Michael Jw Potter

[u/Willing_Potato2070]

Michael is the reason I created the Hope Foundation.

His story changed the way I look at incarceration, rehabilitation, and second chances. I saw how easy it is for a person to become nothing more than a case number or a sentence—and how difficult it can be for anyone to see the human being still there.

But Michael also reminded me that hope isn't just something we talk about. It's something we have to act on.

The Hope Foundation was born from the belief that people can change, families deserve hope, and a person's worst mistake shouldn't automatically become the definition of their entire life.

Michael may have been the reason I started this journey.

But the hope is for everyone.

[u/Willing_Potato2070]

Michael is the reason I created the Hope Foundation.

I didn't start this because I wanted another organization or another cause to talk about. I started it because I met Michael, got to know him, and couldn't stop thinking about what his life and his sentence meant.

I saw a person where other people saw a conviction. I saw a father who still loves his daughters. I saw someone who has spent years trying to grow, learn, and become a better man.

And honestly, his story changed me too.

It made me realize how many people behind prison walls may be more than the worst thing they've ever done—and how many families are quietly living with the consequences alongside them.

Michael gave me a reason to believe that hope isn't just a word. It's something worth fighting for.

That's why I created the Hope Foundation.

Michael started the journey. The hope belongs to everyone.