Who Judges The Judge? Hosted By Jordana H. Goldlist

Jordana H. Goldlist

Jordana H. Goldlist spent her teens as a homeless, high school dropout; a junkie fully entrenched in street life by 17 years old.  Today, she runs a boutique criminal law firm, owns property, invests in the market, and travels the world.  She built the life she has today by recognizing and using skills she developed during the most trying times of her life, and she believes that some of the most successful people are those that find their strength through struggle and adversity.  In “Who Judges The Judge?”, named after her TEDx Talk, Jordana invites listeners to explore the untold stories and unexpected backgrounds of her guests, all successful and productive individuals who have overcome adversity and the stigmas that society attaches to those of us who side step the status quo.  From reformed criminals to the falsely accused, from former addicts to refugees escaping war and poverty, each episode will feature an individual who defies stereotypes and expectations and will navigate difficult conversations to highlight the personal journey of each guest.  Jordana’s unique perspective, grounded in her own tumultuous past but developed over a 15 year career in criminal justice, adds authenticity and depth to the conversation.  Please join Jordana on “Who Judges The Judge?” a podcast that challenges both guests and listeners to question the way we judge ourselves, others, and the world at large.

  1. SEP 5

    Jeremy Persaud on Youth Crime, Jail Realities, and Building a Way Out

    In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy Persaud, CEO of A1 Films and founder of The Commitment Program, who grew up in Toronto housing, entered the justice system at 14, and later pled guilty to firearm charges. Instead of letting prison define him, he turned survival into purpose, building a grassroots movement to steer youth away from the cycle of violence and incarceration. Jeremy shares what it feels like to grow up believing “your own existence is illegal.” He opens up about crash-out culture, recidivism traps, and why so many youth feel forced to carry guns just to stay alive. We explore how parole conditions, what rehabilitation actually looks like, and why early community support matters more than punishment. From jail workouts that turned into a youth program, to workshops on financial literacy and know-your-rights, Jeremy shows how resilience and leadership can break the cycle.

    55 min

  2. AUG 22

    Nadia Ghanny: From Childhood Trauma to Criminal Justice Reform

    Nadia Ghanny reveals how surviving family tragedy at 5 days old shaped her mission to transform the criminal justice system from within, working with offenders for over 20 years. In this episode, I sit down with Nadia Ghanny, a University of Guelph-Humber professor teaching community corrections. Born in Guyana, she became an orphan at 5 days old following domestic violence. Raised by adoptive parents, she discovered her traumatic origins at age 11. Instead of seeking revenge, Nadia chose rehabilitation over punishment. She shares how she shifted from wanting justice through harsh sentences to helping offenders transform their lives. Now writing pre-sentence reports and parole investigations, she literally holds people's futures in her hands. Nadia opens up about intergenerational trauma driving youth crime, why harsh prison conditions don't work as deterrents, and how education reform could prevent crime. She explains why problem-solving skills and financial literacy should be mandatory curriculum. We explore victim mentality versus resilience, what authentic rehabilitation looks like, and how seeing humanity in offenders creates real change. From wanting punishment to helping transformation, Nadia's journey proves our most difficult experiences can become our greatest tools for serving others.

    48 min

  3. AUG 1

    How 'Of The Saint' Turned Every Opportunity Into Hip-Hop Success

    In this episode, I sit down with Elijah "Of The Saint" de los Santos, a young media entrepreneur who transformed himself from a kid in Toronto housing projects into one of hip-hop's most sought-after photographers and videographers. His client list includes Drake, Jesse Reyez, and countless other major artists. Of The Saint opens up about growing up with a single mother and a father struggling with addiction, and avoiding the street life that claimed many of his childhood friends. He reveals how sports and his mother's entrepreneurial spirit shaped his hustle mentality from an early age. From dropping out of college on a soccer scholarship to starting his production company with just a $200 camera, Of The Saint shares the exact strategies he used to turn every small opportunity into the next big break. He breaks down how he strategically networked at industry events, reached out to influencers for collaborations, and never took no for an answer. We dive deep into his breakthrough moment when Drake shared his OVO Fest photo, catapulting him to viral fame and opening doors throughout the industry. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from Rolling Loud, collaborations with Billboard magazine, and what it's really like working with hip-hop's biggest names. This is a masterclass in recognizing opportunities, strategic networking, and turning your passion into profit. Of The Saint reveals his step-by-step process for building industry connections, why your network truly is your net worth, and how to create opportunities where none exist.

