We recently connected with Michael Powell and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michael thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

There was… I think it was the first family day we did at CBCF. At that time I was thinking about maybe switching careers. I work in a prison or corrections type of setting and with my own prison story I didn’t want to feel like my life was dedicated to prison in some way. Like, I did my time already and it was time to move on. But, on family day I got to see a group of men who had been secluded from their children for an extended period of time and just the look of excitement, how loving they were to their children and knowing that it hadn’t happened before until we brought the program in, I got a new spark for why I’m still tied to the system in the way I am.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Michael Powell but most people call me Blakk Sun. I work for a non profit called Healing Broken Circles where we provide opportunities to heal, learn, and thrive for those touched by the justice system. I am the Director of Creative and Youth Programming. I am responsible for the creation and execution of creative events and programming for our non-profit, offering educational, artistic, and transformative opportunities. I am also responsible for artistic direction, talent development, and event production for The BackWall performance series and program design, curriculum, and lead facilitation of the HOPE program for youth.

I got my start in 2014 while in my 8th year of incarceration. I took a class called GPS which stands for Growth Potential Self Awareness and it opened my eyes to my own ability to empathize with others while also evaluating my own life and choices. I liked the class so much that I took a training course to become a facilitator. I facilitated the program for over 5 years. During those years I also joined and eventually ran a mentor program called HOPE and started a music program called BBG. I developed curriculum, planned events, hosted shows, performed in concerts, plays, etc all from prison.

I was released in 2020. Healing Broken Circles (which provided the programming in the prison I was at) hired me full time to continue the work I was doing in prison by bringing it to the outside world. I have worked with them ever since. We have spread the stories and talents of formerly incarcerated people all across the state of Ohio through our performance collaborative The BackWall as well as built a relationship with the Columbus Metropolitan Library where we conduct HOPE and also with Community Based Correctional Facility(CBCF) where we conduct our fatherhood program.

While working with the community I am also a poet, rapper and actor. I recently starred in my first short film Silence Is Consent: The Indictment as well as being featured on WOSU’s Broad and High series which led to the release of my first music project Elevated EP. I just finished a project called “Like Leaves Like Carrots” in which I partnered with Denison University and the Wexner Center for a two week residency. And one of my biggest moments was going to NY and being on a panel at the MOMA to talk about work I did on a rendition of Beethoven’s “Fidelio” while I was in prison.

I believe in leaving a little piece of me everywhere I go. The life I’m living now allows for me to have a positive impact on the world I am connected to and hopefully ripples out to a much bigger world. My next goal is to find a way to partner with my old high school in Mansfield Ohio to provide the HOPE program there. Wish me luck lol

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The biggest pivot of my life was when I got out of prison. I had been working in my field for almost seven years but, I never had to go anywhere to do it. I was living in a long hallway so everything was right in front of me and people could see my capabilities more easily because I had a lot of visibility.

Working in the same field as a newly returned citizen while trying to manage a new life after 14 years of incarceration, and trying to make sense of a world I don’t quite understand yet can be very taxing on the psyche, I felt like I had to constantly prove what others with the same credentials could be taken at face value for and it was seriously discouraging at times. I’ve wanted to quit more times than I can count but my heart just won’t let me. I know that it’s my personal tie to the system and curriculum that makes the program so successful and that’s something training can never capture. I know that for a lot of people working with me and going through the program changed the trajectory of their lives. So now I do my best to embrace the challenge. My credibility within the program is there just from me being who I am. I am working on my credibility being more visible on paper through the things I am accomplishing.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I think one of the most important things in my field is who you know. The non profit world and a lot of the prison world is all about who you know and how well you work with others. Without partnerships you run the risk of making a short journey very long.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @blakk_sun
• Youtube: @blakk_sun