To move forward and rehabilitate, I had to face the factors that led me here.
When you come to prison, you are stripped of everything, including your dignity. Even though I committed the crime and am incarcerated, my family has done the time with me. My journey through the process of rehabilitation has had many bumps and bruises, but also defining moments. Throughout this process, I became estranged from my son. I lost my grandmother, numerous aunts and uncles, and my dear brother Horatio in 2019 to cancer. My mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. These family members have supported me, but at times I’ve felt like nobody cared about me, not even family or friends.
Prison affects you psychologically, emotionally, mentally, and physically. It can make you think irrationally if you don’t acknowledge your past. My learned behavior from unhealthy experiences put me on a path to commit a crime. To move forward and rehabilitate, I had to face the factors that led me here. No matter how painful it was to confront the harm I experienced or caused, I had to do it. I made the choice to change my life. I’ve worked to identify the risk factors, causes, and character traits that led me down the wrong path. I’ve learned that I lacked the coping skills to handle life’s stress and that my experiences shaped harmful beliefs. I’ve spent 24 years in prison and have fully taken advantage of rehabilitative programs. I became a youth offender mentor and participated in many self-help groups, including Freedom to Choose, where I began healing from the inside.
I’m an inside ambassador for Project Rebound and lead workshops that support incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people through mentorship, resources, counseling, and more. I recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Fresno State through Valley State Prison.
My long-term goal is to pursue a Ph.D. I want to inspire others who look like me or who have been through what I’ve been through. I want them to see how I survived and overcame. I’ve met many people as a military dependent and have always been interested in culture, society, and how we interact. Relationships have been a big part of my life, and I look forward to forming healthy ones—with family, friends, or a partner. I feel more in tune with myself and the people around me. I’m an extrovert who enjoys getting to know others.
I believe I’ll move forward with strength because I’ve developed seven values that guide me:
Discipline – doing what I don’t want to do, when I don’t want to do it
Dedication – committing every day with purpose and intent
Sacrifice – giving something up to gain something greater
Hard work – pushing myself beyond what’s expected
Responsibility – owning my decisions
Accountability – taking ownership of the impact my choices have
Service – giving back and making a difference
Take care, and I hope to hear from you.
