The recently freed civil rights attorney sits down with the Truthdig columnist to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.

During the extended conversation, Stewart says about coming home since her compassionate release, “every little bit heals.” And although she has in her life witnessed “a death of the spirit of the bar,” she tells aspiring lawyers not to give up: “If you have fire in your belly … it can be done.”

Video by Priya Reddy.