The image below shows more than a trending topic on X.
It shows the power of advocacy.
For years, our team at Prison Professors has worked to bring more attention to America’s criminal justice system. We believe that people in prison should have access to free educational resources that help them prepare for success, build stronger families, and return to society as good citizens.
That mission requires methodical, intentional steps that bring new people into the conversation.
This week, one post on X from @CZ_Binance helped thousands of people learn about our work.
Changpeng Zhao, “CZ,” shared that he had quietly donated $2 million to Prison Professors over the past two years, through four separate donations of $500,000. Until I had his permission to mention his support, I did not reveal his influence in helping us grow. The resources he provides help us continue building and distributing free, self-directed educational programs for people in federal prison.
Because of his post, our mission began trending on X.
People who may never have thought about America’s prison system began seeing a different kind of message. They saw that prison reform does not have to begin with politics. It can begin with education, preparation, accountability, and merit. In fact, as a result of CZ's mention of us, an entirely new, independent community began supporting our work, and donated more than 765 #BNB tokens that we will use to advance our mission.
See @PrisonProf_BNB or PrisonProfessorsToken.com for more details on that supportive community.
Advocacy and Attention
If we want to improve outcomes in prison, we must help more people understand the challenges inside the system. Many people in prison want to learn, grow, work, reconcile with society, and prepare for success. But they need access to tools that help them move forward.
At Prison Professors, our mission is to provide those tools at no cost to the government or to the people who need the resources.
We create courses, books, videos, and lessons that encourage self-directed learning. We teach people how to define success, set goals, build accountability, document progress, and prepare for higher levels of liberty through merit.
People should have pathways to earn more liberty through preparation and performance—regardless of their national origin, background, or the circumstances that brought them into the system. Many people in federal prison face barriers that exclude them from programs, incentives, and earned-time opportunities. Some people serve more time than necessary because national origin, immigration status, or other factors block them from pathways that should reward preparation and personal growth.
Without US citizenship, CZ served his sentence under harsher conditions, and he served more time than necessary. While inside, he saw firsthand the lack of access to personal development programs. I am grateful that he believed in our mission, and trusted me to work toward meaningful change.
As a global leader with more than 11 million followers on X, CZ’s message advanced our mission.
A Conversation to Advance Reform
In addition to his financial support, CZ has agreed to participate in a brief recorded conversation with me.
I am hopeful that conversation will advance our mission of bringing meaningful reforms to America’s prison system.
Anyone who reads CZ’s book, Freedom of Money, will understand how much value he places on time. With heads of state, business leaders, and global organizations seeking his attention, I will be as succinct as possible with my questions.
My hope is that our conversation will help stakeholders understand the importance of:
Self-directed learning
Free educational resources
Merit-based pathways
Incentives that encourage personal growth
Preparation for responsible citizenship
When people in prison engage in education, document their progress, and show a commitment to building better futures, our system should recognize that effort. We should create more pathways for people to earn higher levels of liberty through merit.
Since I pledge to donate my personal resources and to work without compensation, I hope to build trust with stakeholders. Support from a leader like CZ will open doors to more effective conversations in advancing our mission.
Building Pathways to Good Citizenship
Our work at Prison Professors is rooted in a simple belief:
People can change when they have access to the right tools, the right guidance, and the right incentives. They can use time inside to prepare for success outside, opening opportunities to lives of meaning, relevance, and dignity.
By providing free educational resources, we work to help people break cycles of recidivism and poverty. We want to help families heal. We want to help people return to society with stronger values, stronger skills, and stronger plans.
Trending on X does not solve the challenges of America’s prison system.
But it does expose our work to people who may never have considered those challenges before. It brings new stakeholders into the conversation. It helps us show that prison education is not only about helping people inside prison. It is about building safer communities, stronger families, and better outcomes for everyone.
We are grateful to CZ for his support, his trust, and his willingness to help us bring more attention to this mission.
This is how movements grow.
One lesson at a time.
One relationship at a time.
One conversation at a time.
One opportunity at a time.
At Prison Professors, we will continue working to open pathways for every person in prison who wants to prepare for a better future.
Self-Directed Question
What intentional steps can I take today to build a self-advocacy campaign that documents my growth, expands my support network, and shows stakeholders why I am worthy of greater trust and higher levels of liberty?