The Returning Citizen

The Returning Citizen is a storytelling platform that aims to inspire and inform ex-offenders, their families, and allies.

The Returning Citizen is a storytelling platform that aims to inspire and inform ex-offenders, their families, and allies.

Episodes

S3 E1 - From Trauma to Triumph: Robert Gardner's Journey from Prison to Prosperity

Guest:

Links

Jacob Evan Smith speaks with entrepreneur Robert Gardner about childhood trauma, the terrible decision that landed him in prison for 22.5 years, and his long and winding path to self-discovery and forgiveness while incarcerated. Today, Robert owns a growing trucking business and courageously shares his story to inspire others, including a recent invitation to address students at Princeton University.

Summarizing Robert’s advice for those transitioning out of prison: Stay resilient. Stay proactive. Develop a vision for yourself. Know that prison doesn't define who you are. Follow the 5 P’s to Success: Persistent Practice Prevents Poor Performance. We all possess value. Stay the course!

Recorded January 27, 2024 at APX Studios in Royal Oak, MI

Theme Music: Matthew Greenberg

Jacob Evan Smith and Robert Gardner at APX Studio in Ferndale, MI

Guests

  • Ricky Lee Olds - Executive Director, House of Life Pittsburgh

  • Lou Gentile - Executive Committee, House of Life Pittsburgh

Links

What would happen if ex-offenders, law enforcement, and legal professionals joined forces, using restorative justice to fight against over-incarceration and high recidivism rates? Meet House of Life Pittsburgh, a group doing just that with their innovative prisoner reentry program. Central to their mission, the organization is led by a group of passionate returning citizens, which allows them to capitalize on the strengths of those that have already achieved success upon reentering society.

In this episode, we speak with Ricky Lee Olds, Executive Director for House of Life Pittsburgh, who spent 40 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, and Lou Gentile, a member of the Executive Committee and former Director of The Bureau of Narcotics for Pennsylvania who spent more than 27 years in law enforcement. Ricky and Lou dive into their unlikely relationship, the inspiration behind House of Life, and their ambitious vision looking forward.

Recorded April 12, 2022 via Zoom call

Overview:
Ed Kressy has come a long way since his days as a struggling meth addict, losing everything as he bounced in and out of jail. Through a long and winding journey, he was finally able to overcome his addiction, turn his life around, and fulfill his childhood dream of publishing a book (link below). Today, in addition to his writing, Ed is a speaker and volunteer whose work serves addicts and people with criminal histories.

Tragically, Ed's story is far from unique. Roughly 1 in 5 incarcerated people is locked up for a drug offense, with ~450,000 incarcerated for nonviolent drug offenses at any given time (see: prisonpolicy.org). In this episode, we dig into:

  • Ed's story about overcoming addiction

  • What he hopes to accomplish with his new book ("My Addiction & Recovery")

  • Tackling misconceptions around addiction

  • The power of entrepreneurship to empower returning citizens

  • Recommendations for those suffering from addiction today

Recorded December 10, 2020 via Zoom call

Guest:

  • Ed Kressy - Writer, speaker, and volunteer whose work serves addicts and people with criminal histories

    Contact Ed

Links:

Guests:

Links:

Overview:

When we think about criminal justice reform, voting is an essential piece of the puzzle. But for folks who have spent time in prison... it’s complicated. Your voting rights are often stripped while incarcerated, and in certain situations, this disenfranchisement can be permanent. In this episode, we explore this issue in detail to make sure returning citizens and criminal justice allies know their rights leading into this upcoming election season and beyond.

[CORRECTION: Michigan is 1 of 16 states (+ D.C.) where individuals lose voting rights during incarceration but then voting rights are restored automatically upon release. In 21 additional states, individuals with felony convictions lose their voting rights during incarceration, and for a period of time after, while on parole/probation or if fines or fees are owed, after which voting rights are automatically restored.]

Recorded September 10, 2020 via Zoom call

Subscribe

Listen to more episodes, subscribe, and let us know what you think. Find us on your favorite podcast platform (Apple, Google, Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, etc.) and subscribe to keep up with our latest episodes!

Guests:

  • Bob Schwartz - CEO, Here to Help Foundation

  • Keith Brooks - Program Participant, ‘Returning Hope to Returning Citizens’ program via Here to Help Foundation

Links:

When folks transition out of prison, there are many obstacles ahead--finding a job, securing housing, conquering stigma, and so much more. For the past 13 years, The Here to Help Foundation has provided direct support to Detroit area residents facing emergencies. In this episode, we focus mainly on their newest initiative “Returning Hope to Returning Citizens,” which offers a wide range of support services to folks as they return from prison into the community.


