Una Historia, Muchas Voces: Los Orígenes de Project Protocol

Emiliano López15 de abril de 2025

When I got out of prison in 2016 after serving 13 years on a 15 to life sentence, I was excited and cautious to embrace my new sense of freedom. While I was in prison, I researched and translated court documents for Spanish speakers who didn’t have the help they needed to get back into society. After being released, I wanted to help other people like me who had served time in prison. I looked forward to getting back to normal life with the right support. 

I had 8 parole officers, who were all different. One made my life hell. They would show up unannounced and often made me leave work early or arrive late, putting my job at risk.

I wasn’t allowed to travel in-state for work, and trips with my family were also repeatedly turned down. These actions didn’t only hurt my career, they also took away important time I could’ve spent with my family.

I turned to social media and connected with a community of people who had also been in prison. I talked to them about my frustrations and received enlightening and validating feedback. I realized I wasn’t the only one struggling with this parole officer. Many others were going through the same issue, but they couldn’t safely speak out for fear of retaliation. That’s when I came up with the idea for Project Protocol.

Project Protocol is an anonymous online platform designed to support individuals on parole. We are a team of formerly incarcerated and allied leaders, engineers, designers, artists and data analysts. Our mission is to provide a space for people to share their experiences and find helpful resources as they reenter society.

As someone who was on parole for four years, I know how challenging it can be to start over. I poured a lot of thought, heart, and intentionality behind building Project Protocol. I invite you to join a community that believes in redemption, fairness, and support.