Welcome home Michele

Lore sent us this portrait of Michele Wood, with whom she’s been incarcerated, and who will be released from FDC Philadelphia today 🙌 Join us in welcoming Michele home! And, if you can, Venmo @WeLoveLore with “Michele” in the memo to help her back on her feet. Stay in the light all ️‍🌈🙏✨

Lore writes…

Lore’s portrait of Michele Wood

There is this person, she describes her as creative, resilient, and a motivator.  To me, she is all of these, and an angel. A friend, a guide.

Michele is the creator of her own liberation.  She has taught me through example that it is possible to grow no matter the environment.  She has shown me how to make lemonade from a poisoned well. She is the architect of her future despite, not because of, her situation. In a time when people who look like her are assumed guilty, assumed criminal, she remains determined to be free.

She has shown me how to navigate incarceration in legal, social, and emotional ways.  She has taught me that I must choose carefully what I pour myself into. She has taught me how to inspire and how to move with purpose. If she is pointing out a problem, she always provides a solution. She has taught me to be an inspiration to myself, to keep expectations of my integrity at the highest level. She teaches me by living these truths. With her guidance I have begun removing my unhelpful pride, and triple checking that my actions are not harmful, no matter my intention.

If you knew her you'd know all of this--she speaks volumes for herself. I wish she should show more bravado, but she wears her pride tight.

She has been the only fellow inmate to ask me, ‘what are you going to do with your time here?’ Despite the well known cycle for African-Americans of assumed guilt, segregation, inequity, arrest, incarceration, surveillance, and re-arrest, she stays motivating herself and others. She is determined to create generational wealth for her future kids. She is going to be an incredible partner to a future wife.  

When I push the limits, she tells me how to scale it back, how to not get in my own way, how to not add to my karma. She has reminded me that I can do better.

I want her to live her dreams. Please, join me in boosting this amazing human all the way up. She has taught me the importance of a free mind. Please, join me in supporting her freedom.  

She has made me question many things I believe in. She sees the bigger picture and every side to the story--a Libra, after all! She has taught me to weigh all my solutions thoroughly. She has shown me infinite patience.

I hope she gets to see the best of this world; a fresh, saltwater pool to dip her toes in; a colorful rain forest to breathe in; a place to run with her favorite wild cats; a world worthy of throwing her invaluable heart into.

She never sleeps on something important--thinks on her feet.  She moves and she thinks like a boxer. She is quick, striking, impactful. She has taught me that you can find love anywhere. She reminds me to take no one and nothing for granted. I cannot wait for you to meet her. I look forward to her first step out the door, towards home.  And her first ice cream come! Get her something sweet, please!

She is a role model, and the kids in her family need her back. She has wonderful things in store. With her creative and powerful mind she always has a few things cooking.  She makes me laugh so hard my ribs hurt. She makes me laugh the hardest at myself. Some lessons can only be taught with canyons full of humility.

She is funny, totally awe-worthy, and damn beautiful. Grateful is only skimming the surface of how I feel about her. I am swimming in those sometimes still, sometimes rapid, always deep waters of hers. I know she will be embraced by my family around the world, my family who is as solid, inspiring kind and loyal as she is. I hope you get to know her, you'd be lucky. I know I am.