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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
I've done more in the last seven months than I've done in my entire life.
Jack Lawrence
Hello and welcome back to One Minute Remaining. My name is Jack Lawrence, the host and creator of this show. This is part two of my chat with Evaristo Salas Jr. Almost eight months after being released and exonerated for a crime he didn't commit, Junior wasted absolutely no time after his release and has hit the ground running, which includes getting himself back into school
Evaristo Salas Jr.
college. Dino it's been something too, because I'm taking a criminal justice class. There's people in there that recognize me. And then they want us to do a bio on our life. And so, you know, I had to. It was funny because. Well, one of the classes was that social worker class. And for whatever reason, teacher kept looking at me and saying, because we're the two oldest in the class. I was one of the oldest in the class. I mean, so she was like, so what did you, what did you do on 9 11? She asked the question to everybody. And then she goes, oh, hold on. Who was alive at 9 11? And me and one other person is the only one that raised their hand. And then she goes, how about you? And he was like, oh, I was 1 years old. And she was like, oh, you don't count. And then she goes, where were you at 9 11? I was like, I was in prison. And then she. And then she goes, oh, we're going to talk about. Yeah, no problem, we can talk about that. You know, and then everybody's kind of. I heard like a giggle, like they maybe thought I was lying or something.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And then like it was like 15 minutes later. She goes, well, let me ask another question. Does everybody remember where they had during COVID And she looks at me again and she says, where were you at during COVID I said I was in prison. And then. And I go, hold on, I gotta tell you, I gotta tell you what's going on. Yeah, you think that I just been getting in trouble non stop.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And. And she was. They were all moved by that. And then one or two of them in there was like, yeah, I've seen your documentary. The other classic criminal justice one. He actually posted it after I kind of revealed or I did that by all myself. And he was like, he was really moved by it and he posted it. And so it's posted on there right now in my criminal justice one too. Because that's what we're talking about. We're talking about the courts, everything that I've been through. That's what we're talking about. He's like. And I'm. He calls on me all the time. Like, so what do you think about this? You were part of that. And so once you share your story with everybody.
Jack Lawrence
So yeah, I mean you would be just. So you'd be a wealth of knowledge for that, for that entire class because you've lived and breathed the entire thing. Yeah, amazing.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Yeah, he's. And it was crazy. So this last. So we just had to do a paper, Curtis Flowers, which was in the documentary that I was in the same documentary.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And so that's. That's another strange thing. It's just coincidence. So it's in a book we have. And so I. I was actually reading this case yesterday or the day before because I finished the paper. The strange thing is you think that you have it bad. You know, I thought I had it bad. You know, then when I read some of these other cases, and I think, my God, this guy was on death row. And then there's other cases that I read, and it was like, it really puts things in perspective, you know, it's like, wow, this is, you know, this is horrible. You know, and mine was bad. But then you look at this. This was really bad. Well, that one's really bad. Then you realize they're all bad. Yeah, none of them are.
