RECLAIMING MYSELF
I chose the streets over a family that didn't know how to love me well. I was running from pain until jail and prison forced me to stop. A community corrections facility gave me a taste of stability and structure I hadn't known in years. People saw something in me I couldn't yet see in myself and believed in my potential before I did. A hiring manager gave me a shot, even though my background said not to. I built that chance into a career. Today I'm a homeowner, earned my bachelor's degree, and am pursuing my master's. Every step forward felt like reclaiming a piece of myself.