This month, I marked 10 years home.
I do not take those words for granted. There was a time when I did not know if I would ever get to say it. I was given a life sentence for a crime I committed when I was 15 years old. I caused harm that can never be undone, and I have carried the weight of that responsibility every day since.
But there were people who refused to give up on me.
When I think about the last 10 years, and even about my years in prison, one thing is clear to me: I am a product of opportunity.
Doors opened for me that changed the direction of my life. Even after being condemned to die in prison as a teenager, I was given chances to grow and mature in a very difficult place. I was able to pursue a college education, both while I was incarcerated and after I came home. I found purpose in helping others who were walking through their own struggles. I was given leadership opportunities. And along the way, people believed I could contribute something meaningful.
When I came home, that continued. I was surrounded by a community that helped me rebuild my life. That same community also helped build Louisiana Parole Project.
In 2016, I became Louisiana’s first juvenile lifer to be granted parole after the Montgomery decision. That decision made it clear that people sentenced to life for crimes committed before their 18th birthday must have a meaningful opportunity for release. I walked free five years before Henry Montgomery himself, whose United States Supreme Court case helped create the possibility that made my release real.
That fact has always stayed with me. My freedom came because of good policy, unyielding advocacy, and people who believed I am more than the worst thing I have ever done. But freedom alone was not enough. I also needed guidance. I needed patience. I needed people willing to walk with me.
I’ve had all of that.
I have had parents and family who stood by me. I have had mentors, teachers, attorneys, friends, colleagues, supporters, and a spouse who have loved me, challenged me, and helped me succeed. I have been surrounded by people who wanted me to make it and refused to let me forget what I was capable of becoming.
I am deeply grateful for that love and support. I also know that not everyone coming home from prison has the same safety net.
That is why I do not see myself as an exception to the rule. I see my life as an example of the power of second chances. I am an imperfect person who was given the chance to grow. I am someone who did something terrible as a young person and was later given the chance to build a meaningful life.
My story is not proof that I am special. It is proof that opportunity matters.
Imagine what would be possible if every person coming home from prison had the resources and support I did. Imagine if every person had a safe place to sleep, people to call, help finding work, help furthering their education, and a community that expected them to succeed.
That is what Louisiana Parole Project seeks to provide.
Every day, we work with men and women coming home after years, often decades, in prison. We help them navigate a world that has changed while they were away. We provide housing, mentorship, employment assistance, and a community of people who understand the road home. We do this because we know people can succeed when the unnecessary barriers are moved out of the way.
The last 10 years have been more than a personal milestone. They have reminded me what is possible when second chances are matched with real help. I have seen people reunite with their families, start careers, contribute to their communities, become mentors to others, and build lives they once thought were impossible.
I am thankful for every person who helped make my 10 years home possible. I am thankful for every person who believes in this work. And I am honored to keep walking alongside others as they come home and build their own futures.
I look forward to the next 10 years.
