Reentry and Education For the Formerly Incarcerated
Khalil Osiris, the Reflecting Freedom Network, and the importance of family in reentry
"Mass incarceration is America's existential crisis"
The United States currently represents about 4.5% of the world's population and houses 25% of the world's prisoners. In our country, there is an overreliance on incarceration to solve problems that do not require such punitive measures. Instead, we should be engaging individuals in ways that are healing, nurturing, and holistic. This is where Khalil Osiris and the Reflecting Freedom Network comes in.
Khalil Osiris, the founder of Reflecting Freedom Network, made it his mission to help those formerly incarcerated with reentry. A formerly incarcerated individual himself, he wanted to change the mindset and assist those that are dealing with the same challenges he faced. Specifically, he wanted people to realize that they are in control of their lives and wanted to provide them with the resources so that they could make that happen. With his web-based network, Khalil is able to provide invaluable resources to returning citizens, their families, and youth at-risk. Some of these resources include: access to accredited education, direct access to job opportunities, job skills training classes, and career development opportunities.
Khalil's experience as a formerly incarcerated person made him want to strive for change. His work aims to take responsibility for what is happening in our country to those that are coming out of prison. He tries to educate those who have been imprisoned that their circumstance does not define them and that they still have the power to take control of their lives. If those who have been incarcerated have the desire to change, the Reflecting Freedom Network will provide them with the time, resources, and opportunities for them to get on the road to success.
"The family has always been the entity that helped people reenter society and be restored to their place"
The importance of family in assisting their incarcerated family members with reentry cannot be overstated. The work of family goes a long way in helping those about to reenter the community from prison. The process of reentry should never be something that incarcerated individuals must embark upon alone. Therefore, family members are encouraged to use resources like the Reflecting Freedom Network to help loved ones with reentry whether it be with housing, education, or employment.
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