Earlier this month, MI-CEMI’s Program Coordinator, Michael Taylor, returned to prison for the first time since coming home, joining the Reentry United event at Carson City Correctional Facility.
What began as a surreal experience quickly became a powerful reminder of the importance of hope, connection, and the fight to bring people home. Reuniting with men who shaped his journey and witnessing the impact of his story on those still inside renewed his determination to keep doing this work.
In Michael’s own words:
Going back into prison was an experience I’m still processing.
I thought I’d feel nervous walking back in—but I didn’t. I was calm. Almost too calm. We went into Carson City Correctional Facility, a facility I had never been housed in, so there was no personal history tied to the building itself. Still, there was a moment of disbelief. I was standing in a prison gym… and this time, I wasn’t going back to a cell.
I wasn’t nervous, but I wasn’t fully comfortable either. That didn’t come until the brothers started coming in from the yard, filling the seats one by one. I sat in the middle of them—listening, talking, observing. It felt familiar. Real.
About 20 minutes in, Nate Johnson from Reentry United called those of us who had come home to the front to share a few words. In that moment, it hit me. I was back in a space that once defined my life—but now I was standing in front of it differently. I had something to offer. That almost brought me to tears.
When we sat back down and the room opened up, it turned into something I can only describe as a family reunion. I saw brothers I hadn’t seen in years—men who played a real role in shaping who I am today. Men who helped me grow, who sharpened me, who gave me game that helped me make it home with wisdom, with hope, and without falling into traps that could’ve cost me everything.
Two moments stayed with me the most.
First, I was able to speak to a man who has been incarcerated for 35 years—someone I looked up to while I was inside—and thank him directly for the role he played in my development. That was a full-circle moment.
Second, I met a young man who is sentenced to life as a juvenile who is now expecting to be resentenced and return home. Later that day, I saw a post from his mother about the impact of our visit—what it did for his confidence, his hope. That meant something.
Going back didn’t feel like I had left them behind. And for them, I think it showed that there’s still a path forward. They knew me. They walked the yard with me. And now they could see what’s possible on the other side for them.
I never thought I’d say this, but going back to prison was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had.
I left with renewed determination—to keep doing the work, to fight to get our people home, and to make sure they have hope while we’re fighting.
I’ll see you soon.
— Michael Taylor
Michael’s leadership is grounded in real-life experience. As a leader who has faced incarceration, he brings more than professional knowledge to his role. He brings decades of understanding, relationships, and trust.
His ability to return to places like Carson City not as a statistic, but as a source of hope, reinforces the importance of lived experience in this movement and strengthens our fight for justice and second chances for all.
The post Back Inside, But Not the Same first appeared on Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration.