Donte West is an American negotiator and international criminal justice advocate whose work stands at the intersection of justice reform, humanitarian advocacy, and second-chance leadership. As the founder of Forgotten Prisoner, West has dedicated his life to fighting for individuals and families affected by harsh drug laws, wrongful incarceration, and systems that too often leave people behind once the headlines fade.

His mission is deeply personal.

West’s advocacy was not born in theory. It was born in survival, injustice, and lived experience. After serving years in prison in Kansas on a marijuana-related conviction that was later overturned, he emerged with a perspective few can speak from and even fewer can transform into public action. Rather than allowing that experience to define him by what happened to him, West chose to define himself by what he would do for others. That decision became the foundation of his life’s work.

Today, West is known for bringing public attention to people incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses, helping build support around humanitarian cases, and pushing institutions, leaders, and communities to confront the human cost of outdated drug policy. His work has centered not only on reform in principle, but on real people: the forgotten prisoner, the overlooked family, the person whose life has been reduced to a case number, and the communities still carrying the damage of prohibition-era enforcement.

Through Forgotten Prisoner, West is building more than an organization. He is building a platform for visibility, advocacy, relief, and restoration. The foundation’s purpose is rooted in a simple but urgent truth: many incarcerated people, especially those impacted by non-violent drug laws, are forgotten by the public, underserved by the system, and left without the support needed to endure incarceration or rebuild life after it. Under West’s leadership, Forgotten Prisoner aims to confront that reality directly through advocacy, emergency support, awareness campaigns, family-centered assistance, and strategic partnerships that turn public attention into meaningful action.

West’s voice in criminal justice reform has reached policy spaces as well as public platforms. In December 2020, then-Representative Karen Bass invited him to participate in a discussion before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, where his experience and perspective were brought into a federal conversation on incarceration and marijuana sentencing. He has also provided testimony before the Kansas House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice, where he spoke about the human and financial toll of incarceration for cannabis-related offenses and called for a more just approach to policy.

His public advocacy has been recognized at the city level as well. In Kansas City, local leadership issued a proclamation recognizing Donte West Cannabis Justice Day, acknowledging his role in raising awareness around cannabis prisoners, reentry, and the continuing consequences of criminalization. That recognition reflected what many supporters, families, and impacted individuals already understood: West had become more than a former defendant telling his story. He had become a public advocate working to open doors for others still trapped behind them.

West’s reach has also extended beyond legislative spaces into culture, media, and public influence. He has appeared in public campaigns with Lucky Brand, helping spotlight stories tied to criminal justice reform and the legacy of cannabis prohibition. He has also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, contributing to broader public conversations around incarceration and the realities of prison life. These appearances helped bring issues that are often hidden from public view into mainstream conversation, expanding the audience for justice-centered storytelling.

In addition to his reform work, West has built bridges into sports, entertainment, and brand development through Donte West Management. Through that platform, he has announced representation partnerships involving high-profile athletes including Xavier Worthy and Christian Braun, reflecting his broader vision of influence: using relationships, visibility, and opportunity not only for business growth, but for cultural impact and strategic advocacy. West understands that meaningful change often requires access to rooms that advocacy alone does not always open, and he has worked intentionally to build those connections.

His advocacy has also taken on an international dimension. West has been publicly involved in efforts to raise awareness around Americans incarcerated abroad, including humanitarian advocacy connected to the case of Jarred Shaw in Indonesia. In moments where health concerns, legal jeopardy, and international attention converge, West has positioned himself as someone willing to step into difficult terrain and push for visibility, urgency, and humane outcomes. This work has strengthened his public identity not only as a criminal justice advocate, but as a negotiator operating in high-stakes and cross-border circumstances.

At the center of all of West’s work is a belief that justice must be personal to be meaningful. He does not approach advocacy as branding, performance, or abstract policy language. He approaches it as someone who knows what it means to lose time, to fight for freedom, and to understand how quickly people can be forgotten once they enter the system. That lived reality gives his work a level of authenticity, urgency, and moral clarity that resonates with families, incarcerated individuals, public officials, and supporters alike.

Forgotten Prisoner reflects that same philosophy. It exists to remind the public that incarceration does not erase humanity, that punishment should not erase hope, and that no one should be abandoned because their suffering is inconvenient, politically uncomfortable, or easy to ignore. Under West’s leadership, the organization seeks to support those still inside, uplift those returning home, and challenge the silence that too often surrounds people caught in the grip of punitive drug laws and broken systems.

West’s work continues to evolve across advocacy, humanitarian efforts, public engagement, and strategic partnerships, but the core remains the same: to fight for the people others stop fighting for.