Trying to transition after getting out of prison is hard, and conversations surrounding it are imperative.
“My passion for reform comes from the after the come home,” Marlon Welch said.
When Welch was 25 years old, he spent 10 years in prison for drug conspiracy. He says after being released from prison, he faced challenges such as housing transition, which impacted him trying to restart his life.
“Being a felon, it’s very difficult to get a lease in your name,” he said.
Now, Marlon wants to be a voice for other returning citizens so they don’t go through the same struggles he did.
The New Dawn for Justice: Criminal Justice Reform Tour is happening Saturday. Returning citizens from Detroit will be discussing reform from their point of view. Welch says he will be speaking out on what he thinks needs to be at the top of the list for reform.
“I think there needs to be more for when a person gets out of prision,” Welch said.
His mother, Tonesa, who is known as The First Lady of the Black Mafia Family (BMF), will also speak, along with Angela Stanton, one of the founders of the New Dawn for Justice Tour.
“Come out and bring your families," Stanton said. “This is an event for all. Criminal justice reform impacts us all. Whether you are a victim, whether you are the family member of a victim, whether you are an offender - past, present - come on out let’s have this conversation, lets come up with solutions."
To find out more about the tour, click the link.
