#81: Marcus Bullock - Solitary Confinement, Life After Incarceration, and How a Letter Can Save a Life

Today we discover the story of Marcus Bullock: TED speaker, entrepreneur, justice reform advocate, and founder of Flikshop, a software company aimed towards helping incarcerated people connect with their families and the outside world.

Growing up in Washington DC with his mother and sister, Marcus is no stranger to the shortage of resources and social capital surrounding many neighborhoods today. His early life was encapsulated by the pursuit of a single dream: the outer appearance of success. Having the means to buy a car and nice shoes was Marcus’ early vision of what success looked like, and he tried to achieve that vision through selling drugs and stealing cars.

But luxury cars and nice shoes came with ramifications that Marcus didn’t expect. At 15, Marcus was arrested for carjacking and sent to prison. After two years of denial, Marcus began to imagine ending his days surrounded by cinder block walls and metal gates, until his mother’s letters ended up saving his life. Once released after an 8 year sentence, Marcus embarked on an entrepreneurial journey filled with connection, empathy, and the breaking of barriers far tougher than a prison’s walls.

Links From the Episode

Flikshop:

https://www.flikshop.com

Marcus’ Website:

https://www.marcusbullock.net

TED Talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/marcus_bullock_an_app_that_helps_incarcerated_people_stay_connected_to_their_families

Discrimination Against Formerly Incarcerated People - Greg Lorentzen: https://www.livingwage-sf.org/mass-incarceration/discrimination-against-formerly-incarcerated-people/

Why Are Jail Phone Calls So Expensive? - Tyler Kendall, 10/13/2020: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-are-jail-phone-calls-so-expensive/

Why We Must Rethink Solitary Confinement - Barack Obama, 01/25/2016: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/barack-obama-why-we-must-rethink-solitary-confinement/2016/01/25/29a361f2-c384-11e5-8965-0607e0e265ce_story.html

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