Life & Work with Ken Nixon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Nixon.

Hi Ken, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
In 2005, I was wrongfully convicted of two counts of Felony Murder, four counts of Attempted Murder, and Arson. After almost 16 years of incarceration, I was exonerated in 2021. Since coming home, I have worked relentlessly to be a voice for criminal justice reform. I have traveled the country, mostly on my own dime and alongside other exonerees, in an effort to bring awareness to the need for systemic reforms. Understanding how things can quickly go wrong and how people are affected by injustices within the system allows me to speak directly from lived experience rather than secondhand storytelling. Being able to speak about the injustices that I and so many others across the country have faced has been instrumental to legislators as they work to reimagine how our criminal justice system currently operates. It has been helpful in reminding attorneys, judges, and prosecutors about the importance of the human element inherently associated with their work and how their choices can have a lasting, sometimes devastating, impact on the community in which they serve. I have also worked tirelessly to help heighten social awareness around quality reentry services and the need to address conviction-based barriers to equality and fairness in society. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road. I have and continue to face many barriers along my road to reintegration. Challenges such as getting my record expunged, obtaining a driver’s license, getting my birth certificate and social security card, and being compensated were all giant roadblocks that I had to figure out how to navigate. Finding gainful employment and safe housing were two of the biggest obstacles that I have had to face. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the Director of Outreach and Community Partnerships at Safe and Just Michigan. We work on issues of policy and legislative reforms related to the criminal justice system. We work to remove restrictive barriers for people with criminal histories. We look to identify laws and institutional policies that create unnecessary barriers or exclusions based on someone’s background. I am also the President of the Organization of Exonerees. We are a group of dedicated men and women, primarily from Michigan, that are using our collective voices and our platform to directly address systemic injustices. We support the creation of Conviction Integrity Units and stand against innocent people being incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Our mission is to see every innocent person exonerated and free while at the same time holding people in power accountable. 

I am known for my ability to lead several teams across multiple projects at the same time while still being attentive and successful at each project. I am also known for working diligently to reshape the narrative around reentry work, making sure that every returning citizens has access to the necessary tools and resources to be successful at staying out of prison. 

I am most proud of being able to help other people who would otherwise go unnoticed. I am proud to be a voice for the voiceless. 

I think that my drive, my dedication, and my unwavering desire to see positive changes with the system set me apart from others. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
People should not be judged for the rest of their lives based on a criminal conviction, and not all people with a criminal record are guilty of the crimes they were convicted of. 

Contact Info:

• Website: safeandjustmi.org