Interview with Courtney Stewart, CEO of The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens [Video]

Watch the replay of our special interview with Courtney Stewart, CEO of The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens.

Courtney is going to be one of our featured speakers at the 2025 Embraced & Empowered Prison and Reentry Ministries conference happening in Washington, D.C. on May 2-3, 2025. Registration to participate in the conference is free (including meals for in-person attendees). Register now to attend!

About our guest

Courtney Stewart is the Chairman/CEO of The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens, Founder and CEO of Mentoring Works2. Inc. a nonprofit 501c(3) and President of Stewart’s Cleaning Service, LLC. He serves on numerous boards, and is Committee Chair for the Reentry Action Network, Rethink Justice DC and member of Steering Committee for Council for Court Excellence (CCE)

Mr. Stewart grew up in the drug infested streets of Washington DC and struggled with two alcoholic parents in the household. He became a product of the juvenile justice system at the tender age of 9 years old and placed in foster care at 12 years old. Ultimately, this led to his introduction to the revolving door of incarceration until his parole from Lorton Reformatory in 1985. Upon returning to his community, Mr. Stewart has met every single challenge he has faced, including drug use. He is an active member of AA, NA and has been drug and alcohol free for 34 years and sponsors various support groups and individuals throughout the Metropolitan area, such as The National Reentry Network Community Focus Group and a weekly peer to peer mentoring group.

Mr. Stewart cares about the quality of life for returning citizens who have paid their debt to society and who should have all their rights as a U.S. Citizen restored. He understands that DC is home to about 85,000 people who have had some involvement with the criminal legal system, many of them previously incarcerated for non-violent and minor offenses. Yet, these individuals face many barriers when returning to the community despite completing their sentence. Through his work in his own organization and coalition, he has fought to increase the rights and successes of our returning citizens. This includes rights for equal employment, housing, mental health services, public assistance, heads of households and substance use treatment as well as human rights and civic responsibility.

Mr. Stewart’s work has allowed returning citizens to work together to improve systemic barriers and stereotypes that have impeded our progress. He hopes to continue to expand more into leadership development and promotion of self-advocacy that leads to entrepreneurship and employment. The fight for building community and awareness among returning citizens is very personal for Courtney Stewart and the other members of the Network.