Podcast Hosts (Nikayla Matthews Akome, Brooke Devard, Danny Pellegrino)
No.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
So. But yeah, it's been. The college life has been. I like it. I really enjoyed it. Today I went. I actually went to their library for the first time, which was amazingly big library. Had my little school ID card and pulled it out, checked out a book. And it's. It's strange because I'm so used to. This is one of the strange things that. That I'm getting used to out here, being out free world is in those places like the college, everybody's so nice and they're so willing to help you in prison, you. You ask anything to, you know, officer. And they have an attitude. What, do you want this? Or it's always this kind of, you know.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah. Like there's this pushback, defensive attitude.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And here, everybody's just so willing, you know, to. Oh, yeah, no problem, you know, got you this and that, you know, what do you need? You know, And. But they're there for that. But at the same time, it's a strange, you know, kind of a strange thing. And then also the second thing I think is, for me, going back to Sunnyside, the place I grew up, is that everybody pretty much heard about it. So people are stopping me constantly. But even just getting used to being able. Just being looked at in a certain way, different than what it was in there. And there. There was always kind of a. Like a barrier that they seen before they seen. You were masked. That would kind of. You would fill it in. You couldn't have a, you know, conversation. It was always, you know, you're there, we're here. And there always seemed to be a divide. And not having that out here where you can just conversate with anybody. And just talking. There's no, you know, little certain, oh, maybe I shouldn't ask about this, or maybe shouldn't ask about that. You know, besides the cultural norms, everything is pretty. In prison, you can't. Even small talk is considered, you know, strange. Anybody outside of the prison, like, if I was a teacher or even a guard, you know, just to just talk small talk, and then it's just kind of a weird feeling, you know. So it's been amazing, though.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah. And it's incredible to hear that, as you said, it's really not been much of an adjustment, I suppose, for you, because you visualize that you worked hard while you're in prison, you know, because I think a lot of people from the outset really obviously know much about that world, and the only thing we see is, you know, movies and stuff like that. And I think when people think of people coming out of prison, I mean, for me, my mind goes straight to Shawshank Redemption. And you've got this old guy coming out of prison after however many years and he just can't cope. It's just, you know, and they talk about this whole perception of institutionalised and I mean, I even spoke to a gentleman who recently just got out on parole. He also, like, you spent 27, 28 years incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit. And he just came out in California and I spoke to him about institutionalise and I said, do you think it exists? And he said, I do think it exists for those who hand their life over to the institution and for those who allow them to control their life and eat when they're told to eat and do this and do that, and they don't try and do anything other than what they're told to do. So, for instance, with you, you went and educated yourself and you went and you pushed for programs, and when they said no to you, because you have a certain amount of time left, you pushed and pushed and pushed and you kept pushing and you said, no, I want to do this for myself. And I think that is the big difference. There are those people, you know, and you could have been. You were well within your right to sit back and go, they've ruined my life. And you fall into it. And we know that you spent some time angry, of course you did. But for you, you changed, obviously, and you had that moment. You went, I can't allow this to take over my life. And I think, as you said, that's how on the outside, you've just basically just taken to it like a duck to water and just got on with your life and you're going 100.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
I mean, the. The analogy you use is great, too, the Shawshank Redemption analogy, because I used to. That's one of my favorite movies. And actually that movie is kind of. I watched. I think I watched it the first time, and I think it was in 2000, 1999, around that time. And what actually kind of got me the idea of writing letters was Andy Dufresne, you know, pursuit of trying to get that library.
Jack Lawrence
Oh, really?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
That. That was kind of the.
Jack Lawrence
The.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
The. I was like, well, maybe that would work, you know, if I just wrote letters and bug the hell out of these people and just annoyed them until they just finally said, ah, we'll give him something. And I always thought about that movie so much because he captures it in that movie so well when he says, you know, it's. It's a fight between the two. And I remember the moment when he's arguing kind of with Red. You know, Red's telling him hope is a dangerous thing, you know, and. And he says. He says, you need to get used to that. I always thought about that, because you're going to be one of those two guys in prison. You're either going to be Red or you're going to be handy. You're going to either try to adjust so much where you just accept the fact that there is no hope, there's nothing. This is where you live and your mind gets locked into that kind of prison mentality, or you're going to be like Andy. You're going to bug the system everywhere you go, and you're going to sit there and say, there's other things out there, that this isn't real. This is life. And you're going to maintain that hope. And that's going to be the difference between how. What affects you when you get out. And so I took the view, you know, that Andy took that hope is a good thing and that I was gonna accept whatever came, that. Was it a struggle to have that kind of hope? It was because, as in that movie, there's everything pushing against him, even the people that are closest to him, You know, and it was the same thing with me. There was family members that had given up a long time ago, and even my fiance struggled with things. And, you know, my fiance grew up in a Dutch world where they're logical and everything, where they look at, you know, yes, there's a spiritual side, but it's like, this is what we see. That's all there is.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And me, I could see the cage, I could see the fences, but I could also see myself beyond it. And I chose to focus on see myself beyond it. Land is lost. Another fight it cannot win. The cycle.