    51 min

  4. JUL 18

    Richard Miller on the Chadd Facey Case, Police Accountability & Community Healing

    Richard Miller of Keep Six speaks on police accountability after the death of Chadd Facey and shares how justice system failures continue to impact Black communities and trust in law enforcement. Richard Miller returns to the podcast to speak on one of the most devastating cases in recent memory, the death of 19-year-old Chadd Facey, tackled and fatally injured by an off-duty police officer after selling a fake Apple Watch. The officer, originally charged with manslaughter, was convicted only of simple assault and received one year probation and a three-year firearms ban. Richard, founder of Keep Six and a respected community advocate, was asked by the Attorney General to provide a formal community impact statement at sentencing. In this conversation, he shares how the outcome of this case has deepened mistrust in police and the justice system.  Together, we explore race, accountability, the limits of reform, and Richard’s policy recommendations for meaningful change including independent oversight, trauma support, and lived-experience leadership in justice spaces.

    55 min

  5. JUL 4

    Human Trafficking Survivor Timea Nagy on Trauma, Justice & Healing

    Sex trafficking survivor Timea Nagy exposes shocking truths about victim vs criminal treatment, trauma healing, prison conditions & why the justice system fails both victims & offenders in this raw talk. In this explosive episode, I sit down with internationally recognized human trafficking advocate Timea Nagy, who survived trafficking from Hungary to Canada and became the founder of Canada's first victim services safe house. After 20 years fighting for trafficking victims, she's exposing uncomfortable truths about trauma, healing, and systemic failures. Timea doesn't hold back—she challenges victim mentality, explains why trauma never fully heals, and reveals how both traffickers and victims come from the same unresolved trauma. She shares her controversial views on prostitution laws, victim services that create dependency, and why throwing money at outcomes instead of prevention keeps the cycle spinning. We dive deep into prison conditions, triple-bunking inmates, the billion-dollar crime industry, and why the system benefits from recidivism. Timea explains the neuroscience of trauma, generational programming, and her new mission to revolutionize social services through "Trauma Lab"—focusing on root causes instead of band-aid solutions. From financial trauma workshops to mentoring former pimps, this conversation will challenge everything you think you know about victims, criminals, and healing. Timea's raw honesty about taking responsibility for your own trauma recovery, breaking victim mentality, and the reality of "trauma porn" in advocacy work is both shocking and necessary. This isn't your typical survivor story—it's a wake-up call about personal responsibility, systemic change, and what real healing looks like when you stop waiting for the world to save you.

    54 min

  6. JUN 20

    Why She Chose to Marry a Man Serving Life in Prison

    Why she married a man serving life for murder—true crime, criminal psychology, parole denial, love behind bars, forensic justice, and what really happens when you fall for a convicted killer. In this episode, I sit down with B, a fierce advocate, mother, and social media storyteller, who is married to a man serving a life sentence for second-degree murder. Their relationship spans 22 years—through separation, reunion, and everything the justice system could throw at them. B opens up about meeting her husband at 18, navigating public judgment, facing off with the parole board, and why she stayed—even when the odds, and everyone around her, said to walk away. She shares how their love transformed her wild teenage years into a grounded, purposeful life and how she now uses her platform to support other prison families and mentor at-risk youth. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a testimony to loyalty, resilience, and what it means to see the humanity in someone the world has written off. From prison phone calls to social media advocacy, B is rewriting the narrative around incarceration and showing what real support looks like.

