my senior year in college Wow most of my peers were preparing for
most of my peers were preparing for
most of my peers were preparing for graduation studying for their final
graduation studying for their final
graduation studying for their final exams and just hanging out with friends
exams and just hanging out with friends
exams and just hanging out with friends I was hiding in my apartment
I was hiding in my apartment
I was hiding in my apartment contemplating suicide while my peers
contemplating suicide while my peers
contemplating suicide while my peers were trying to determine where their
were trying to determine where their
were trying to determine where their graduation festivities would be held
graduation festivities would be held
graduation festivities would be held with family and friends I was standing
with family and friends I was standing
with family and friends I was standing in middle of a courtroom the in
in middle of a courtroom the in
in middle of a courtroom the in sentenced to three years in federal
sentenced to three years in federal
sentenced to three years in federal prison at the age of 23 i Stef
prison at the age of 23 i Stef
prison at the age of 23 i Stef surrendered to the Federal Correctional
surrendered to the Federal Correctional
surrendered to the Federal Correctional Institution and Tallahassee Florida I
traded out my street clothes for brown
traded out my street clothes for brown khakis and my personal identity became
khakis and my personal identity became
khakis and my personal identity became known as inmate 2 5 3 7 9 – 0 1 8 going
known as inmate 2 5 3 7 9 – 0 1 8 going
known as inmate 2 5 3 7 9 – 0 1 8 going to prison taught me how to stop drop and
to prison taught me how to stop drop and
to prison taught me how to stop drop and roll it taught me how to put out the
roll it taught me how to put out the
roll it taught me how to put out the fire of my adversity and turn it into an
fire of my adversity and turn it into an
fire of my adversity and turn it into an opportunity that opportunity came in the
opportunity that opportunity came in the
opportunity that opportunity came in the form of reframing how I found myself
form of reframing how I found myself
form of reframing how I found myself owning up to my mistakes and through the
owning up to my mistakes and through the
owning up to my mistakes and through the power of second chances so going to
power of second chances so going to
power of second chances so going to prison caused me to stop everything that
prison caused me to stop everything that
prison caused me to stop everything that I knew good or bad would forever change
thing that I knew good or bad was about
thing that I knew good or bad was about to change but before I begin let me
to change but before I begin let me
to change but before I begin let me share with you what led me to prison
share with you what led me to prison
share with you what led me to prison poor confidence low self-esteem being a
poor confidence low self-esteem being a
poor confidence low self-esteem being a people pleaser
people pleaser
people pleaser thinking that I wasn’t good enough that
thinking that I wasn’t good enough that
thinking that I wasn’t good enough that I wasn’t pretty enough let me to make
I wasn’t pretty enough let me to make
I wasn’t pretty enough let me to make decisions or make a decision repeatedly
decisions or make a decision repeatedly
decisions or make a decision repeatedly over and over and over but going to
over and over and over but going to
over and over and over but going to prison caused me to stop and it allowed
prison caused me to stop and it allowed
prison caused me to stop and it allowed me to reframe myself I became a student
me to reframe myself I became a student
me to reframe myself I became a student and a teacher while incarcerated I used
and a teacher while incarcerated I used
and a teacher while incarcerated I used the time to get to know who Yolanda was
the time to get to know who Yolanda was
the time to get to know who Yolanda was realizing that the mistakes I made I
realizing that the mistakes I made I
realizing that the mistakes I made I didn’t have to and that I knew that when
didn’t have to and that I knew that when
didn’t have to and that I knew that when I did get out of prison that I I can I
I did get out of prison that I I can I
I did get out of prison that I I can I can’t be somebody that I can’t I can’t
can’t be somebody that I can’t I can’t
can’t be somebody that I can’t I can’t continue to succeed going to prison
continue to succeed going to prison
continue to succeed going to prison allowed me to realize that while in the
allowed me to realize that while in the
allowed me to realize that while in the process of reframing myself that I had
process of reframing myself that I had
process of reframing myself that I had to think about who I was and what I was
to think about who I was and what I was
to think about who I was and what I was I had to think about how I perceived me
