Supreme Hassan says he was released from prison in August without a state-issued ID — a document considered crucial to succeeding outside of prison walls.

The 51-year-old, whose birth name is Jeffrey Hilton, left prison after 33 years excited to start his new life. He moved to a halfway house in Boston. But several months later, he says he still struggles to create the building blocks of his new life, like opening a bank account or applying for jobs.

“Without a state ID, I just do not exist within the commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Hassan told GBH News recently.