Interview with Bryson McCalley — Breaking Free from Gang Life and a 30-Year Sentence Through Personal Transformation and Creativity

Join us for our Embraced:Fully Monthly Interview Series on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM (Pacific) on Zoom. Everyone is welcome!

Our special guest will be Bryson McCalley, author, filmmaker, and founder of Last of a Dying Seed — a platform dedicated to exploring how narrative shapes identity, culture, and destiny.

About Our Guest: Bryson McCalley

After being sentenced to 30 years in prison as a young man, Bryson made a radical decision: he would not allow his circumstances to define his future. During incarceration, he committed himself to education, discipline, and study — ultimately developing a framework he calls MQ-Movie Intelligence, centered on rewriting one’s internal story through the lens of film to reclaim power and purpose.

Today, Bryson is the author of the Pearls of IZM series, and speaks at the intersection of resilience, responsibility, narrative identity, and cultural awareness. His message challenges audiences to confront the story they’re living — and to decide whether they are the author of it.

In This Interview We’ll Explore:

From 30-year sentence to freedom — What sparked the decision to change?

MQ-Movie Intelligence — How film can help us rewrite the stories that define us

Last of a Dying Seed — Using narrative to reshape identity, culture, and destiny

The Pearls of IZM — Lessons from his writing on resilience and responsibility

Becoming the author of your own story — Practical wisdom for anyone seeking transformation

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Embraced:Fully supports people returning home from prison through mentoring, community connection, and spiritual support. We believe that everyone deserves a real second chance — and that communities are stronger when they welcome people home. Learn more about our work.