S2E1: The Man in the Brooks Brothers Suit: Frank Long on Politics, Addiction, and Radical Grace

Welcome back to Season 2 of The Shield! We are kicking things off with a story of massive transformation—both personal and community-wide.

In this episode, host Nicole reaches out to Frank Long, the Development Director at The Lovelady Center. Before Frank was helping lead the largest transitional center for women in the country, he was navigating the high-stakes world of Alabama politics. He wore the "Brooks Brothers suits" and worked for governors, but secretly, he was wearing a mask to hide a severe battle with addiction.

Frank opens up about his journey from the State House to recovery, and takes us inside the "City Within a City". With over 560 women and 120 children living on-site , The Lovelady Center is doing more than just rehab—they are rebuilding lives through dental schools, cosmetology programs, and radical community.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Politician’s Mask: Frank’s struggle with high-functioning addiction while working in Montgomery politics.

The "City Within a City": How The Lovelady Center feeds 1,950 meals a day and houses over 600 people.

Breaking Barriers: Why the center includes a daycare, extensive medical care, and vocational schools.

The Impossible Story: You have to hear the story of Jocelyn James—a Lovelady graduate who donated her kidney to the police officer who arrested her multiple times.

Resources Mentioned:

The Lovelady Center: https://www.loveladycenter.org/

Children's Trust Fund of Alabama (Season Sponsor) 

Timestamps: 0:00 - Welcome to Season 2! 03:26 - Meet Frank Long 06:28 - The "Brooks Brothers" Mask: Addiction in Politics 11:58 - Finding The Lovelady Center 16:37 - A "City Within a City": The Lovelady Stats 28:21 - Why Dental Care Changes Lives 33:25 - The Miracle Story: Jocelyn James & The Kidney 36:24 - How to Get Involved

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