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Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 7 – Holiday HeARTs: Reflections & What’s Next
Description: In this follow-up to our most personal episode yet, co-founders and co-hosts Jesse Purcell, David McGee, and Jennifer Hood reflect on the first-ever Holiday HeARTs event — what worked, what filled their hearts, and what’s coming next.
From overcoming lack of funding to full-circle healing moments, this conversation captures the real-life highs and hurdles behind building something that matters.
We talk about:
What it felt like to create a day of joy, art, and connection for children in crisis
Honest feedback from the Colorado event at Glenn Isle Resort
The cancellation of our Virginia event — and what we learned
Plans to expand to three Colorado events in 2026 (serving 75+ kids total)
Our new plan to fund these events through an annual art auction each October
There’s laughter, real talk, and a shared commitment to keep showing up — no matter what.
Because it’s not just about one day. It’s about building something that lasts.
🖤 Holiday HeARTs brings creative healing to children and families impacted by trauma. Want to help us grow this work?
📢 Help us make this campaign possible:
If you’d like to support the families we’re serving, donate, share, or connect with us at:
Donate: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/holiday-hearts-creativity-and-cheer-for-healing-families
📬 Email: officeofthepresidents@roninproject.org
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 8 – Confidence Closet and Clothing Drives
Description: In this episode, we dive into the heart behind our Confidence Closet and seasonal Clothing Drives — where dignity, warmth, and confidence come first.
Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee break down how this initiative works, why it matters, and how we’re using clothing as a tool for stability, connection, and showing up strong — no matter your circumstances.
We talk about:
👚 What inspired the Confidence Closet
🧥 How our clothing drives serve kids and families through trusted partner referrals
👜 The importance of interview-ready outfits for community members seeking opportunities
📦 How to donate, get involved, or help us spread the word
Because when you’re choosing between essentials, having the right outfit shouldn't be the thing that holds you back.
📌 About the Program
We collect new and gently used clothing year-round for underserved neighbors. Our Confidence Closet provides professional clothing for verified engagements like interviews, job fairs, and networking events.
🔄 Year-Round: Confidence Closet – professional clothing collection
☀️ Summer Drive (Jan–Mar): Distributed in May
❄️ Winter Drive (Jun–Aug): Distributed in October
📍Locations are announced the month of each distribution. Clothing is provided through Ronin Project and distributed to families referred by our community partners.
🖤 Want to help?
🎁 Donate directly: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/support-ronin-project
📬 Email: officeofthepresidents@roninproject.org
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Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 4.5 – Realities Q&A (Part 2)
Description: In this two-part episode, the Ronin Project co-founders — Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee — sit down for our first listener Q&A session. Together, they answer raw and unfiltered questions about incarceration, resilience, and the ongoing fight for dignity and justice.
We’re also joined by a special guest, Lewis, who shares his personal journey that unfolded alongside Jesse’s. His perspective brings even more depth to the conversation, highlighting both shared struggles and unique realities within the justice system.
Topics we dive into include:
Listener questions about prison life, re-entry, and systemic injustice
The personal toll of incarceration, stigma, and dehumanization
Stories of survival, clarity, and strength in the hardest circumstances
What rehabilitation and accountability should really look like
This is more than a Q&A — it’s a candid conversation among those who lived it, witnessed it, and are building solutions through Ronin Project.
👉 Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 for the full conversation.
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 5.1 – Social Media (Part 1)
Description: In this multi-part episode of the Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk, we dive into one of the most pressing and personal topics of our time — social media.
This conversation kicks off a new arc in our Current Events series as cofounders Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee unpack the far-reaching effects of social media on:
Mental health and identity
Parenting in the digital age
Social behavior and isolation
Community connection (or disconnection)
Generational impact and digital responsibility
From lived experience to honest reflection, we explore both the promise and the pitfalls of our always-online world. There was too much to cover in one sitting — so this is Part 1 of 2. No scripts. No filters. Just Real Talk.
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 5.2 – Social Media (Part 2)
Description: In this multi-part episode of the Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk, we dive into one of the most pressing and personal topics of our time — social media.
This conversation kicks off a new arc in our Current Events series as cofounders Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee unpack the far-reaching effects of social media on:
Mental health and identity
Parenting in the digital age
Social behavior and isolation
Community connection (or disconnection)
Generational impact and digital responsibility
From lived experience to honest reflection, we explore both the promise and the pitfalls of our always-online world. There was too much to cover in one sitting — so this is Part 2 of 2. No scripts. No filters. Just Real Talk.
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 6 – Holiday HeARTs
Description: In this episode of Real Talk, we open up about why our Holiday HeARTs campaign means so much to us — not just as an organization, but as survivors, parents, and people who’ve lived through what we’re trying to help others escape.
