Michael G. Santos

Michael Santos, the founder of Earning Freedom, Prison Professors, and Resilient Digital Publishing, creates books and courses to help justice-impacted people. Michael was born on January 15, 1964, and grew up in Lake Forest Park, Washington. He graduated from Shorecrest high school. When he was 20, he began trafficking cocaine. On August 11, 1987, authorities arrested Michael. He faced criminal charges that exposed him to a life sentence. After a jury convicted him, Michael committed to transforming his life. He set out to reconcile with society for the bad decisions he made during his reckless adolescence.While confined in the Pierce County Jail, an officer passed Michael a philosophy book. The book inspired Michael to quit feeling sorry for himself and to begin thinking about steps he could take to make amends. Socrates, Nelson Mandela, and Malcolm X inspired him to work toward a three-part plan:He would strive to earn academic credentials,He would seek to contribute to society in meaningful, measurable ways, andHe would work to build a positive support network.While serving 26 years in federal prisons in every security level, Michael earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. He became a published author and leveraged his credentials to prepare for success upon release.Michael concluded his obligation to the Bureau of Prisons on August 12, 2013. Since then, he began building his career to improve outcomes for all stakeholders in America's justice system. He distributes his books and courses to people in jails and prisons across America.He documents his work through his website at www.PrisonProfessors.com.