After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom

After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom, is the true-life story of the woman whose life sentence for non-violent drug trafficking was commuted by President Donald Trump thanks to the efforts of Kim Kardashian West—an inspiring memoir of faith, hope, mercy, and gratitude.

How do you hold on to hope after more than twenty years of imprisonment? For Alice Marie Johnson the answer lies with God.

For years, Alice lived a normal life without a criminal record—she was a manager at FedEx, a wife, and a mother. But after an emotionally and financially tumultuous period in her life left her with few options, she turned to crime as a way to pay off her mounting debts. Convicted in 1996 for her nonviolent involvement in a Memphis cocaine trafficking organization, Alice received a life sentence under the mandatory sentencing laws of the time. Locked behind bars, Alice looked to God. Eventually becoming an ordained minister, she relied on her faith to sustain hope over more than two decades—until 2018, when the president commuted her sentence at the behest of Kim Kardashian West, who had taken up Alice’s cause.

In this honest, faith-driven memoir, Alice explains how she held on to hope and gave it to others, from becoming a playwright to mentoring her fellow prisoners. She reveals how Christianity and her unshakeable belief in God helped her persevere and inspired her to share her faith in a video that would go viral—and come to the attention of celebrities who were moved to action.

Today, Alice is an icon for the prison reform movement and a humble servant who embraces gratitude and God for her freedom. In this powerful book, she recalls all of the firsts she has experienced through her activism and provides an authentic portrait of the crisis that is mass incarceration. Linking social justice to spiritual faith, she makes a persuasive and poignant argument for justice that transcends tribal politics. Her story is a beacon in the darkness of despair, reminding us of the power of redemption and the importance of making second chances count.

KINDLE------ HARDCOVER

Sony Pictures Renames Theater In Honor of John Singleton

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) today announced the renaming of one of the largest theaters on its Culver City lot to honor Academy and Emmy Award-nominated director, screenwriter and producer John Singleton, who passed away in April.

Singleton made history when, at age 24, he became the youngest person and the first African-American to be nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Director, an honor he received for his work on his 1991 debut feature, Boyz N the Hood, a film he made for Sony Pictures’ Columbia Pictures label. Singleton’s next two films, Poetic Justice and Higher Learning, were also for Columbia, as was 2001’s Baby Boy. His prolific filmography also includes the films Rosewood, Shaft, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Four Brothers, and Abduction. Singleton also received an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Director for a limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special for American Crime Story (Episode: The Race Card) in 2016.

"As the first African American filmmaker to earn an Academy Award® nomination for Best Director, John broke a major barrier in our industry and inspired a generation," said Tom Rothman, Chairman of Sony Picture’s Motion Picture Group. "His vision and skill enriched the world with great film and television content and he leaves a tremendous legacy, especially here at Columbia Pictures. We are honored to memorialize him in this way and look forward to dedicating the new theater with his friends and family later this summer."

"We are so pleased that Sony Pictures will be honoring our father in this way," said Justice and Maasai Singleton. "It is such a fitting tribute given the special place that Columbia Pictures was for him at the beginning of his career. The studio system was incredibly supportive of him in his work, which is something he deeply appreciated. This is especially touching for us. As children we were often brought to the lot while our father worked. Those days were fun and educational, and laid the groundwork for our own careers today."

Formerly the Backstage Theater, the newly renamed John Singleton Theater is the studio’s primary employee and public screening theater on the Culver City lot. The 102-seat theater – one of the studio’s largest – is in the heart of the lot and is used by filmmakers to screen their work in post-production and is the main theater used for employee screenings and special public and VIP screenings. With 5.1 sound and a Christie CP4220 4K projector, the theater is equipped with advanced technology and can screen in all playback formats including Digital Cinema Packages, Real-D 3D, 35 mm and 70 mm film, visual FX (DPX) files, Avid Media files, among others.

Cadet killed in West Point accident identified

The Army has identified the West Point cadet who was killed in a vehicle roll-over accident Thursday.

Cadet Christopher J. Morgan, a member of the Class of 2020, died from his injuries after a vehicle rolled over on its way to field exercises at the U.S. Military Academy’s training area.

Morgan died at the scene of the accident. Two soldiers and 19 other cadets were also injured in the rollover of the M1085 medium tactical vehicle long wheelbase cargo truck.

“Cadet Morgan was a valued member of the Corps of Cadets and will be missed by all. The entire community is ensuring that our cadets are being cared for physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, West Point superintendent, said in a press release Friday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Morgan family.”

Morgan, 22, was from West Orange, New Jersey. He was majoring in Law and Legal Studies, and he was a recruited athlete who was on the Army Wrestling Team.

“We are devastated by the news of Chris’ passing. He was a talented, hardworking, and determined athlete who loved his sport,” Army West Point Wrestling Coach Kevin Ward said in the release.

“Chris had an infectious personality with a smile big enough to fill any room, and a heart big enough to love everyone around him. He made everyone around him better and he will be greatly missed," Ward added.

The Corps of Cadets will hold a vigil to honor Morgan on Friday evening, officials said.

A memorial ceremony for the West Point community and private funeral service will be held at the academy next week.

[USARMY TIMES]

Tayari Jones wins the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction

American author Tayari Jones has won the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction with her fourth novel An American Marriage.

At an awards ceremony hosted in Bedford Square Gardens, central London – hosted by novelist and Women’s Prize Founder Director, Kate Mosse – the 2019 Chair of Judges, Kate Williams presented the author with the £30,000 ($38,000) prize and the ‘Bessie’, a limited edition bronze figurine. Both are anonymously endowed.

Professor Kate Williams,Chair of Judges, said: “This is an exquisitely intimate portrait of a marriage shattered by racial injustice. It is a story of love, loss and loyalty, the resilience of the human spirit painted on a big political canvas – that shines a light on today’s America. We all loved this brilliant book.”

The Women’s Prize for Fiction – one of the biggest international celebrations of women’s creativity – is the UK’s only annual book award for fiction celebrating excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing from throughout the world.

Tayari Jones is the author of four novels, including Silver Sparrow, The Untelling, and Leaving Atlanta. Jones holds degrees from Spelman College, Arizona State University, and the University of Iowa. She serves on the MFA faculty at Rutgers and writes regular posts at www.tayarijones.com. She lives in Brooklyn.

An American Marriage

Celestial and Roy are a newlywed couple with a bright future; the embodiment of the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into a routine, their lives are derailed by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love she’s built her life around until now. After five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together.

This is a powerful story about love and family, injustice and strength. Through An American Marriage Tayari Jones proves she is not just a masterful storyteller, but also a visionary writer, unafraid to address important issues about race, class and society head-on.

Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson supports impeachment.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS 2nd District) believes President Trump should face impeachment.

Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, released the following statement in response to special counsel Robert Mueller’s first public statement on the Russian investigation.

pic.twitter.com/GVAYl9ac1Y

— Bennie G. Thompson (@BennieGThompson) May 29, 2019