Former inmate Kerwin Pittman knows what it’s like to come home from prison with few options—and even fewer second chances. That reality inspired him to purchase the abandoned Wayne Correctional Center in Goldsboro, North Carolina, making him the first ever formerly incarcerated Black man in U.S. history to buy a prison facility.
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And he won’t just lock folks up and throw away the key. He plans to transform the 19-acre campus into a hub that could redefine what freedom, opportunity and second chances look like.
Wayne Correctional Center sat vacant for more than a decade, until Pittman—a national social justice activist and criminal justice reform expert—stepped in. Pittman is now the founder and executive director of the Recidivism Reduction Education Program Services (RREPS) and champions himself as a “voice for the voiceless.” The campus is shaping up to be more than just a building—it’s set to become a proving ground for second chances, skills and opportunities most people coming home from prison rarely see.
“I did 11 and a half years inside of the prison system and when I came home, a lot of the support that individuals don’t have, I had, but a lot of my friends didn’t have,” Pittman explained, per the News & Observer. “I want to see them be able to not only survive, I want to see them thrive. And I feel like honestly, this is one of my missions in life.”
The facility will be home for nearly 250 men at a time over the course of six months. While the men are housed there, they will have the opportunity to learn key skills to prepare them for both daily life and the workforce. This includes everything from vocational certifications such as HVAC, brick masonry, welding, and plumbing, to small life skills like learning “Tap-to-pay” payment transactions. The skills combined are a toolkit for re-entering society and thriving.
“It seemed like the perfect opportunity to take advantage of it and really change the narrative on what formerly incarcerated individuals are capable of, but also show the world that we can use this space not as confinement, but as a space of freedom,” Pittman stated, per Spectrum News.
“All of my experiences with incarceration, whether good or bad, prepared me for this moment,” he added.
According to the news outlet, a museum will also be erected on the campus to commemorate its history, preserving the story of the former inmate who gave back. Pittman hopes to expand this endeavor to other campuses in the future, turning his vision of second chances into a model that could impact communities across the country.
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