Podcast Hosts (Nikayla Matthews Akome, Brooke Devard, Danny Pellegrino)
Begin.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And when I would walk that yard out there and I'd see the fences, I could see visually I was on this side of the fence, but mentally, I could see myself walking outside. And. And that was the difference. It's just. Just saying, you know, what I'm. This is. This is how I'm going to be. I don't care what people think about it. They can laugh at me. I don't care if it's even people close to me. They can make fun of me. And people did. You know, people laughed about the things I would say. And my, for instance, my dad, you know, I would tell him all the time, look, dad, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna go work with you when you. When I get out. And in the beginning, it brought him a lot of hope and joy. But 25, 26 years into it, when I would say that, I could see the sadness come over his eyes because he had already accepted that it may not happen. Yeah. And he couldn't hope because it was too painful for him. And so when he would look at me, he wouldn't say it, but I would see almost a face that would say, oh, my poor son hasn't accepted the fact that this is how it's going to be. And so when I actually got out of prison, I went to work with him. Sat on the next seat, right? So when he was driving his truck and looked at him in the middle of the country and I said, I said, dad, you remember? Remember I told you I was gonna go to work with him? He looks at me and starts crying. He says, yeah, I remember. I don't know why the clouds, they always seem to linger. All I know is when it's your time to go, you go, yeah. What I found, no coming back around. And it was like. When I think about those moments, there was moments where I had to kind of plant the hope for everybody else to, to benefit from, because there was none there. And, and, and you feel really lonely in those moments because then you start to second guess yourself at times, start thinking, well, maybe they're right, especially when it's 26 or when it's 25, 26, 27, and that you're pretty much getting to the point where you're going to do the little S. But there was something, a part of me that said, That a part of my hope is also my part of my resistance. It's a part of my protest. But not giving, it's all I have left. You know, I've done everything I can with filing or trying, you know, getting these people to help me, but the fact that I'm not giving in or accepting, still fighting, that's my pro protest to the wrongness of what they're doing to me. And sometimes that was all that kept me going from day to day, you know, but yeah, it was having that mentality, being released. It, it served me well because it, it, it kept me out of that, that prison cage. And so as soon as, like I said, as soon as I got out, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. And there was nothing going to stop. There was not, not the doubts of the family. You don't have money while finding, or you don't even know how to drive while finding a ride. You know, well, how are you going to get there? Well, I'll make a way. It was just always, whenever something was thrown at me, find a way to do this or do that. And what's strange about that is as you don't see that mentality out here, you see it completely different, it seems to me. I'm not saying that it was easy because there were struggles, but it's not as hard as most people kind of, you know, say it is. Even my family that are around me, it's, it's, it just requires a certain amount of determination. And I guess that comes, that stems from being in a place where the wall is pretty big. To get over that wall takes sometimes years. And when you dealt with that kind of struggle over and over, you come out here, they're just. Everything's just a speed bump compared to the long. People come and people go. So it's old. I should have known. But when you're young, you think that some are invincible. Psycho. Begin.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Jack Lawrence
have you caught up with anyone that you were incarcerated with? Are you still in touch with anyone that you spent time with in prison with?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Yeah, actually, I'm gonna touch with a few of them. I actually got a hold of, I think it was a reentry specialist out of Olympia. They got a hold of me actually and we kind of set it up where they were. I can actually go back to the prison and speak or. Or the prison I was in for eight years at every heights. If I go back there and actually teach or facilitate one of the classes I used to teach already, which is redemption. Yeah, they're open to it. They said. Yeah, you know, just. But they're. I know. So I know all the higher ups at every heights. I know all the associate superintendents, the, the CUs, because I work with all them building the classes within there.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And so being that, you know, my, my situation was so unique you know, me getting out and that pretty much end everything that to do with dlc. I don't have, you know, criminal record, that kind of stuff, besides what I had years ago. But so I put it out there. I said, look, I want to come back and be able to do this kind of stuff. Would you guys allow that? And it's like, yeah, no problem. Just give yourself some time so you can get used to being out there. And then we'll go through the same, you know, kind of, you know, the process you have to go to in order to volunteer. And then. So I'm actually going to contact him, contact them pretty soon here. I already did one time, but I'm going to do it again, probably more late in the year, and explain to him what I'm hoping to do and then start the process and see if I can get back into that prison, probably either late this year or next year, and start facilitating the class, one of the ones I used to do already. And so that'd be wonderful because that