCaprio, Jim says they have charisma. With Jeremy, it's magnetism.
This article and interviews are all about giving folks a second chance in life, redemption, renewal, rejecting toxic masculinity, and "re-humanization" to becoming human again while recognizing people have rights. It's also about enjoying and cherishing the simple things in life.
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