Free at Last, Justice at Last, Equal at Last
Today, 11/2/2021, 2 pm PST, marks the 10 year anniversary of my release from prison.
In January 2021, five years after I applied, the President of the United States granted me a full and unconditional presidential pardon.
Photos left to right: 1. 2009 Top of the world, 2. 2011 near release from prison, 3. Today
I left my family behind and moved to the United States for a better life. And for a while, I had everything going for me. I completed my undergraduate studies at University of California at Berkeley, went on to Princeton for my PhD, and a management consulting job at McKinsey & Company took me to New York City. My future looked bright. That is until my world turned upside down on January 7, 2010.
The Moth event on December 6th. Told live before an audience of 800+ in a packed theater at an event co-sponsored by KCRW (LA’s local NPR affiliate).
Local NPR station KCRW’s Unfictional program offered a chance listen to the more personal and emotional journey of the 22 months of incarceration.
Richard Newcomb: Former Head of OFAC (US Sanctions Program) penned a letter defending Reza.
This is a question that Mahmoud Reza Banki, a highly educated, accomplished professional, is all too familiar with. On the morning of January 7, 2010, Department of Homeland Security agents stormed through his front door, slammed him against the wall and handcuffed him. That was the last time Reza Banki would see the outside of a prison for nearly two years. What followed was an excruciating journey to overcome injustice.
If my story resonates with you, share it! Let’s advance the cause of justice, let’s push for a better criminal justice system for us all. Thank you for your support and for sharing.
Listen to the Podcast
Watch the TED video