The connection between Courtney Ellis and Kevin Strickland offers a grounded view of what reentry truly requires. They navigate challenges together, combine insight with experience, and show how progress happens when people are not asked to walk this journey alone. Their partnership reflects the kind of support community makes possible.

As MIP marks 25 years, their story is a reminder that restoring a life does not happen through legal victories alone. It happens through collaboration, steady support, and the shared belief that people deserve the chance to build the futures they imagine for themselves.

In this month’s dispatch, Courtney and Kevin offer an honest look at reentry and what it takes to move forward after decades lost to wrongful conviction. Their reflections show why community investment matters and how each of us can help strengthen the path ahead for freed and exonerated people.