Stand Up Speak Up

Latest Episodes:

Michael Alig: Club Kids to Convict & Back - Part 1 Oct 23, 2018

Show notes

Michael Alig is a complex character. He’s the charismatic founder of the Club Kids, a group of young, flamboyant New York City underground dance club personalities in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They wore outrageous costumes and were on the scene to be seen, setting an artistic standard for the fashion-conscious youth culture. But they were also part of the drug culture, with many of the Club Kids becoming addicted. The party-hardy heavy drug use caused a spiral in Alig’s life.

In 1996, he and roommate Robert "Freeze" Riggs killed a third roommate, drug dealer Andre "Angel" Melendez during an argument over drugs. Alig and Riggs brutally murdered Melendez with a hammer. They poured drain cleaner down his throat and kept the lifeless body of their roommate in their apartment for days before finally getting butcher knives to dismember him, disposing of the body in separate locations in the river. But they were eventually caught, partly due to Alig’s bragging about it openly.

He spent 17 years behind bars. Now a free man and back in New York, we catch up with Alig as he tries to rebuild his life.

In this first part of a two-show series, Michael discusses the notoriety he’s achieved, both as the founder of the Club Kids and also his incarceration for murder, plus he delves into his life behind bars and his attempts to creatively turn his life around.

Host: Karla Stephens Tolstoy

Co-Producer: Jessica de Bruyn

Production Editor & Sound: Peter Anthony Holder

Narrator: Peter Anthony Holder

Music: Evil I Know by Ascot Royals www.slaightmusic.com/music-we-dig#!ascot-royals

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Devin Price: Recovery – Relapse - Recovery Sep 28, 2018

Show notes

We first met Devin Price in Episodes: I Spent $1 Million on Drugs: The Devin Price Story Part 1 and I Spent $1 Million on Drugs: The Devin Price Story Part 2, when he took us through his road to addiction, becoming a drug dealer and pimp and his eventual arrest. After serving three years in prison, he had returned to his hometown to start over and we ended on an optimistic note with Devin getting a new job and restarting a relationship with his mother, Linda, who had also started her own recovery.

In this follow-up episode, we speak with Devin after a relapse that put him back into rehab. He tells us how one bad decision lead to slipping back into the world of partying and drugs that he and Linda had both tried to leave behind. As Devin decided to check himself back into rehab, he began keeping an audio diary of his final days before entering treatment and the aftermath once he was released. Devin’s struggle is not over.

He speaks to our host, Karla Stephens-Tolstoy, about trying to connect with his children, who have been put into the foster care system and are eligible for adoption. He also speaks to us about Linda’s relapse and how addiction continues to affect all of the members of his family.

Host: Karla Stephens Tolstoy

Co-Producer: Jessica de Bruyn

Production Editor & Sound: Cesar Del Castillo

Narrator: Matt Cundill

End Music: "The Best Is Yet to Come" by Ascot Royals (www.ascotroyals.com)

We want to thank Ascot Royals for the donation of this song, which speaks about overcoming adversity like that Devin has faced. Find their latest single, "Evil I Know" on iTunes, Spotify and places where music is sold.

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Burst the Bubble: Police Corruption Aug 30, 2018

Show notes

Kelly Donovan is a whistleblower. Her story begins working for a major bank, marrying a police officer, then deciding to become a police officer. After only a few years, Kelly began to learn about internal inconsistencies, and unethical and unlawful decisions being made without any guiding policy or legislation. In 2016, she addressed the issues with the Board, the oversight body of the police service, and as a result, faced reprisal and was further silenced.

She researched the prevalence of the issues and just how often police whistleblowers are silenced, while police leaders avoid any accountability. After involving all legislated oversight bodies to no avail, Kelly resigned in June 2017. Upon her resignation, she released her Report of Systemic Misfeasance in Ontario Policing and the Coordinated Suppression of Whistleblowers; sending the report to all MPPs and MPs in Ontario and the media.

Kelly has since published the report on Amazon in eBook and paperback formats. Then she started her own business, Fit4Duty™ to educate employers, policy and lawmakers about the risks of having a purely perfunctory vision and mission statements. Too many Canadians work in a toxic environment due primarily to poor oversight and autonomous decisions made by inadequate management.

In this episode - you’ll hear what drove Kelly to start the business and what needs to be done to end the corruption.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Co-Producer: Evan Surminski

Editor & Narrator: Matt Cundill

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trust Me When I Say There Is No (Hero) In Heroin - Part 2 Aug 22, 2018

Show notes

In the first part of this two-part podcast series interviewing Frank, an addict who has abused drugs from the age of 12, he told us the origins of his addiction and how sniffing glue as a child turned into full-on heroin addiction as an adult.

By his own admission, Frank has done some terrible things, including using his child’s stroller to steal from shops so he could fund his addiction. Along the way he has survived attacks from gangs of drug dealers, a punctured lung, septicemia, stab wounds and a knee infection that left him wheeling around, scoring drugs in a wheelchair. Time and time again the need to satisfy his addiction was always powerful enough for him to overcome any illness.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Co-Producer: Kris Mulliah

Editor & Narrator: Dave Wheeler at SafetyNet

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trust Me When I Say There Is No (Hero) In Heroin - Part 1 Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Franky Frank runs the My Cold Turkey Detox website where he shares the story and updates about his struggle overcoming drug abuse, primarily heroin and crack. His sister filmed his struggle as he detoxed cold turkey at her place in Sweden after 30 years as a chronic long-term addict.

Franky Frank - not his real name - is now in his forties, in recovery and is our guest on the podcast to tell us how, despite having fallen many times in the past, cold turkey detox does work for some.

In this first of a two-part series, Frank explains how he became addicted by the age of 12, and how that was the beginning of a lifelong struggle.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Co-Producer: Kris Mulliah

Editor: Joel at East Coast Studio

www.mycoldturkeydetox.com

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Life is Easy, Living is Hard Jun 12, 2018

Show notes

Erica has endured a lifetime of trauma marked by a difficult upbringing, abusive relationships, an addiction to phone sex, attempted suicide, and a number of diagnosed mental health issues. Recently, we heard of a website called writeaprisoner.com

While Erica is not a prisoner herself, she has turned to the site in what seems to be a way of coping with her own past, and actually fell in love with a man on the inside, who turned out to only be using her.

Erica’s story highlights yet another case of neglect and having nowhere to turn, nobody who believed her when she needed it the most.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Editor and Co-Producer: Joel at East Coast Studio

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rehab #9: The Rob Rawlings Story May 30, 2018

Show notes

Rob Rawlings is working hard to break the cycle of drug addiction in his family. Despite his father’s abrasive nature and drug use, Rob continued to seek approval as his son.

At the age of 14, Rob himself was introduced to drugs. It was only a matter of time before he tried opiates, and then heroin. To feed his addiction, Rob was led to a life of crime, he’d even steal from his own family.

Now, at 43 years old, Rob is in rehab for the 9th time, but feeling optimistic - and says he’s in the best recovery home yet. In this episode, Rob shares his story, and we’ll hear what he’s planning to do with life after recovery.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Editor and Co-Producer: Joel at East Coast Radio Creative

Links:

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Pain of Perfection May 17, 2018

Show notes

Recently we’ve featured addiction stories of people who had clear trauma growing up that contributed to the path they took in life. However, these things can happen to anyone.

Danielle McCarron is a recovery advocate, working to shift the stigma of addiction. She had what appeared to be the perfect life. A good home, good parents, good looks, and she was smart. As some teenagers do, Danielle began experimenting with alcohol in her teenage years.

By the time university rolled around, her drinking habits slowly transitioned from normal partying to drinking every day. Eventually, it got to the point where, after being hospitalized for over-consumption, Danielle would purchase more alcohol on the way home after release.

Today we’ll learn about her experience with alcoholism and recovery, and learn an important lesson - that you can’t force an addict to stop - you have to wait for them to be ready. This is an important episode for parents to hear and share with their children. No matter how perfect an individual’s life may appear, or how unlikely a candidate they seem for addiction, it can happen. This story will teach you how to see the signs early and understand how to help.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Editor and Co-Producer: Joel at East Coast Radio Creative

Links:

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nowhere to Turn May 04, 2018

Show notes

Today’s guest has 5 kids from 4 different fathers and was abused as a child. Rose is an artist with designs in the Stand Up Speak Up. Growing up, she faced physical, mental, and sexual abuse. She had nowhere to turn and was failed by everybody who should have helped her.

Rose and her brother lived a terribly sad, cruel, and abusive childhood. At the age of 11, Rose was thrown out by her mother. For the next 5 years, she’d spend time in multiple foster homes, moving around as some were only temporary or others were abusive.

At the age of 16, she was free from foster care, but was no better off, and had nowhere safe or clean to live. She had also begun seeking the love and attention she craved, from men. To make a sad story worse, Rose’s brother and best friend would later pass away, leading her to a breakdown.

Despite everything, Rose doesn’t consider her life to be sad, and leaves us with some inspiring words.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Editor and Co-Producer: Joel at East Coast Radio Creative

Rose’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/1902129090005530

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scientology Scars Apr 18, 2018

Show notes

There’s no shortage of content out there on the subject of Scientology. When we decided to tackle it, we knew the episode would have to focus on people, and the lasting effect Scientology has on its members once they leave.

The Church of Scientology has been in conflict with governments and police forces of many countries and is widely criticized. It was founded in the 1950s on a set of psychological principles created by science-fiction author Ron Hubbard.

Controversy over the years includes allegations of criminal behaviour by members, harassment of people perceived as enemies, the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson while under the Church’s care, and attempts to force search engines to censor information that criticizes the church. With today’s media landscape, keeping people quiet hasn’t gotten any easier.

More and more people have left Scientology and spoken out about its negative effects, despite the Church’s repeated attempts to shut them up. Whether it’s the shocking and crazy stories, celebrity involvement, or simple curiosity, something continues to drive pop culture’s obsession with Scientology, and today, we share the stories of 4 people who escaped the Church and are now speaking out: Lori Hodgson, Jenna Miscavige Hill, Sam Domingo, and Melissa Paris.

Some are putting Scientology in the past, and some are still struggling to this day.

Host: Karla Stephens-Tolstoy

Editor and Co-Producer: Joel at East Coast Radio Creative

Links:

Receive our newsletter, contribute show ideas and feedback by emailing: karla.tolstoy@standupspeakup.ca

Support the show: www.standupspeakup.ca/give/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.