Antoniese (Tony) Gant is the Director of Policy and Program Operations for Nation Outside and is responsible for statewide criminal justice reform campaigns designed to improve socio-economic success of justice-impacted people. He has successfully mobilized people and communities to advance fair chance housing ordinances and improve access to voting in several local Michigan communities. His advocacy includes clean slate laws, life and long sentence reform, and conditions of confinement particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nation Outside is a Michigan based organization run and founded by formerly incarcerated people dedicated to criminal justice reform.


Gant was incarcerated within the Michigan Department of Corrections for 20 years from 1995 to 2015. His lived experience informs his power and movement building strategy, which is rooted in increasing the civic engagement of directly impacted people.


He is a 2021 Leading with Conviction fellow with JustLeadershipUSA and the Chairperson for the Region 7 OS Advisory Council. He is a member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce D&I Committee and the leadership committee for the Voting Access for All Coalition (VAAC). He is also a father, author of Midnight Whispers, and business owner (T&T Lawn Care @Gantlawncare).