FIVE STONE MEDIA

Description

The story of Five Stone Media began in the fall of 2006 when four men attended a weekend retreat. Those four men met John Turnipseed and heard him share his story of an upbringing in a home shattered by domestic violence. John told of his introduction to dealing drugs and how he seized power over the family gang and became one of the most feared gang leaders in the Midwest. He shared the stories of his numerous run-ins with the law and how he now has 30 immediate family members in prison with life sentences. John also shared how his life of hopelessness and destruction was transformed into something beautiful.

Steve Johnson (our executive director) felt compelled to tell John’s story in a video documentary. Steve and four other men contributed time, talent, and resources to capture and record John’s story. This simple short-film project quickly grew into a project of significance, supported by a group of Hollywood artists and film producers who volunteered their time to help create the first installment of the Turnipseed trilogy of short films released beginning in 2008. These films were the basis for a life-transformation curriculum created to bring faith-based, life-change to at-risk communities. The Lifeblood men's and women's curriculum are currently serving the re-entry community through Lifeblood classes conducted both in jails and prisons and through community-based re-entry programs. Our work is conducted both directly through our own volunteer teams and through community partners across the United States and Globally.