In this second instalment with special guest Brian Carmichael, HIV/AIDS and prison activist, we hear how, upon his release in the late 1990s, the state appeared determined to persecute him for the advocacy he carried out at the California Medical Facility—an account of repeated incidents that read as calculated reprisals for the good he accomplished behind bars. Brian recounts how those years of activism seemed to draw official scrutiny and punitive measures, painting a picture of a system seeking retribution rather than rehabilitation.

Having weathered further spells in custody during the 2000s, Brian has lived successfully in New York City since 2019, where he continues to thrive while dedicating himself to others: championing prisoners’ rights with member-led group ‘Freedom Agenda’ and advancing HIV support through ‘What Would a HIV Doul ...