Redemption and the Power of Prison Writers

Michael Philpot writes that redemption is possible when incarcerated individuals are given a chance to share their stories, highlighting how platforms like Prison Writers help amplify their voices and humanity.

I wrote this story to help shed a little light on the fact of how much platforms and outlets like Prison Writers are truly needed.

The system of incarceration affects millions upon millions of individuals worldwide. However, there are only a few outlets that actually give the incarcerated a platform to voice their concerns, stories, and the things that affect them.

Seeing Beyond Judgment and Toward Redemption

It’s easy for a person on the outside looking in to judge and say whatever they think about the incarcerated. However, I want to thank bosslady Loen Kelley and others like her who give the incarcerated a chance to write their own narrative. Those who help give a voice to the voiceless, and actually listen to what they have to say.

True enough, we’ve committed crimes, we’ve done some terrible things, but does that mean our lives no longer matter? The sad truth is that I know some of you just answered yes that our lives no longer matter.

Gratitude for Those Who Believe in Us

That’s one of the main reasons I wrote this, to give thanks to the ones who feel otherwise. To thank those individuals who can see past our faults, shortcomings, and failures. To those who refuse to give up on the so-called “worst of society,” and believe that everyone deserves kindness, even the proclaimed “incorrigible.”

What kind of society have we become, when we can just turn our backs on the ones who need us most?

Growing Through Prison

Anyone who actually knows me or has followed my writings knows that I make no excuses for my mistakes, my failures, or my fuck-ups. It has taken me quite some time to realize and accept that just because I’ve made some terrible mistakes doesn’t mean that those mistakes should be held against me for the rest of my life.

It surely doesn’t mean that every time I try to do better I have to listen to or be judged again by some asshole who wants to down me.

Life is about learning, growing, and being better, and I’ve taken this time of incarceration to do just that. It isn’t because prison officials actually give a damn about my rehabilitation or growth, because they honestly don’t. It’s because I want better for myself, and because I want to prove people right who say, “Hey, don’t give up on the incarcerated, because they can change.”

Proving That Redemption Is Real

Instead of my focus being to prove a hater wrong, I’m gonna prove right people like bosslady Loen and those who refuse to just write us off as a bunch of lost causes.

Does that mean I’m perfect? Of course not, I still have faults and shortcomings like any other “normal” human being. Just now, I’m more conscious and have a different outlook on life. I’ve made mistakes, and some of those wrongs I can honestly never make right again.

I just want to say thank you to Prison Writers for the chance to “write” my wrongs and continue my journey of redemption.

Want to read more? Check out Prison Writers Express Their Appreciation

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