Recorded August 20, 2020 via Zoom call

S2 E2 (VIRTUAL EVENT) - Vulnerable Populations During COVID-19: Prisons and Jails

Guests:

  • Chief Robert Dunlap - Chief of Jails and Courts, Wayne County Sheriffs Office

  • Troy Rienstra - Activist, Safe and Just Michigan & Nation Outside

  • Darryl Woods - Criminal Justice Activist

Overview:

On May 6, 2020, The Returning Citizen partnered with The Coalition for Black & Jewish Unity and JCRC / AJC for a panel discussion highlighting the way incarcerated individuals and prison/jail employees are uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically exploring governmental and activist responses.

Watch the full interview here.

Guests:

  • Margrit Allen - Detroit Director, CEO

  • Nina Hicks - Job Coach, CEO

  • Lionel William - Program participant, CEO

Links:

Overview:

Finding a job can be a daunting task for returning citizens for all types of reasons-- gaps in work experience, lack of resources, stigma, and so much more. In this episode, we sit down with a team that’s in the trenches every day, hitting this challenge head-on. The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) has been operating for 20+ years, providing transitional employment services for formerly incarcerated individuals. They now operate in 26 Cities across 9 States, serving 8,000+ annually, and notably, launched in Detroit in 2018!

You can reach the CEO team at (313) 752-0680.

Recorded November 10, 2019 at Podcast Detroit at Detroit Shipping Co.

S1 E12 (Live Event) - Sentence Served: Exploring Barriers to Reentry

When folks come out of prison, they face a lot of challenges. Basic things, like securing housing, getting an ID, and qualifying for public assistance can become major hurdles for people who are already re-adjusting to life on the outside. And that’s on top of stigma-related challenges like getting hired, making friends, and finding acceptance within a community. In this live panel discussion, Jacob speaks with Margrit Allen (Center for Employment Opportunities), Michelle Smart (Bags to Butterflies), and Aaron Kinzel (UM-Dearborn) explore these common challenges with heavy focus on what can be done about it: What resources are available? What efforts are already underway? How can we best help?

S1 E11 (Live Event) - Empowering Ex-Offenders through Education (Talks At Google)

The Returning Citizen teamed up with Talks at Google to discuss how education is creating opportunities for ex-offenders. Jacob and Imani interviewed an amazing group of panelists, including Aaron Kinzel (Lecturer of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Michigan-Dearborn), Michelle Smart (Founder, Bags to Butterflies), Karlos Harris (COO, Detroit School of Digital Technology), and our own Erik Burgess.

Recorded October 18, 2018 at Google Detroit at Little Caesar’s Arena

S1 E10 - Wrongfully Convicted: Life after prison for exonerees

At age 16, Jeff Deskovic's life turned upside down when he was wrongfully convicted for the rape and murder of a classmate. After 16 long years in prison, he was finally exonerated and released, cleared of all charges. Today, Jeff is the Founder of The Deskovic Foundation, committed to the prevention of wrongful convictions and the reintegration of exonerees. In this episode, we explore what happened to Jeff, why wrongful convictions are so common, and what we can do about it. We end with concrete action steps for those who want to help as well as some pragmatic advice for those currently serving time for wrongful convictions.

Wrongful convictions are painfully common. The US National Registry of Exonerations recognizes over 1,600 wrongful convictions since 1989, and a Wayne State University study estimates ~10,000 wrongful convictions per year. After release, exonerees face many of the same challenges as other returning citizens, including social stigma, lack of job readiness, and financial instability. Worse, they are often unable to take advantage of resources dedicated to reintegration assistance, and in many cases, they are not compensated for their wrongful conviction.

Want to help wrongfully convicted prisoners? Please donate to the Deskovic Foundation: deskovicfoundation.org/donate

Recorded March 18, 2018 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

S1 E9 - Bags to Butterflies: 
Reducing Recidivism With Handbags

Guests:

  • Michelle Smart - Founder, Bags to Butterflies

  • Robin McArdle - Program Participant, Bags to Butterflies

Links:

When women return from prison, they face some unique challenges as compared to their male counterparts. Even though women are the fastest growing segment of the prison population, there are few programs designed specifically for women after their release. In this episode, Jacob, Erik, and Imani sit down with Michelle Smart and Robin McArdle from Bags to Butterflies to discuss their particularly creative solution for keeping women out of prison: empowering them through the creation and sales of gorgeous, handmade, wooden purses.

