Having spent 12 years incarcerated, Mr. Mualimm-ak is intimately familiar with the criminal justice system. He knows what it is to land in solitary as punishment for having a pencil (it’s hard to be an artist when drawing tools get classed as weapons). Since returning home, he has devoted himself to helping justice-involved youth avoid and recover from system involvement, tirelessly advocating and building innovative pathways for kids.

The Youth Anti-Prison Project (YAPP), the organization Five founded, is an effort to bridge the service gap for young people with long community supervision sentences. YAPP’s two Bronx homes offer a safe space, providing not just housing but scholarships and mentor-assisted support to youth returning home. YAPP also works with probation & parole officers, bringing them on site to foster trust and compliance.