Nova Encourages Too Sweet to Fight

As an herbalist, journalist and activist, Nova Bordelon has touched countless lives. Here, in her pursuit for justice, Nova visits a young man named Too Sweet in jail. When Too Sweet insists he's not guilty, Nova encourages him to fight the charges in court.

"I'm going to keep coming as many times as it takes," Nova says into the phone in the visitors' area. "Don't you worry about me. And why'd they stop you?"

"Once in a while, I wasn't in school," Too Sweet says. "Next thing I know, they've got my arm jacked up and they're checking my pockets."

"And what'd you do?" Nova asks.

"Nothing. I told you," Too Sweet says. "Why I got to say I'm guilty for something I didn't do?"

Nova locks eyes with the young man. "Remember you're not of this place, Too Sweet. Put your mind elsewhere, hear? Fortify yourself. You pray?"

"Not no more," he says.

"I'll bring you something to read, okay? Think you can hang in here for a bit longer?"

Too Sweet sighs and shrugs.

"Good. 'Cause breaking you down, that's how they get you to take a plea for something you didn't do," Nova says. "They scare you with a mountain of charges. That's what they do to us. They make us scared to fight. You seem like a fighter to me, brother. You can take this trial if you want. You decide. Not them."

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"Fight, then. I'll fight with you," Nova says, pressing her palm against the prison glass between her and Too Sweet.