After coming home from prison and transitioning straight into a college dorm, Miseka faced the challenges of reentry in a new and unfamiliar environment. In this honest reflection, she shares how the Returning Citizens Support Group became a place of understanding, support, and connection during that transition. While family and friends may care, lived experience makes a difference. This is where shared understanding turns into real support—and where healing begins.

For many returning citizens, reentry isn’t just about coming home, it’s about finding people who truly understand the journey. In this video, a member of the Returning Citizens Support Group shares how community becomes family, offering a space to process experiences that others may not fully grasp. This is where real support happens—through shared understanding, trust, and connection built over years.

After struggling to connect with traditional counseling, one member of the Returning Citizens Support Group found healing, understanding, and growth through community. In this powerful testimony, he shares how peer support, shared lived experience, and safe space helped him navigate anxiety, depression, and the challenges of reentry. More than just support, this space became family—a place for honesty, vulnerability, and opportunity

In this powerful story, a member of the Returning Citizens Support Group shares what reentry really looks like—from using a credit card for the first time to navigating a car accident just months after release. Through moments of fear, uncertainty, and growth, he highlights the importance of having a community to call on — people who understand, guide, and support without judgment. This is the reality of reentry, and the power of having someone there when you need it most.

A day of freedom and celebration as the Returning Citizens Support Group community welcomes James Comer home. His landmark case has helped bring home individuals who were charged as adults for crimes committed as juveniles, giving them a second chance after decades behind bars. From greeting individuals at the gate to collaborating with partner organizations, this video highlights the power of community, persistence, and collective action in transforming lives and restoring hope for returning citizens.

Edwin (Chino) Ortiz, Executive Director of the Returning Citizens Support Group, introduces RCSG’s new Restorative Justice Healing Home in Newark. The home provides holistic wraparound services for men over the age of 50 who are returning home from the carceral system and lack community or family support. This safe space provides supportive housing and trauma-informed care to help returning citizens heal and rebuild their lives.

After serving over three decades in prison, Chris White returned home with a new purpose: to help others and build a different path forward. In this powerful testimony, he shares how the Returning Citizens Support Group provided something many returning citizens need but often lack—understanding, connection, and real support. Through shared lived experience, this community offers guidance, belonging, and a foundation for lasting change. For those navigating reentry, this is more than support—it’s a pathway to growth, purpose, and staying free.