Universities and Business
We collaborate with universities and businesses nationwide, delivering keynote presentations and interactive workshops that highlight pathways from adversity to achievement. Drawing from Michael Santos' transformative journey through 26 years of incarceration and successful reentry, we teach practical strategies for resilience, accountability, and purposeful decision-making. Together, we build bridges that connect people emerging from prison with opportunities in education and employment, fostering stronger, more inclusive communities.
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Building Bridges to Success
We help universities and businesses understand the challenges faced by justice-impacted people, offering strategies to build pathways from incarceration to successful, contributing lives. Our resources and presentations highlight the importance of collaboration, education, and opportunities, empowering communities to create meaningful second chances.
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I want to thank you for your expert guidance and participation in co-teaching my class this semester at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice.
The feedback I received from inmates who participated last week was very positive. My plan is to have this program up and running before June.
On behalf of our institution, I write to extend my sincerest appreciation for taking the time to visit and present to our staff and population. We’re looking forward to implementing the program.
In my capacity as a warden, and as a regional director, I invited Michael Santos to visit our institutions. His programs have had a positive impact in our facilities.
It gives me great pleasure to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of Michael Santos. I value the quality and richness of his publication track record.
Michael’s record of accomplishments while in prison attracted the attention of academic criminologists nationwide, and he became a well-known scholar to prison activists.
Your informative and inspiring presentation was the keystone to a very successful event. It has been astounding how positive the response has been from those who attended.
Michael Santos tells a remarkable in his writing on merit-based sentencing reductions. He had the charisma and character to hold a law symposium audience spellbound for every minute of his presentation.
Michael continues to inspire men by providing the Straight-A Guide tools to all that ask for them. We use his program at Airway Heights Corrections Center.
Convict Turned Millionaire
The Singleton Foundation sponsors numerous programs aimed at teaching financial literacy to underserved populations. One such initiative is the FacePlant series, which highlights inspiring stories of individuals who've faced significant adversity but discovered pathways to rebuild and transform their lives. I was honored when they approached me to feature my journey.
People entering the justice system often feel overwhelmed and uncertain about the future. They need to know their current crisis doesn't have to dictate their life's trajectory. Every individual has the power to make strategic decisions during difficult times that can lead to positive outcomes. To share my experience, the FacePlant producers visited my home and created a high-quality video interview. In it, they explored the pivotal choices and mindset shifts that allowed me to move beyond the daunting challenge of a 45-year prison sentence.
Influential leaders guided me to adopt new ways of thinking, enabling me to recalibrate my perspective and rebuild my life from the inside out. These transformative lessons carried me through 26 years of incarceration and laid the groundwork for establishing multiple income streams after my release.
We are all navigating our personal journeys toward new chapters in our lives. By preparing proactively and thoughtfully, we position ourselves to seize emerging opportunities. That's precisely the message I aimed to convey through my story in this brief but powerful video.
Unscripted Talk
Mark Laita is a renowned photojournalist who created the impactful platform Soft White Underbelly. With a dedicated audience of over 10 million followers across YouTube and other channels, Mark provides a compelling space for individuals to share their stories of struggle and resilience. I was honored when he invited me to participate.
When I visited Mark’s studio in Santa Monica, I was accompanied by my friend Matt Bowyer. Matt is well-known for extensive media coverage portraying him as one of America's largest bookmakers. His notoriety intensified following a widely publicized scandal involving baseball star Shohei Ohtani, his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, and prominent Las Vegas casino executives. Mark initially intended to profile Matt, and through that connection, I had the chance to share my own story.
In the studio, Mark initially suggested I discuss experiences related to large-scale drug trafficking. However, I explained that my narrative was different. My journey was more about the process of recalibrating and rebuilding after profound adversity. Prison provided the backdrop, but the essence of my story was deeply human, highlighting strategies taught by influential mentors. Mark usually conducts interviews by asking questions, but he suggested I might tell my story uninterrupted. So, I sat down and spoke unscripted for an hour.
University Presentations
After my transition from federal prison to a halfway house on August 12, 2013, an editor from the San Francisco Chronicle reached out to me with an intriguing proposal. He left a voice message explaining that he'd been following my journey through a blog I had maintained while incarcerated. He thought Chronicle readers would find my experiences compelling, particularly my adjustment to society after serving 25 years in prison.
I enthusiastically accepted his invitation, recognizing it as an invaluable chance to bring greater awareness to the urgent need for prison reform in our country. My journey was far from typical, deeply influenced by the teachings and lives of figures such as Socrates, Frederick Douglass, and Mahatma Gandhi. These inspirational leaders taught me that despite past mistakes, I could pursue reconciliation and meaningful change. They guided me toward a new way of thinking and convinced me that profound transformation was possible—even from within the confines of prison.
This powerful realization reshaped my life and strengthened my belief that systemic changes could significantly improve outcomes in America's prison system. Sharing my story through the San Francisco Chronicle, one of America's most respected newspapers, offered a significant platform to amplify this message.
The publication led directly to an invitation from Professor Alan Ross, who asked me to speak to over 500 students at UC Berkeley's Wheeler Hall. That first lecture sparked numerous further opportunities, and I've been honored to return annually to UC Berkeley to continue sharing this important message.
Silicon Valley Talk
I transitioned from federal prison to a halfway house on Monday, August 13, 2013. The work I completed during my incarceration opened doors to unexpected opportunities and support from people I didn’t even realize were following my progress. Among these supporters was an editor at the San Francisco Chronicle.
Carole, my wife, had been helping me share my journey through several blogs that we published. My goal was always to illustrate how intentional use of my time inside prison laid a foundation for success upon release.
These proactive efforts significantly impacted my chances for a successful reentry into society, a journey detailed extensively in my book, *Earning Freedom: Conquering a 45-Year Prison Term.*
Within a week of my transition to a halfway house, an editor from the San Francisco Chronicle reached out to me. He wrote that he'd been following my journey through the blogs my wife published for me. He asked if he could profile the story for readers who would want to know more. That initiative resulted in a feature article the newspaper published on Thanksgiving weekend in 2012. It became a pivotal point in my journey, opening doors to further opportunities, including an invitation to deliver a TEDx talk in Silicon Valley.
Let's Collaborate to make an impact
We welcome opportunities to work with universities, businesses, correctional institutions, law firms, media outlets, and community organizations. Reach out to schedule a keynote presentation, in-person workshop, or virtual session. Together, we can improve outcomes for justice-impacted individuals, foster meaningful reforms, and build bridges to brighter futures.
Making an Impact
We create targeted content and resources specifically for the unique needs of each group we serve—including family members, people facing charges, justice-impacted individuals, correctional staff, universities, businesses, and media professionals. All of our content shows that regardless of what challenges a person faces together, we can always work toward better outcomes.
People
We offer self-directed resources to help people facing charges. We want them to build effective self-advocacy campaigns.
Correctional staff
We offer self-directed courses and books. People who work through our courses improve the culture of confinement.
Law Firms
Our courses help lawyers save time. We offer resources at no charge that help their clients build mitigation strategies.
Organizations
We present to teach strategies that lessen intergenerational cycles of failure.
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Take action
with us.
