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Suave — Society & Culture
Suave

Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting

The U.S is the only country in the world that allows minors to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Approximately 2,500 juveniles have been effectively sentenced to die in prison — considered “irredeemable” by the state for crimes committed when they were just teenagers. One of them was David Luis “Suave” Gonzalez, who entered prison at 17 expecting to leave in a coffin. Suave tells the story of what happens when your whole world is a prison cell, and you suddenly get a second chance at life. It’s the story of one man’s incarceration and redemption and an unusual relationship between a journalist and a source.

Selected as an Apple Podcasts Series Essential.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © Futuro Media

Latest Episodes:

NEW PODCAST ALERT: Reaching Out Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Hailed by Ira Glass as the “best new show I’ve heard in years,” and winner of the Audio Memoir Award of the Tribeca Film Festival, Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between them.The story beginson the eve of twin brothers’ Sayre and Connor’s 30th birthday, when they set out to find the biological father whom they’ve never met. Their search pulls them through desert raves, drunken nightclubs, and across borders of time and language, forcing the brothers to confront the truths they’ve hidden from each other and themselves. And it’s not long before the twins discover that their father is closer than they ever could have imagined.

Follow Reaching Out for more episodes.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Released To Die: Episode 3 Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Now months out of prison, Frank Ross is juggling health issues and trying to adapt to life at the healthcare facility. He has good days and bad, as he struggles with cognitive decline. Then, an issue with his mandated GPS monitor suddenly puts his freedom at risk. We also learn about a new bill which advocates and lawmakers say could finally help reform the compassionate release system in Pennsylvania. They say it could help people like Frank Ross and ease the burden for the state, and help release older, sicker people whose healthcare needs they struggle to meet.

This is the final episode of “Released To Die,” a three-part miniseries that explores what it means to have a chance to die free.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Released To Die: Episode 2 Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Michie, an incarcerated woman serving a life sentence at a Pennsylvania prison, learned early on that she needed to advocate for her own health behind bars. Over the decades and as she grew older, she says she witnessed many friends grow ill and die behind bars. Then, in her late 60’s, she discovers that she too has breast cancer. As Michie recounts the challenges of getting older - and sicker - in prison, we explore the particular health challenges that older women face while incarcerated.

This is part two of “Released To Die,” a three-part miniseries that explores what it means to have a chance to die free.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Released To Die: Episode 1 Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Frank Ross was sentenced to die in prison – but after decades behind bars, he faces a new shot at freedom. At 93-years-old, Frank Ross is struggling with serious health issues. He’s able to secure a medical transfer to live out his final days at a healthcare facility through a law commonly known as “compassionate release.” Frank’s story is representative of a growing problem in prisons across the U.S., where the number of incarcerated people considered elderly has reached a historic peak. Compassionate release is one of the few options that could help combat the growing number of sick and elderly people.

This is part one of “Released To Die” a three part mini series that explores what it means to get a chance to die free.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

33 Years Later, Suave’s Long-Lost Mixtape Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

Suave has been named an Apple Podcasts Series Essential and to celebrate we wanted to bring to the main feed one of our exclusive Futuro+ bonus episodes.

In season one, Suave told host Julieta Martinelli about a mixtape he recorded inside his prison cell at SCI Graterford more than three decades ago. It remained a mystery lost to time… until today. In this episode, the making of Suave’s long-lost mixtape, the music that inspired it, and liner notes for his favorite 90’s hip-hop and reggaeton tracks. Plus, a discussion about the importance of music in prison and the artists Suave and Julieta love.

Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patience - Ep. 7 May 27, 2025

Show notes

In the final episode of Season 2, Suave and the team visit a location in the Bronx with deep significance to Suave— a place where you can say his journey towards freedom began. As Suave takes inventory of the past, and the challenges of the last couple of years in particular, he comes to terms with the weight of institutionalization. And he reveals one surprising and life-changing decision.

Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Homecoming - Ep. 6 May 20, 2025

Show notes

After the crisis he’s been going through, Suave could use a change of scenery, so the whole team decides to go on a trip to Puerto Rico. It’s Suave’s first time back since he was a child to the island where his mother was born and raised— a moment he used to fantasize about in prison. There he reconnects with family who come from a long lineage of survivors… and of Santería practitioners. A spiritual belief his mother always believed would be linked to his salvation.

Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let The Chips Fall - Ep. 5 May 13, 2025

Show notes

An unexpected event turns Suave’s world on its head, and Suave seems ready to throw it all away. He feels violated, and it triggers a response from Suave we’ve never seen before. As he grows increasingly agitated and isolated from everyone around him, Suave’s actions put everything that he has built at risk.

Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Old Head - Ep. 4 May 06, 2025

Show notes

There’s one brother behind bars in particular that Suave can’t stop thinking about — Frank Ross, his longtime mentor. The man who taught him how to read and write on the inside. Serving a life sentence for more than half a century, the 93-year-old may have a speck of a chance to get out. That is, if he can convince the state to release him to die on the outside.

Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Someone's Hand to Hold - Ep. 3 Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

On a trip to Philadelphia, Maria meets Suave’s new romantic partner and visits the home they share. He’s in a stable, happy relationship…but after three decades behind bars, sometimes a girlfriend can feel like a prison guard, and Suave struggles with the idea of commitment. In fact, relationships in general—romantic and otherwise—have been the hardest part of life on the outside for him. Suave and Maria struggle to find a balance in their own relationship as a growing distance creates new tension. What does a friendship for them look like now that he’s no longer locked up and the rules have changed?

Season 2 of Suave was made possible by The Mellon Foundation. Mellon makes grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the power of the arts and humanities to help connect us all. More at mellon.org.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind Suave and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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