Today we’d like to introduce you to Leon EL-Alamin.
Hi Leon, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey is one of redemption, resilience, and purpose. In 2003, I was sent to prison and ultimately served seven years, from 2003 to 2010. While incarceration was one of the most difficult chapters of my life, it also became a turning point. During that time, I made a commitment that if I were given a second chance, I would dedicate my life to helping others avoid the mistakes I made and to creating opportunities for people who are often overlooked and underserved. Upon returning home in 2010, I faced many of the same barriers that countless formerly incarcerated individuals experience. Finding employment, housing, transportation, and the stigma that comes with it. That struggle led me to establish The MADE Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on providing wraparound services for formerly incarcerated individuals and youth facing significant barriers. My work in the community eventually led me into public service. Today, I have the honor of serving as a Flint City Councilman. I advocate for neighborhood revitalization, economic development, youth opportunities, public safety, and second chances. What makes my story meaningful is not that I went to prison-it is that I refused to let prison be the end of my story.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The stigma of being a formerly incarcerated man finding housing, employment, being a African American man who is also a formerly incarcerated man running for office also brought doubt and stigma.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The MADE Institute?
The MADE Institute provides wraparound services for at-risk youth and formerly incarcerated individuals, helping them get back on their feet and become productive citizens. We also work with them to launch their business and do community work, such as food giveaways. We also provide transitional and mixed-use housing.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that Flint is a very resilient city with a rich history. The thing that I dislike is the disunity amongst the neighborhood people who are suffering the most from injustice,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.MADEInstitute.org
- Instagram: Leon EL-Alamin
- Facebook: The MADE Institute
- LinkedIn: Leon EL-Alamin
- Youtube: The MADE Institute
