On Sunday, March 13, the Exoneree Network hosted a community gathering (see photo slide show above) to celebrate freedom and to welcome home Stephen Pina, who was just released after 28 years wrongfully incarcerated.
“Prison is an ugly place. When you come out, that doesn’t shut off. Guys have a hard time. I had a hard time and I’m still struggling, but I personally have a lot of support and that support has grown through the Exoneree Network,” said Ray Champagne, exoneree and Research & Planning Coordinator for the Exoneree Network. “Nobody understands the impact of living in a cage, except for someone who has been there. We have to be a larger voice for each other.”
“For me, this work is healing. If I can use my experience to help somebody coming after me, so they don’t have to struggle to the degree I have struggled, I’d want to provide that,” said Sean Ellis, exoneree, NEIP Trustee and Exoneree Network Project Coordinator. “This event was an opportunity for members of the community to come together for the first time in a long time, in fellowship, and kind of have a check-in with one another.”
“For me, it was the first time I had an introduction to everybody outside of Zoom. It was just a time for exonerees, those freed-but-fighting, and their people to meet each other and mingle and be free together on the other side of the prison wall,” said Ray. “The Exoneree Network offers each newly released person who needs them a phone and a laptop. We also had a couple of individuals from Roca giving technical training to people who attended for anybody who wanted it.”
“There is a need for the people who have been recently released to be empowered and feel a sense of individuality, rather than property,” adds Sean. “To the extent that we can help someone just coming home to not have to continue to ask how to use a phone or technology, we’re trying to empower one another to try to make this transition out into the world to break out of the subservient kind of relationship.”
“If you don’t have anybody supporting you, you have nothing when you go from your prison cell to walking out of the courthouse. You have no immediate funds. You can’t even go buy a cup of coffee or water. We have the New Day fund where we give $500 to each individual who is freed. It’s not a lot, but for some it’s a lifeline,” said Ray.
In addition to food and technology training, the Exoneree Network had a selection of toys for people to select from for the young people in their lives. The toys had been donated by the Massachusetts Court Reporters Association and were displayed at the community gathering, providing exonerees with a chance to bring surprises home to their children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. The event space was generously donated by Roca in Chelsea.
“The event was a chance to welcome Stephen Pina into the exoneree community,” said Sean. “I spent time with Stephen on the inside and then to ultimately see him come home six years after my release and welcome him into a safe community that understands what he’s gone through; to be able to provide him with these critical tools that are going to help him, not just continue to fight his case, but to also help him acclimate to the outside world, I can’t stress enough how meaningful that was.”
“The Exoneree Network event was just a really awesome experience, it was momentous on a personal level,” said Ray. “When you help somebody, you feel good. Nothing gives me greater joy than to help people do for themselves.”
“We can only do this work with the financial support from our community,” said Sean. “Whatever the Exoneree Network gets in donations, we give to help freed people rebuild their lives, and there is such incredible need. With the community's help, we look forward to doing more of this in the future.”
