John Legend knows the obstacles of life after prison. He wants you to know them too
When incarcerated people leave prison, are they actually free?
Turns out, the singer/songwriter John Legend is one of 113 million American adults who has had a family member incarcerated. He tells his family’s story in this 30-minute documentary that asserts people can’t be free unless they have the necessary resources when they leave prison. From the get-go HOME/FREE lists the problems with re-entry into their community.
“I have the ability to go where I want. I do. But at what cost?” says Anthony Ray Hinton, one of several people featured in “Home/Free, which was produced by groups advocating for formerly incarcerated people. “After spending 30 years behind bars, you have no medical insurance. You have no place to live, no job. How does one pay the rent, if they have no job? How does one go and buy clothes, if they have no job? How do you buy food, if you have no job? Freedom is not the way that I always thought it would be.”
The short documentary highlights the experiences of three formerly incarcerated people who were able to find job opportunities after leaving prison, due to programs like Rework Reentry. But that’s not the case for everyone.
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