“I recently spent time in Memphis, which was deep, dirty and delicious. There are many stories I could share but the most life-affirming/transformative event happened on my flight back to Brooklyn, when I took a seat next to this man. Robert Hawkins. I almost didn’t sit next to Robert, as he had a cane and a support brace around his waist so I didn’t want to make him get up and move just so I could get my window seat! But Robert insisted I sit, and we all got settled in. I was so blessed that I ended up in that seat, at that very moment in time…Robert told me that he had been released from prison that very day and that this flight was his first taste of freedom, and our conversation his first with a person who wasn’t his family, lawyer or prison mate in 26 years…intense, right? As Robert shared his story, I gave him my respect and compassion for the tough life he had been forced to live behind bars. Not …