Jennifer Hood, Jesse Purcell, David McGee, and guest speaker Heather Owens share lived experiences with domestic violence, poverty, incarceration, and survival — and how those journeys shaped the vision behind Holiday HeARTs.
This isn’t just about gifts or art projects. It’s about breaking generational cycles, offering safe creative spaces, and letting families in crisis know: You are not forgotten. You are not alone.
We talk openly about:
Growing up in and fleeing domestic violence
The emotional and psychological scars of survival
Why art and community are critical for healing
The practical support we’re offering — and what we still need
🎨 Holiday HeARTs is about giving families a moment of peace, dignity, and joy during one of the hardest times of year — especially for those in shelters, on the run, or rebuilding from nothing.
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes candid discussions of domestic violence, childhood trauma, and abuse. Please listen with care.
📢 Help us make this campaign possible:
If you’d like to support the families we’re serving, donate, share, or connect with us at:
Donate: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/holiday-hearts-creativity-and-cheer-for-healing-families
📬 Email: officeofthepresidents@roninproject.org
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 2: The 550
Description: “We were told we were going home. Families made plans. Lives were rearranged. And then… it was all taken back.” -Jesse
In this episode of the Ronin Project Podcast, Real Talk, Jesse Purcell, Kanise Marshall, and Jennifer Hood dive into the heartbreaking story of The 550 — the group of incarcerated individuals who were promised early release, only to have it reversed without warning.
Jesse shares what it felt like to be one of the first three. The emotional rollercoaster. The financial burden. The hope…and the betrayal.
We explore:
What happens when liberty is dangled like a carrot
The psychological warfare built into reentry programs
How the system fails not just individuals, but entire families
Why this isn’t just a glitch — it’s the model
This isn’t just policy — it’s personal. And it’s time we talk about it.
🔗 Join the conversation. Share your story.
📺 Subscribe to Ronin Project on YouTube
🧠 Question what you’ve been told.
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 3: Clerical Error? (Part 1)
Description: What happens when a clerical error changes the course of your life? In this two-part episode, Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee dive into the story of Jesse’s misclassification as a first-degree murderer—a mistake that continues to impact him years later.
From lost job opportunities and strained family relationships to systemic failures that resist correction, this conversation exposes the hidden ways errors in the justice system devastate lives. The group explores:
How Jesse’s record still falsely shows first-degree murder instead of attempted murder
The ripple effects of misclassification on work, housing, and relationships
The dehumanization of incarcerated individuals and systemic resistance to change
Finding resilience, clarity, and purpose in the face of injustice
This is more than one man’s story—it’s a raw look at how deeply flawed systems label, limit, and dehumanize people while refusing accountability.
Looking forward, Jesse, Jennifer, and David also discuss the need for hope, positivity, and future listener Q&A segments that highlight resilience and solutions.
👉 Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 for the full conversation.
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 3.5: Clerical Error? (Part 2)
Description: What happens when a clerical error changes the course of your life? In this two-part episode, Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee dive into the story of Jesse’s misclassification as a first-degree murderer—a mistake that continues to impact him years later.
From lost job opportunities and strained family relationships to systemic failures that resist correction, this conversation exposes the hidden ways errors in the justice system devastate lives. The group explores:
How Jesse’s record still falsely shows first-degree murder instead of attempted murder
The ripple effects of misclassification on work, housing, and relationships
The dehumanization of incarcerated individuals and systemic resistance to change
Finding resilience, clarity, and purpose in the face of injustice
This is more than one man’s story—it’s a raw look at how deeply flawed systems label, limit, and dehumanize people while refusing accountability.
Looking forward, Jesse, Jennifer, and David also discuss the need for hope, positivity, and future listener Q&A segments that highlight resilience and solutions.
👉 Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 for the full conversation.
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 4 – Realities Q&A (Part 1)
Description: In this two-part episode, the Ronin Project co-founders — Jesse Purcell, Jennifer Hood, and David McGee — sit down for our first listener Q&A session. Together, they answer raw and unfiltered questions about incarceration, resilience, and the ongoing fight for dignity and justice.
We’re also joined by a special guest, Lewis, who shares his personal journey that unfolded alongside Jesse’s. His perspective brings even more depth to the conversation, highlighting both shared struggles and unique realities within the justice system.
Topics we dive into include:
Listener questions about prison life, re-entry, and systemic injustice
The personal toll of incarceration, stigma, and dehumanization
Stories of survival, clarity, and strength in the hardest circumstances
What rehabilitation and accountability should really look like
This is more than a Q&A — it’s a candid conversation among those who lived it, witnessed it, and are building solutions through Ronin Project.
👉 Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 for the full conversation.
Meet Kris Wingfield — Board Member at the Ronin Project
Kris Wingfield brings creative brilliance and lived experience to the Ronin Project Board. With a lifelong connection to ADHD and a deep belief in the healing power of art, Kris uses creativity as a tool for reflection, expression, and hope. In this video, Kris shares how art became both sanctuary and spark — and how they’re helping light the way for others.
