260: Malik King Inspires People in Prison

Earning Freedom with Michael Santos

I met Malik King at an event that celebrated FAMM's 25th anniversary in Washington DC. When I met Malik, I asked if he was formerly incarcerated. He told me that he had never been to prison, but he corresponded with more than 200 federal prisoners. He is an inspiration, showing people that even though they may have made bad decisions in the past, they can prepare for lives of success and meaning and relevance. He offers his biography and contact information below.

Malik King

I was born in 1964 in Manhattan, New York; grew up in Queens and moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1982 to attend College. I received a degree in Business Administration/Computer Science in 1987. Growing up in New York, I had a diverse group of friends, some of whom friends got caught up in the street life and ended up in both state and/or federal prisons.

I started writing to prisoners when I moved to Atlanta and became passionate about helping disadvantaged people in numerous ways, such as donating clothing to the homeless, providing hope, inspiration and support to individuals that are incarcerated regardless of race, color, creed or religious belief. I is a Prisoner Activist and advocate who opposes mandatory minimums, cruel and unusual punishment and torture that comes in many forms, including solitary confinement or draconian sentences that do not fit the crime.

I started mentoring inmates in Atlanta through a program called Priority Male Initiative in 2014.

I has collected literally thousands of letters from inmates he has corresponded with over the years and he currently emails over 180 inmates via Corrlinks [the inmates email service]. He enjoys providing assistance in areas where inmates may need assistance regarding changes in the law, or news stories about criminal justice reform.

Numerous authors, including Piper Kerman of Orange is The New Black have donated books to me to disburse to inmates.

E.P.I.C.'s Mission:

“To aide incarcerated individuals by breaking up their monotonous routine by providing inspirational quotes, book raffles, essay and poetry contests via email which gives everyone a chance to vent and tell their story with positive, constructive, criticism. I also share noteworthy information tailored to certain individuals, be it music, sports, technology, politics, or legal news related to the Clemency Program 2014, 924c Stacking Laws, the Drugs Minus Two Amendment or the latest news coming from our Capitol.

“I’m in contact with several individuals that received clemency on December 17th, 2014 and July 13th, 2015. I believe everyone should find something that calms their spirit and allows their minds to travel outside the prison walls. Everyone should determine what they are passionate about and pursue it. I believe that all low level, non-violent drug offenders deserve a second chance and should receive clemency if they fit the Clemency Program 2014 criteria.”

E.P.I.C. stands for END PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES

To reach me on CORRLINKS they can send an invite to - [e-mail]

To reach me for anything else they can reach me at - [e-mail]

Your comrade in the struggle for Freedom, Justice and Equality –

Malik