As a sociologist, Taj Mahon-Haft collected data on criminal legal reform and taught his students about the injustices of the criminal legal system.
He was an advocate, passionate about teaching others about the criminal legal system’s inequity and inequalities. And then he became directly impacted.
“I was doing this as a teacher and trying to make a change in that way because that was something I cared about since I was young. And the more I learned, the more I cared. But then I found myself unexpectedly in the justice system, and impacted directly by it myself, and that led to a terrible situation at first,” said Taj.
Incarceration took a toll on Taj. He experienced depression and suicidal thoughts. Early on, he was placed in solitary confinement in the jail where he was held – a punishment utilized by jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers that takes someone out of the prison population and places them in a small room, alone, with little access to activities outside of the solitary cell.
“I felt despair. I felt like everything that I’d built and everything I cared about in terms of my family – which was the most important thing – was gone. And I didn’t know if I was ever going to feel it again and see it again or even get a hug from another human being,” said Taj. “…Solitary confinement was the ultimate low point.”
Ultimately, it was his connection to his family and friends that not only kept Taj going, but motivated him to work towards a second chance – not only for himself, but for others who were incarcerated with him.
Taj’s loved ones cared that he was impacted by the criminal legal system, and he soon realized that the more they got to know the friends he made while incarcerated, the more they began to care that his friends were impacted, as well. Because, now, the people incarcerated with Taj weren’t just numbers: they were names and faces.
“In conversations with loved ones … I realized that, all of a sudden, they cared about the justice system and reform,” said Taj. “It reminded me and reinforced and amplified how much I cared about changing the system.”
While Taj was incarcerated, he also grew closer to a long-time friend from college, Gin. Their friendship blossomed into love, and she vowed to not only stick by Taj throughout his incarceration, but also to help him work towards an earlier release date. She also committed to helping Taj in his efforts to share the stories of system-impacted people.
Gin and Taj founded The Humanization Project, which works to humanize system-impacted people through first-hand experiences, education, research, and creative writing.
“My sentence was supposed to end in 2026, and she was willing to wait nine years potentially. She said she wanted to help me get out of prison. Right now, it is February 27, 2024, … and I am not imprisoned, and that is a direct result of the work that she and I did together to get not just myself out, but [thousands of] people,” said Taj.
With The Humanization Project, Gin and Taj have worked with lawmakers, civil rights organizations, and advocates to pass the expanded earned sentence credit (ESC) program. The program incentivizes hard work and good behavior by allowing incarcerated people to earn credits towards their release. In addition, their grassroots organization works with an evergrowing network of returned citizens, people who are incarcerated, and their loved ones to expand opportunities for second chance and humane treatment through other campaigns.
The law expanding the program was initially passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020, but in 2022, was blocked by the Youngkin administration from taking full effect – meaning many people who’d worked hard towards their release were no longer having all of the credits they’d earned honored.
The Humanization Project, impacted people, advocates, patrons, and partners worked for another two years to advocate for the expanded ESC program.
And on July 1, 2024, the expanded ESC program finally went into effect – giving those people who’d earned it, a second chance.
“Second Chances are ... the human side, the stuff that makes life really joyful, the people, the human connections, but also being able to take that human connection and make a difference every single day,” said Taj. “That is what a second chance to me is: showing the world that none of us is our worst moment.”
Taj got his second chance. Now he’s committed to helping others receive theirs.