class is real beneficial to the prison population. But to have somebody that was there with them in that area with them, they know it's just going to do wonders to, you know, to. To individuals that are, you know, hoping to do something positive, hoping to get out. But second, I. I stay in touch with, you know, two or three people that are in there. I wrote two of them. I wrote them support letters for their clemencies. I think one is a lifer. The other one's last 40 years. Actually, two are lifers. My old cellie, he was myself for three and a half years in there. And we talk about everything that I'm doing now. We talk about it all the time. So I got a hold of him, I had to actually look him up because I didn't remember his DLC number. And he's just amazed. He's just like, oh, I can't believe you got a hold of me and, you know, telling them all chin him all the pictures of, you know, all the places I've been. And he's like, you know, I'm glad it happened, you know, and he would tell me, we're in prison. He's like, it's gonna happen. It's gonna take, but you got this. You'll get out. Watch. And so I've been staying in touch with him. He's a lifer. He's been in for what, 30 years now? Yeah, he went down like a year before I did. He's filing clemency, that kind of stuff. And I Have another one named this native guy. And he's been down for 30 years, too. Good dude. And he was just. I mean, he was so happy I got a hold of him. He was just like that, you know, just, you know, we talked about. Because we sweat. We went to sweat lodge together and we spent about five, six years right there in the same institution together. And so he was just so happy and overjoyed about gave them all hope to a certain extent. Yeah, we used to sit around and talk all the time and. And we were all part of the, kind of the core of the individual. They were building all these self awareness classes and trying to, you know, get the inmates to kind of think different because we were that too, you know, and so. And we would talk about it like, oh, you know, when we get out, we can do this, get out of prison, we can do that. And we'd see people get out left and right, and we'd be like, man, if we just had the opportunity, one of us just, you know, could we just make it out there? You know, that would just give so much joy to the rest of us, you know. And out of that kind of core group of lifers and all that, there's been another one. I got out and I got out. Just. It's just brought a lot of hope to all the rest of them. And so, yeah, I try to send them pictures. I already know what they're, what, you know, what brings joy to their hearts and everything. So. Because I remember being in prison, yeah, just take those kind of pictures and try to give them as much as I can. And they call. They call every once in a while. They're all. They're all very modest, you know, And I was the same way, you know. You know, he needs a time. I don't want to call too much. I don't like that because I want to hear from him every week. But they're like, oh, no, they need to wait like a month or whatever they call me. I'm like, what happened? Oh, you know, I didn't want, you know, I know you're doing a lot of things. I'm gonna cut it out, you know. And one of them called me. I was actually at a. I think it was a sweet. Well, then the Hispanic is called the quinceanera. It's basically a girl when she turns 15, they have these big old things in the Hispanic community. So I was actually there. I got invited to my. My half sister's daughter. I went there and then one of my friends called me in the middle there. I just raced outside, you know, took the call, and he could hear the music, and it was in the background. He was like, oh, you know, I know you. He goes, you're busy right now. I was like, ah, they can wait, bro. Go ahead, let's talk. We just talked right there. He was. I was like, yeah, I don't wait. But yeah, I stay in touch with them as much as I can. I try to help. When I get more situated, I'll do a lot more for them because I'm trying to go back into the prisons. I can't do much because the prison kind of frowns upon that. If they see me corresponding too much with them, they're gonna, you know.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
You know, it just. Especially in the same prison. So I still. We still talking. That's fine and everything. But, like, if I was to, like, send them money, all that stuff, it would. Then that probably would kind of slow the process of me getting back in there.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Or it. Maybe they may not want to do it.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, sure.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
But I'll find a way around that one way or another. But yeah.
Jack Lawrence
Well, man, it's absolutely fantastic, you know, just to see you. As I said to you, you know, follow what you're doing through your sister's Facebook and all the speaking you're doing and everything that's happening, it's. It's fantastic, you know, that you've just taken it, obviously, and I. I don't think anyone would have thought you. You wouldn't take the. The opportunity by the horns and just. And run with it. So it's fantastic. So great to see. And, you know, we. You mentioned to me in a text message the other day that you're hoping to come to Australia, so we're very excited about that.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Yeah, I'm hoping probably next year because I've always. I've always wanted to go to Australia, New Zealand, somewhere I always wanted to go to. And my fiancee actually has family in New Zealand, so it's just all about getting comfortable with the flying and then she knows more about it, you know, so we had to organize that, but putting money away. But yeah, I definitely want to head over there, you know, just. I want to see some of those beaches over there. And I just wanna. Like I said, I watched the Travel Channel a lot. I go there someday.
