by Dortell Williams, Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe, CA
Beliefs equal attitudes, and attitudes equal behaviors. I learned this concept about fifteen years ago in a prison self-help class taught by peers — for us, by us. What does that mean on the ground?
It means that when my father repeatedly called me stupid, I believed him. In hindsight, I was only doing what young, curious boys do when exploring their world, and making mistakes. The name calling gave me a low self-esteem. Low self-confidence is a common contributing factor to imprisonment. I didn’t believe in myself, so I sought unhealthy relationships for acceptance from people who meant me no good. The lack of guidance in my neighborhood didn’t help. I made a series of bad decisions that earned me a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
Ironically, once inside, reformed lifers came in abundance. The steady mentorship I received led me to a full and positive transformation. Over the past three decades, I’ve earned four AA degrees, a BA in Communication Studies, and a Doctorate in Ministries. I am now a competent and confident adult.
Yet my proudest accomplishment is the mentorship machine that was the Men For Honor Group. I ran it for over a decade, nineteen cognitive behavioral intervention classes at its height! We were mentoring 150 guys a month. With my change, others changed.
If I can change, anyone can!