Tag Archives: citizen advocacy

Persistence is “Key” in a Successful Journey…

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Image courtesy of the Hennepin County Library

On July 24th I participated in a heartfelt and candid recorded conversation with Myron Metcalf; a Minnesota Star Tribune Columnist and the great, great, great grandson of Mary Ann Key. Myron is responsible for creating the Mary Ann Key Book Club.

I had introduced myself to Myron in the fall of 2024 at a book club talk at the Hennepin County Library in downtown Minneapolis. The featured speaker at that meeting was Anthony Ray Hinton, an exoneree who had written a memoir about his experience of being wrongfully convicted titled, The Sun Does Shine.

Following Hinton’s talk, I approached Myron and shared my story. I gifted him a copy of my second edition of Reclaiming Lives. My hope was that he’d read it and be so moved by it that he’d reach back out with an offer to highlight this story in some profound way.

In my futility, I often harken back to something my friend, Byron Lichstein, former Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP) attorney had said at one of our Walks that, “Persistence and determination will be the deciding factor to move this case forward.”

Former WIP attorney Byron Lichstein at the 2011 Walk for Truth and Justice at the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin

So…after publishing the third edition* of my book, I contacted Myron again and included the link for the new edition. He responded with an offer to include my book in the library’s summer reading list. Our recent conversation in their latest Mary Ann Key Book Club Newsletter is the result. Many thanks to Myron Medcalf for this amazing opportunity!

August 4, 2025

Our 2026 season book club title and program details will be announced in February. In the meantime, the Mary Ann Key Book Club newsletter will highlight authors from the Twin Cities in conversation with Myron Medcalf about their latest books and work within the community.

Myron Medcalf and Joan Treppa discuss “Reclaiming Lives: Pursuing Justice for Six Innocent Men”

(Run time just over 15 minutes)

Joan Treppa is a social justice advocate for those who’ve been victimized by the criminal justice system. She’s best known for her unwavering advocacy on behalf of six Green Bay, Wisconsin men she believes were wrongfully convicted in 1992 for the death of coworker, Tom Monfils, a case cited as one of the most notorious injustices in Wisconsin history. With no formal legal training, Joan’s actions illustrate the power of persistence and drive to highlight the voices of those silenced. 

Her first edition of Reclaiming Lives: Pursuing Justice for Six Innocent Men, a four-and-a-half-year labor of love project, won three book awards. More importantly, it has played a significant role in the recent releases of some of the convicted men. Treppa currently resides in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, Mike.

Our journey on behalf of the six men is not yet complete. Please help out by watching the video, hitting the “like” button, and sharing it far and wide. Thank you!

*Note: If you’d like a paperback copy of this edition your best bet is to order it directly through my publisher, Kirk House Publishers. Amazon currently has it listed with an overpriced vendor. However, the pricing of the audiobook, hardcover, and e-book on Amazon are correct.

New Edition…New Perspectives…New Look…

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Hello fellow supporters of Six Innocent Men –

For the majority of the winter, I’ve intensely focused on a 3rd edition of my book, Reclaiming Lives. I’m especially proud of this version and am excited to share the following information.

With merely weeks to go before publication, (approximately 4-6 weeks) this leg of the journey is getting real! Preorders are now available!!

Here’s a recap of the many steps that have been taken to ensure that this edition is top-notch.

New content crucial to this story which I believe will give readers much to think about regarding the merits of this case has been added.

The guys themselves once again contributed content which adds yet another layer to this story that will provide invaluable insight to all who read this book.

I am for the first time revealing the exciting new cover image!

Image of the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, WI

This version will have an entirely new look, complete with color photos. It will also have a Table of Contents and a listing of key characters to lessen the confusion about who is who.

The 4 beta-readers did an amazing job of scrutinizing and providing feedback for the manuscript. What they found truly makes this edition shine! The professional editor (through my publisher), upon completing their final round of edits for the manuscript, had this to say:

“A fascinating story and really well told. I like the narration style and content and the writing was quite good throughout.”  

I specifically asked my good friend Vicki to be a beta-reader because she reads a lot and has a good feel for what makes a good book stand out. She shared that my book is every bit as worthy of being on best seller lists. However, the fact that I’m not a well-known author per se makes it difficult to get there. So…I truly need your help.

A great way to start is by sharing the link below with friends, family, colleagues, anyone you can think of who might be interested. I’d also appreciate it if some of you took the initiative to reach out to media outlets, news organizations, libraries, book stores, etc… The more exposure this book gets the better chance it has of receiving recognition.

Let’s hit the ground running and get this important story out there and into as many hands as possible. These six men and their families deserve that much.

Preorder through this link:

https://www.kirkhousepublishers.com/product-page/reclaiming-lives-third-edition-by-joan-treppa

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Joan

Two Veterans…One Personal Mission…

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On this Veterans Day we honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I’d like to also pay tribute to two Veterans in particular that not only served dutifully in the Army but who have dedicated their lives to serving in other important ways as well.

It’s been my absolute privilege to have known these two distinguished gentlemen; Exoneree Michael “Pie” Piaskowski and Retired Crime Scene Expert Johnny Johnson.

Allow me to explain how they met:

“Johnny introduced himself when they walked in. His attention soon zeroed in on the hat Mike Pie was wearing, which revealed he had served in the US Army. Johnny was an army veteran too, which gave them plenty to talk about. They soon realized that they had served in a similar area in Vietnam. “Assisting veterans is what I do,” Johnny said that day. For a brief time, Johnny had assisted my neighbor, Ken, with veteran’s concerns. It is why I ran into him at my mailbox, and it was why I had the opportunity to ask for his help. There was no mistaking the bond already forming between Johnny and Mike Pie or the opportunity that this instance presented—Johnny’s ability to aid this veteran in his personal mission.”  – Excerpt from Reclaiming Lives

After realizing their similar connection they became close friends and together, fought another important uphill battle or personal mission if you will, closer to home. What occurred as a result of this partnership and their collaborations with many others is nothing short of AMAZING.

Read the full story in my book, Reclaiming Lives:

Kirk House Publishers

Amazon 

Or simply purchase through PayPal on this website (at the top right corner of this page).

THANK YOU!

Mike Pie and Johnny Johnson; two regular guys taking a breather in the midst of an important mission. Photo taken at the 2016 Hotrod Breakout fundraiser/car show in Minnesota.