From Prison to Yale

Notes on Reentry

I always knew this day would come, I just never knew when. After almost 26 years in prison, I’m currently preparing for release. (In another installment I’ll provide the timeline of my last 2 years—you might find it instructive.). You can expect to hear a good deal more from me, both on the day-to-day process of reentry, and a host of other matters.

For starters, I’m projected to be released on or about October 9. My housing option, Hudson Link’s New Beginnings halfway house, fell through at the last minute. For a residential program, having an arson conviction makes me almost as persona non grata as if I had been convicted of a sex offense. But, there are other options for me, since I don’t mind leaving “undomiciled,” the local term of art for homeless, and walking into a shelter.

For work and networking purposes, my goal is to be in Manhattan for several months. See where we go from there. Thanks to a friend in Queens, I’ve got a place to touch down. From there, who knows. That is, if a parole officer approves the address. Never a given.

I’m excited to find opportunities, and see what awaits. For one, I was invited to Yale for an event. It felt really good to look at the invite, and realize that’s now possible.