In 2007, at Lancaster State Prison, Dortell spearheaded an academic group called Men for Honor. For the next ten years he developed cognitive behavioral intervention curricula on topics such as domestic violence, victimology, victim sensitivity, victim orientation, victim-offender dialogue, parenting, creative writing and more. At its height MFH had a five-member executive body, 25 regular members, 9 peer instructors, and approximately 150 participants a month.

Dortell has also earned multiple degrees in prison: 4 Associate of Arts degrees, including an AA in social and behavioral science, a Bachelor of Arts in communications, and a doctorate in Ministries. He is currently earning a Master of Arts in Humanities, a program he initiated through Cal State University, Dominguez Hills.

Dortell uses his knowledge to contribute to the lives of others. Since Lancaster, he has been transferred to two other prisons. And with each prison he starts personal development groups. At Chuckawalla State Prison, he developed Iron Sharpens Iron, a personal introspective look into character defects of biblical figures, ethnic studies, citing the history and commonalities of people of color, and a personal development curriculum.

At Mule Creek State Prison he created a civic engagement curriculum, a debate curriculum, and numerous trauma-informed curricula. He also contributes to many outside organizations as a consultant, including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, UnCommon Law, Taming Trauma, Families United to End LWOP, Fair Chance Project and Famli.inc .

He has initiated dozens of fundraisers for charities including for the Red Cross, Children’s Hospital, a school, and for immigrants. Dortell has defied the culture of prison violence and has even been credited with lowering prison violence and contraband through his programs. He has helped many of his peers gain their freedom, all of whom are thriving in society.