Larry Wilkerson’s View of the Iraq War, ‘Freeway’ Rick Ross, and the 2016 Presidential Election with Journalist Manny Otiko

Lawrence Wilkerson’s slam of the Bush administration’s march to war with Iraq is discussed with journalist Manny Otiko. We talk about the 2016 election, and Wilkerson’s reflections on working with Colin Powell, before exploring the legendary (and notorious) ‘Freeway’ Ricky Ross, who brought crack cocaine to the West Coast and has subsequently paid his debt to society and worked to economically empower disenfranchised communities through legitimate business. Okito also discusses the other side of crime and punishment, as he details Anthony Ray Hinton’s 30-year sentence for a double murder he did not commit, and how he was finally freed. It is a fascinating conversation with the insightful journalist on the Lip News, hosted by Jackie Koppell.

Guest Bio

Manny Otiko has worked in the media for more than 20 years as a journalist and a public relations professional. His experience includes stints as a reporter at a daily newspaper, serving as a media relations specialist for a state agency and working for several Southern California PR agencies. He has secured coverage in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, CNN.com and Men’s Health.

Manny has been published in The Riverside Press-Enterprise, The LA Sentinel, The LA Wave, The Washington Afro-Am and IE Weekly. He is an active member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Black Journalists Association of Southern California.

Manny currently writes for Four Four Two, the world’s biggest soccer magazine; Salon.com, the Atlanta Black Star, Our Weekly and Bossip. He has interviewed Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to Gen. Colin Powell, when he was secretary of state; former drug dealer Freeway Rick Ross and Anthony Ray Hinton, who was recently freed after serving 30 years on death row. His Wilkerson interview went viral and was shared 22,000 times on Facebook and covered by the Washington Post.

Manny has written about race, sports, entertainment, politics and media. He also writes a blog called “Manny on the Media.”