Our StorY

The Returning Citizen is a Detroit-based podcast and inspirational storytelling platform for ex-offenders, their families, and allies.

While many amazing resources exist to highlight problems and disparities within the U.S. criminal justice system, this information is much more helpful for allies and policymakers than it is for those who have first-hand experience with the carceral system. If you’ve spent time in prison, you likely already know how terrible the system is! For this reason, the Returning Citizen specifically focuses on sharing success stories of formerly incarcerated individuals, exciting programs, helpful resources, etc. to model clear pathways to self-sufficiency and success.

When Erik Burgess was released from prison in 2009 after 18 years (out of what was originally a ‘life-without-parole sentence) for a nonviolent drug crime, he knew he was never going back. Through a combination of tenacity and good fortune, he was able to stabilize his life and move forward, at which point he decided to focus on helping others cope with the stress of reentry. In April 2016, Erik attended a community discussion on mass incarceration, hosted by Jacob Evan Smith. The two immediately hit it off and began talking about Erik's idea to launch a podcast aimed at helping returning citizens, and as they say, the rest is history!

Please listen, subscribe, and let us know what you think!