But Bags to Butterflies is so much more than a purse company. Through employment, training, support resources, and a loving community, they are working hard to ensure that every single woman in the program stays out of prison for good.

Recorded January 28, 2018 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

S1 E8 - Entrepreneurship as a Path for Returning Citizens

Finding a job can be a major challenge for men and women coming out of prison. For some, entrepreneurship can provide a path to take control of their situation and create their own opportunities. In this episode, Jacob, Erik, and Imani sit down with Karlos Harris (COO, Detroit School of Digital Technology) and Stephan Franklin (Founder, Motor City Media Group), both Detroit-based entrepreneurs who started their own businesses after serving substantial time behind bars. We touch on how they got started, what it's like to run a business, the value of personal branding, and why hustlers have all the skills they need to become great entrepreneurs.

Recorded October 29, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

In this episode, Jacob and Imani sit down with Aaron Kinzel to discuss how he went from serving a 10-year prison sentence to teaching about criminology and criminal justice as a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. In his words, "I know everything there is to know about crime. I don't need to read a book about criminology... I lived it since I was a child." He sheds light on how a lifetime of bad influences and terrible decisions landed him in prison, what he did to get his life together after his release, and the opportunity our society has to think differently about redemption for violent criminals.

Watch a video of this interview.

Recorded September 17, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

S1 E6 - Azzie: A Mother's Journey from Crime to Design

Overview:

In this episode, Jacob, Erik, and Imani sit down with the one and only Azzie to hear about her experience growing up around crime and ultimately serving two separate prison sentences before finally turning her life around. She shares insight into the unique challenges faced today by incarcerated women, the fastest growing segment of the US prison population. Azzie is a proud mother who is now thriving as a Creative Designer at Rebel Nell, a Detroit-based company that helps disadvantaged women transition into self-sustained living by turning fallen chips of graffiti paint into beautiful jewelry.

Recorded June 25, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

Guest:

Links:

S1 E5 - Equal Justice Under Law: Fighting Wealth-Based Discrimination

Overview:

Jacob and Imani connect with Phil Telfeyan, Executive Director for Equal Justice Under Law, a national civil rights organization based in Washington, DC. Phil explains how they recently filed a class action lawsuit against Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson (Fowler v. Johnson) for suspending driver's licenses of people who are too poor to pay the debts they owe the state for traffic violations or court costs. The two named plaintiffs are both residents of Detroit.

Recorded on May 10, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak

Guest: 

Link:

S1 E4 - Escaping Thru Art: Creative Expression As a Release

Overview:

Jacob, Erik, and Imani chat with members of the Prison Creative Arts Project, a Michigan-based program that "brings those impacted by the justice system and the University of Michigan community into artistic collaboration for mutual learning and growth."

Recorded May 10, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

Guests:

  • Janie Paul (Senior Curator & Co-Founder, PCAP's Art Exhibition)

  • Michael Vander Horst (Artist, PCAP Member)

  • Larnell E. Johnson (Artist, PCAP Member)

Links:

S1 E3 - Welcome Home Jamo: Activist/Poet Returns After 30 Years

Overview:

The Returning Citizen Podcast co-hosts Jacob and Erik welcome home James “Jamo” Thomas, recently released after a 30-year prison term. Despite being sentenced to life without parole at age 15 in 1987, Jamo managed to help start a variety of programs while incarcerated, including The Teddy Bear Project and Writer's Block (links below). As a recently freed man, he's committed to positively impacting his community through mentorship, art, and activism.

Recorded April 30, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

S1 E2 - Teach a Man to Farm: Growing Food While Creating Jobs

Overview:

Jacob Smith and guest host Brandon Christopher sit down with Detroit's own Anna Kohn to discuss how RecoveryPark Farms is putting returning citizens to work growing produce in Detroit!

Recorded: April 9, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

S1 E1 - Telling Erik's Story: The Returning Citizen Debuts!

Overview:

Jacob, Erik, and Imani introduce The Returning Citizen. Erik reflects on why he got life without parole for a nonviolent drug crime, how he got out after 18 years, and what he's been up to since. Hint: He's been launching an amazing podcast called The Returning Citizen!

Recorded January 18, 2017 at Podcast Detroit in Royal Oak, MI

The Returning Citizen is a nonprofit podcasting project based in Detroit, MI.