Superman's lyrics, "It's not easy to be me," from the band Five for Fighting, perfectly express the sentiments of all returning citizens as they get ready to break through the barriers that have seemed to stand in the way of their hope for a better future. A person incarcerated is known to lose all hope, as though they were abandoned in a never-ending desert. But when the residents of Moore Haven Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility attended the Reentry seminar on July 12, 2024, hosted by Dr. Kenneth Garner and Natoshi Jones, hope appeared like an oasis.
Hope emerged from the efforts of Giovanni Sairras with Re-Entry One, John and Helen Eddings with Anchor House Outreach, Gayle Harrell with Another Chance Community Development, Jorge Murillo with Baker 360, Stacy Garcia with Rehabilitation of the Heart, and Christopher Kertesz with CDL Training School. These organizations understand the value of preparing people for reintegration into the community while taking into account the whole person. Each representative went into great detail about how their organization would take care of the needs of returning citizens. Housing, transportation, jobs, and further education were all outlined with timelines so that residents could schedule their release at reasonable intervals.
As the seminar drew to a close, expressions of gratitude flowed profusely from the residents in attendance. What does it mean to an individual to be declared a “menace to society” at the beginning of their sentence and then, at the end of their journey be shown loving and dedicated support? To quote one resident, “it means the world.”