    54 min
  7. How Jenn Harper Built an Indigenous Beauty Brand That Landed in Sephora

    JUN 6

    How Jenn Harper Built an Indigenous Beauty Brand That Landed in Sephora

    How to build a beauty brand from nothing, escape addiction, redefine clean cosmetics, and disrupt the industry with sustainability, purpose, and Indigenous leadership—this story has it all. In this episode, I sit down with Jenn Harper, the founder of Cheekbone Beauty, an Indigenous-owned cosmetics brand now sold in Sephora stores across North America. Jenn shares how a dream two months into sobriety sparked a mission to create a brand rooted in cultural pride, environmental sustainability, and representation. She opens up about her childhood in St. Catharines, discovering the legacy of residential schools in her family, battling alcoholism, and losing her brother to suicide. From working in seafood sales to launching a globally recognized beauty line with no chemistry degree or formal business education, Jenn takes us through the highs, lows, and grit it took to build something bigger than herself. Today, she’s pioneering what she calls Indigenous Beauty—a movement that fuses ancestral wisdom with sustainability science, creates scholarship opportunities for Indigenous youth, and redefines what it means to lead with purpose. • Instagram: @jordanagoldlist • YouTube: Who Judges the Judge? • Website: www.jhgcriminallaw.com

    56 min
  8. How Deluxson Yogarajah Escaped the Criminal Justice System to Mentor At-Risk Youth

    MAY 16

    How Deluxson Yogarajah Escaped the Criminal Justice System to Mentor At-Risk Youth

    In this episode, I sit down with Deluxson Yogarajah, a youth violence prevention worker and psychotherapy student who went from committing fraud while studying criminology to mentoring the very kids he once could’ve become. Deluxson opens up about growing up in Jane and Finch, witnessing domestic violence, navigating poverty, and stepping into criminal life after years of staying on the right path. He shares how being falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit led him to double down on the ones he did—and why getting arrested became the wake-up call that changed his life. Today, he’s helping youth break cycles of violence, trauma, and survival through mentorship, mental health advocacy, and his grassroots organization Finding Your Heart. Key Takeaways: Hear how Deluxson went from excelling in school to committing fraud while studying criminal lawUnderstand the emotional weight of growing up in a home shaped by addiction and domestic violenceLearn why a false accusation triggered a spiral—and how getting caught became the turning pointDiscover how he rebuilt his life from $60 in the bank to becoming a full-time mentor and leaderExplore the youth programs he’s built to prevent the next generation from repeating the same mistakesGet inspired by how one person believing in him sparked an entire movement of changeStay connected with Jordana: • Instagram: @jordanagoldlist • YouTube: Who Judges the Judge? • Website: www.jhgcriminallaw.com

    1h 4m
See All (24)

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Jordana H. Goldlist spent her teens as a homeless, high school dropout; a junkie fully entrenched in street life by 17 years old.  Today, she runs a boutique criminal law firm, owns property, invests in the market, and travels the world.  She built the life she has today by recognizing and using skills she developed during the most trying times of her life, and she believes that some of the most successful people are those that find their strength through struggle and adversity.  In “Who Judges The Judge?”, named after her TEDx Talk, Jordana invites listeners to explore the untold stories and unexpected backgrounds of her guests, all successful and productive individuals who have overcome adversity and the stigmas that society attaches to those of us who side step the status quo.  From reformed criminals to the falsely accused, from former addicts to refugees escaping war and poverty, each episode will feature an individual who defies stereotypes and expectations and will navigate difficult conversations to highlight the personal journey of each guest.  Jordana’s unique perspective, grounded in her own tumultuous past but developed over a 15 year career in criminal justice, adds authenticity and depth to the conversation.  Please join Jordana on “Who Judges The Judge?” a podcast that challenges both guests and listeners to question the way we judge ourselves, others, and the world at large.

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