Jack Lawrence
Well, there's a spot for you in this house, mate, when you get here, and we'll. We'll take you around and show you some of the spots and we'll go for. We'll go for A run around and go for it. Yeah, I've got a dodgy knee at the moment, so maybe a slow run. Getting old, mate. Getting old, getting old.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
We can walk. I can take it all in.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Well, mate, absolutely fantastic to get a chance to speak to you, buddy, you know, and I can't wait to see all the photos from Europe as well.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely.
Jack Lawrence
It's gonna be.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Definitely seen some of those.
Jack Lawrence
So happy for you, buddy, like that it's all going so well and that you're doing, you know, all this speaking stuff and you know, you want to get on that international SPE speaking tour, mate. That's where, you know, get, get flown first class. So then you don't. You'll forget all about the troubles of flying when you, when you're in the first class section, that's for sure. Yeah, that's right. 100. You gotta get. Yeah, yeah, I know. Well, mate, absolutely brilliant. Great to sit down and have a chat with you, catch up and hear what you've been getting on with. And I know everyone that listens to the show will be really pumped because everyone, it's honestly just. Everyone just asks about you all the time. Time. So they'll be so excited to, to hear how you've been getting on and all the rest of it. So, you know, as always, we'll, we'll keep in touch and you know, we'll. We'll look forward to seeing you in Australia.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Yeah, yeah, sounds good.
Jack Lawrence
One Minute Remaining is a mashed pumpkin production created, hosted and produced by Jack Lawrence, audio and sound design by Jack Lawrence and Dom Evans of E.
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Podcast: What I Survived
Host: Jack Lawrence
Guest: Evaristo Salas Jr.
Date: June 9, 2026
Episode Theme:
An in-depth follow-up conversation with Evaristo Salas Jr., nearly eight months after his exoneration and release from prison, where he spent over two decades incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. The episode delves into his transition to freedom, experiences in college, perspectives on hope and resilience, maintaining relationships with former inmates, and his plans for the future.
This episode explores Evaristo's remarkable post-exoneration journey—how he is rebuilding his life with determination and optimism after decades of wrongful incarceration. Through honest conversation, Evaristo and Jack discuss the nuances of re-entering society, the psychological hurdles of life after prison, giving back, and building a life defined by hope rather than past injustice.
On College Life:
“It's strange because I'm so used to... everybody's so nice and they're so willing to help you. In prison… It was always, you're there, we're here.”
(Evaristo, 05:14 – 05:45)
On Hope and Survival:
“You’re either going to be Red or you’re going to be Andy... and I chose to focus on seeing myself beyond it.”
(Evaristo, 08:54 – 10:34)
On Influence from Shawshank Redemption:
“That movie... kind of got me the idea of writing letters... Andy Dufresne’s pursuit of trying to get that library.”
(Evaristo, 08:34 – 09:55)
On Reuniting with his Father:
“When I actually got out of prison, I went to work with him… I said, dad, you remember? …He looked at me and started crying. He says, yeah, I remember.”
(Evaristo, 11:04 – 12:00)
On Returning to Help Those Still Incarcerated:
“I want to come back and be able to do this kind of stuff… that class is real beneficial to the prison population. But to have somebody that was there… is just going to do wonders.”
(Evaristo, 17:43 – 18:21)
On Maintaining Hope:
“A part of my hope is also… my protest. Not giving in is all I have left.”
(Evaristo, 11:04 – 12:00)
The episode features candid, reflective, and sometimes emotional storytelling, with Evaristo’s resilience, humility, and humor shining through, and Jack’s warmth and curiosity drawing out deeper insights.
This conversation is an inspiring testament to the possibility of hope and purpose, even after years of wrongful imprisonment. It’s a meaningful listen for anyone interested in stories of survival, criminal justice reform, and the strength of the human spirit.