More Than a Prisoner

Today was a big day for me. Today was the day I taught my first class. This moment meant a lot to me for several different reasons, but more than anything, it showed me how much I have grown and how much more I am capable of becoming, even while incarcerated.

The first thing that stood out to me was the fact that administration trusted me enough to become an instructor. That made me feel like my growth has not gone unnoticed. I have spent a lot of time being a student in different programs and trying to make the best use of the limited hours we are allowed out each day. I could easily waste that time, but instead I have tried to use it to educate myself, work on my character, and prepare myself for a better future. For administration to recognize something in me and believe I could now teach and help other inmates meant a lot.

The second thing that meant something to me was that people actually showed up. The class was full. My peers trusted me enough to sit in a classroom and allow me to instruct them. These are men who live beside me and see me every day, so having their respect and attention reminded me that leadership isn’t just about having a title. It’s about people believing that you have something valuable to offer.

But the biggest realization came while I was standing in front of that classroom. Yes, I am incarcerated. Yes, technically I am a prisoner. But in that moment, I was more than that. I was a teacher. Nothing and no one can take that away from me.

For a long time, it was easy to think that certain parts of my life had to wait until I was released. Today reminded me that I don’t have to wait for freedom to start becoming the man I want to be. I can take on different roles right now. I can be a teacher, mentor, leader, student, organizer, and positive influence while I am still here. My circumstances may limit where I can go, but they don’t have to limit who I can become.

This is only the beginning. This is one of two classes I will be teaching over the next few months. Next week, I will begin teaching another class through the FORGE program called “The Honorable Man,” which focuses on developing positive character traits. That class means a lot to me because becoming an honorable man isn’t just something I want to teach it’s something I am actively working toward myself.

My goal is to be teaching three classes a week by the time the New Year comes in. Outside of teaching, I have also been trusted to organize and run the basketball tournament for the compound Olympics. I welcome all of these responsibilities. The busier, the better.

Every responsibility gives me another opportunity to prove to myself that my past doesn’t have to be the only thing that defines me. There was a time when I used my influence for the wrong reasons. Now, I have an opportunity to use that same ability to lead in a completely different direction.

Today I wasn’t just serving time. I was using my time. I was contributing. I was leading. I was teaching.

And most importantly, I was becoming more than my circumstances.