new4az
10-26-2003, 06:21 AM
OK ... I'm coming up on my 3 year release anniversary. I have a nice toyota truck I have bought and totally paid for ... I have a 3 bedroom house ... a good Job ... and a home bussiness that has grown to the point I'm considering hiring my first employee.
I have all the stigma that comes with being a convicted felon ... to include being a 'registered sex offender'. I spent a little over 4 1/2 years 'inside' ... and when I was released I was thrilled that my brother and his family received me into their home with totally open arms. No questions asked, no stress, no worries ... just hugs and love and support.
The first month I was with them they discouraged me from looking for a job. In fact my brother and sister actually paid for me to take a small vacation ... just tot get out and enjoy the suns rises and the outside ... things that i had missed so much while in prison.
When I started looking for work, I faced several interviews with confidence as I had some skills and an education. Yet, like many I would go from an extremely positive interview or even a second interview ... to a thanks, but no thanks. I never quit ... but not because I didn't get depressed. I didn't quit because my Brother and Sister-in-Law were there to cheerlead me on. They refused to let me stay down on myself.
My brother is an Air Traffic controller, but he has skills in carpentry as well. He would arrange to do small jobs ... flooring, roofing, tree trimming ... just about anything. Then we would go do them on the weekend and he'd split the money with me. During the week I'd work on my resume and job hunt. At 4 months I got an interview from a company out of state. One of the people who worked there had known me before I was in jail. I had kept in contact with them and so many others while inside ... because I beleived that it was critical to maintain that link to the outside world ... even when it was painful and embarassing. The interview went well and they hired me!!! ... but required I relocate ... which wasn't hard for 2 reasons. 1.) I didn't own much of anything. 2.) I would have moved to Siberia for a chance just to prove I was worth employing.
So I moved ... and worked ... 14-16 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week. Not because it was required, but because i had something to prove ... to them and myself. My first full Quarter working ther I made employee of the quarter. The next year I was employee of the year ... out of over 15,000 employees.
My apartment was totally empty at first. To be honest my jail cell had more furniture ... and in some aspects, my apartment was just an extension of my cell at first. I was outside, but in my mind I wasn't free. I had just an old matress on the floor and a couple blankets ... I slowly furnished the apartment thru the GoodWill and other Thrift stores ... I started paying on my past bills to get my credit straight ... and I worked. I gave up just about everything in life except work. Slowly my bills were gone ... my truck was mine ... my credit was good. My work history slipped over the critical 2 year point. Things were going pretty good.
Then my apartment lease came up for renewal ... and I was politely told that they couldn't renew it. Management had decided that even though I had never been late on my rent, that they just didn't want me as a tenant ... afterall i was a registered sex offender. I was hurt ... not mad ... just hurt. I had worked so hard to make that hole of an apartment a 'home' ... I had 30 days to move.
I went to an apartment finder place and explained the situation. They ran a credit check and asked me if i really wanted to rent ... or would I be interested in buying a house!?! I had never dreamed I'd qualify for a house, but I gave it a shot ... I was approved in 24 hours ... went to see some houses ... and 'Closed' on my small 3 bedroom place in just 20 days. I left my apartment hole ... and moved into what is now my HOME. I still don't have a lot of things ... but I plan to keep leaning forward and working harder than anyone else.
I have my Truck, I have my Job, I have a place that I can't be forced to leave ... I have my little business that is growing and will become my security blanket if I ever need one.
It hasn't been easy ... I could write a book about the challenges and atitudes I've faced. One of the hardest things to accept was feeling good about letting people help me. Pride can be a hard master ... and I owe much to the help of others.
So, I just want all who read this to know ... "It CAN happen" ... I know because it happened for me!
Take care! James
I have all the stigma that comes with being a convicted felon ... to include being a 'registered sex offender'. I spent a little over 4 1/2 years 'inside' ... and when I was released I was thrilled that my brother and his family received me into their home with totally open arms. No questions asked, no stress, no worries ... just hugs and love and support.
The first month I was with them they discouraged me from looking for a job. In fact my brother and sister actually paid for me to take a small vacation ... just tot get out and enjoy the suns rises and the outside ... things that i had missed so much while in prison.
When I started looking for work, I faced several interviews with confidence as I had some skills and an education. Yet, like many I would go from an extremely positive interview or even a second interview ... to a thanks, but no thanks. I never quit ... but not because I didn't get depressed. I didn't quit because my Brother and Sister-in-Law were there to cheerlead me on. They refused to let me stay down on myself.
My brother is an Air Traffic controller, but he has skills in carpentry as well. He would arrange to do small jobs ... flooring, roofing, tree trimming ... just about anything. Then we would go do them on the weekend and he'd split the money with me. During the week I'd work on my resume and job hunt. At 4 months I got an interview from a company out of state. One of the people who worked there had known me before I was in jail. I had kept in contact with them and so many others while inside ... because I beleived that it was critical to maintain that link to the outside world ... even when it was painful and embarassing. The interview went well and they hired me!!! ... but required I relocate ... which wasn't hard for 2 reasons. 1.) I didn't own much of anything. 2.) I would have moved to Siberia for a chance just to prove I was worth employing.
So I moved ... and worked ... 14-16 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week. Not because it was required, but because i had something to prove ... to them and myself. My first full Quarter working ther I made employee of the quarter. The next year I was employee of the year ... out of over 15,000 employees.
My apartment was totally empty at first. To be honest my jail cell had more furniture ... and in some aspects, my apartment was just an extension of my cell at first. I was outside, but in my mind I wasn't free. I had just an old matress on the floor and a couple blankets ... I slowly furnished the apartment thru the GoodWill and other Thrift stores ... I started paying on my past bills to get my credit straight ... and I worked. I gave up just about everything in life except work. Slowly my bills were gone ... my truck was mine ... my credit was good. My work history slipped over the critical 2 year point. Things were going pretty good.
Then my apartment lease came up for renewal ... and I was politely told that they couldn't renew it. Management had decided that even though I had never been late on my rent, that they just didn't want me as a tenant ... afterall i was a registered sex offender. I was hurt ... not mad ... just hurt. I had worked so hard to make that hole of an apartment a 'home' ... I had 30 days to move.
I went to an apartment finder place and explained the situation. They ran a credit check and asked me if i really wanted to rent ... or would I be interested in buying a house!?! I had never dreamed I'd qualify for a house, but I gave it a shot ... I was approved in 24 hours ... went to see some houses ... and 'Closed' on my small 3 bedroom place in just 20 days. I left my apartment hole ... and moved into what is now my HOME. I still don't have a lot of things ... but I plan to keep leaning forward and working harder than anyone else.
I have my Truck, I have my Job, I have a place that I can't be forced to leave ... I have my little business that is growing and will become my security blanket if I ever need one.
It hasn't been easy ... I could write a book about the challenges and atitudes I've faced. One of the hardest things to accept was feeling good about letting people help me. Pride can be a hard master ... and I owe much to the help of others.
So, I just want all who read this to know ... "It CAN happen" ... I know because it happened for me!
Take care! James