New beginnings at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation
Twenty months after his release from prison, Eric Anderson is working on his new beginning. Each year, thousands of individuals come home after incarceration, working to rebuild their lives and make positive contributions to their communities. They often face difficult barriers related to employment, housing, and health care, which causes more harm.
Sentenced as an adult before his 16th birthday, Eric faced the prospect of life in prison. His resilience and commitment to self-improvement paved the way for his future pathways to reintegrate into society. Eric openly talks about his life in prison and gives us a raw, yet vivid description of life behind bars.
“Not too long ago, I thought I was going to die in prison. I am incredibly grateful to wake up and engage in this work,” he says. “I was raised in prison.”
Eric’s newfound freedom has instilled hope in those around him. His dedication to fostering a restorative community resonates in every conversation he holds. When speaking about the mindset of incarcerated individuals, he shares that a common struggle is that people feel hopeless when in prison. While this feeling resonated with him, Eric was determined to be the best version of himself, regardless of the circumstances.
“Restorative justice showed me that I can live a life with purpose after being told I never could,” he says. “I was able to build community in the Illinois prison system with other former juvenile lifers.”
Twenty months after Eric’s release, he is back in prison, but in a different capacity. Eric works alongside Sister Janet Ryan in PBMR Restorative Justice Training and building peace within prison. Using circles and drawing on his lived experiences, Eric helps incarcerated individuals learn to build deeper connections and gain skills to improve their conditions. Eric’s ability to relate to and to educate individuals is bringing hope to those who are a part of these prison programs.
Outside of prison, Eric continues to build relationships in hopes of establishing stronger connections between PBMR and community partners. His love for people and restorative justice allows him to motivate those who need it and disrupt systems of oppression.
Society often overlooks those who are incarcerated. Their voices are silenced, their stories are hidden, and their freedom is revoked. PBMR’s commitment to relentless engagement inspires us to confront systems and mass incarceration. We stand with all those who are incarcerated and their families, recognizing humanity in all.
Eric is not the first to return home to PBMR, nor will he be the last. But thanks to his work, more people currently incarcerated are learning about restorative justice and finding new pathways to reconciliation.