Title: "The Vision Behind Ronin Project – Jesse Purcell Interviewed by Kanise Marshall"
Description: In this powerful interview, Ronin Project Co-Founder and President Jesse Purcell shares his journey of returning home after 14 years in prison and choosing to build the support system he never had. In conversation with Board Secretary Kanise Marshall, Jesse opens up about living with PTSD, overcoming isolation, and the vision behind Ronin Project — a healing-centered network grounded in connection, fitness, art, and K9 therapy. More than a reentry program, Ronin Project is a place for anyone navigating trauma to find tools, community, and a path forward.
Title: “The Reality of Our Prison System” - Jesse Purcell
Description: The reality of our prison system is a peak inside a personal, up close look on the effects the system has on not only the physique but the emotional state as well. It points out the trap and calls into question the psychological warfare that keeps the hopeless stuck. - Jesse Purcell
Title: Ronin Project Podcast: Real Talk | Episode 1: The Beginning
Description: Every movement begins with a spark. For Ronin Project, that spark came from lived experience, the need for change, and the belief that healing and transformation should be within reach for everyone.
In this first episode of Real Talk, moderator Kanise Marshall sits down with Jesse Purcell and David McGee to uncover the roots of Ronin Project — how a vision born from struggle turned into an organization hoping to impact lives. Together, they explore what sets this work apart, why it matters now more than ever, and how it’s creating space for resilience, community, and sustainable change.
This isn’t just an introduction. It’s an invitation — to witness the beginning of a movement, to understand the story behind it, and to consider where you fit in shaping what comes next.
And stay tuned for our upcoming mini-series: Real Talk on The Realities of Our Justice System — where lived experience meets hard questions, and stories challenge the way we see justice.
Meet Balinda Williamson — Treasurer of the Board at the Ronin Project
Balinda Williamson brings over four decades of financial expertise and hard-earned wisdom to her role as Treasurer of the Board. A survivor of domestic abuse, Balinda knows what it means to fight for safety and healing. In this video, she shares how her journey shaped her purpose — and why she’s passionate about supporting others through their own.
Meet Heather Owens — Board Member at the Ronin Project
Heather Owens brings grace, wisdom, and a holistic approach to healing in her role on the Ronin Project Board. A trauma survivor, caregiver, spiritual counselor, and esthetician, Heather is dedicated to nurturing the whole person — mind, body, and soul. In this video, she shares how personal transformation and deep care guide her journey and her work with the Ronin Project.
Meet Carolyn Werner — Board Member at the Ronin Project
With a lifetime of experience supporting individuals with special needs, Carolyn Werner brings compassion, patience, and quiet strength to the Ronin Project Board. In this video, she shares what drives her service — and why every breakthrough moment, no matter how small, is worth everything. Carolyn’s presence is a testament to the power of gentle, consistent care in the healing journey.
Meet Donte Fitzgerald — Board Member at the Ronin Project
Donte Fitzgerald brings wisdom, lived experience, and a deep sense of purpose to the Ronin Project Board. From country roots to city realities, Donte’s journey fuels his passion for guiding youth and helping others break free from cycles of pain. In this video, Donte shares why healing, mentorship, and real transformation are at the core of his mission — and ours.
Meet Jesse Purcell — Co-Founder & President of the Ronin Project
Jesse leads the Ronin Project with unwavering dedication as our President of the Board and Director of Operations. His journey from adversity to purpose is the heartbeat of our mission. In this video, Jesse shares the "why" behind the work — and the vision guiding our path forward.
Meet Jennifer Hood — Co-Founder & Vice President of the Ronin Project
Jennifer Hood serves as Vice President of the Board and Director of Finance and Fundraising at the Ronin Project. A Navy veteran, AI strategist, and heart-centered leader, Jennifer brings unmatched integrity and vision to everything she does. In this video, she shares how her personal and professional journey fuels her passion for healing, service, and innovation.
Meet Kanise Marshall — Secretary of the Board at the Ronin Project
Kanise Marshall brings heart, structure, and a passion for community service to her role as Secretary of the Board. With a background in project management, risk, HR, and storytelling, she’s no stranger to building systems that support people. In this video, Kanise shares why she joined the Ronin Project — and how she’s helping us grow with purpose.
Meet David McGee — Co-Founder & Director of Fitness at the Ronin Project
With over 25 years of experience as a certified personal trainer, David McGee brings unmatched expertise and heart to his role as Director of Fitness. A mentor, coach, and cycle-breaker, David’s passion for wellness is rooted in personal experience and purpose. In this video, he shares how growing up on the South Side of Chicago shaped his mission—and why the Ronin Project is about more than fitness. It’s about transformation.
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