I had to think about how I perceived me
I had to think about how I perceived me who was Yolanda that’s what prison
who was Yolanda that’s what prison
who was Yolanda that’s what prison allowed me to do that’s how I was able
allowed me to do that’s how I was able
allowed me to do that’s how I was able to stop everything that was going on
to stop everything that was going on
to stop everything that was going on stopped
incarcerated I had to drop all the
incarcerated I had to drop all the baggage I had to own up to my mistakes
baggage I had to own up to my mistakes
baggage I had to own up to my mistakes my mother used to always say you make
my mother used to always say you make
my mother used to always say you make your bed hard you lie in it and I did
your bed hard you lie in it and I did
your bed hard you lie in it and I did for three years I can remember the drive
for three years I can remember the drive
for three years I can remember the drive to Tallahassee but before we left I I
to Tallahassee but before we left I I
to Tallahassee but before we left I I said to her I said to my mother I said I
said to her I said to my mother I said I
said to her I said to my mother I said I don’t want to go I wasn’t a bad person I
don’t want to go I wasn’t a bad person I
don’t want to go I wasn’t a bad person I just made a simple mistake right where
just made a simple mistake right where
just made a simple mistake right where you are
you are
you are I want you to think for a moment I want
I want you to think for a moment I want
I want you to think for a moment I want you to think about a time that you did
you to think about a time that you did
you to think about a time that you did something very stupid I want you to
something very stupid I want you to
something very stupid I want you to think about not now but a time where you
think about not now but a time where you
think about not now but a time where you could have been caught and imagine going
could have been caught and imagine going
could have been caught and imagine going to prison for a stupid decision you’re
to prison for a stupid decision you’re
to prison for a stupid decision you’re not a bad person
not a bad person
not a bad person you just made a decision a bad one and
you just made a decision a bad one and
you just made a decision a bad one and before we left to go to Tallahassee I
before we left to go to Tallahassee I
before we left to go to Tallahassee I said to my mother I said I don’t want to
said to my mother I said I don’t want to
said to my mother I said I don’t want to go I I don’t want to go I wasn’t that
go I I don’t want to go I wasn’t that
go I I don’t want to go I wasn’t that bad of a person and she said to me
bad of a person and she said to me
bad of a person and she said to me Yolanda you have to go because if you
Yolanda you have to go because if you
Yolanda you have to go because if you don’t those people are going to come and
don’t those people are going to come and
don’t those people are going to come and get you and those people that she was
get you and those people that she was
get you and those people that she was referring to was the US marshals she did
referring to was the US marshals she did
referring to was the US marshals she did not want her daughter to go to prison
not want her daughter to go to prison
not want her daughter to go to prison she didn’t want any of her kids to go to
she didn’t want any of her kids to go to
she didn’t want any of her kids to go to prison but I had to own up to my
prison but I had to own up to my
prison but I had to own up to my mistakes I made my bed hard and I had to
mistakes I made my bed hard and I had to
mistakes I made my bed hard and I had to lie in it
I was incarcerated I knew that people
I was incarcerated I knew that people make bad decisions I didn’t think that
make bad decisions I didn’t think that
make bad decisions I didn’t think that people go to prison for bad decisions
people go to prison for bad decisions
people go to prison for bad decisions but I’m grateful for the opportunity as
but I’m grateful for the opportunity as
but I’m grateful for the opportunity as weird as it may sound that I went to
weird as it may sound that I went to
weird as it may sound that I went to prison because in cars in my
prison because in cars in my
prison because in cars in my incarceration during my incarceration is
incarceration during my incarceration is
incarceration during my incarceration is where I saw how the system the criminal
where I saw how the system the criminal
where I saw how the system the criminal justice system worked I graduated from
justice system worked I graduated from
justice system worked I graduated from high school I went to college remember I
high school I went to college remember I
high school I went to college remember I was a senior in college before I went to
was a senior in college before I went to
was a senior in college before I went to prison and I was very shocked and
prison and I was very shocked and
prison and I was very shocked and surprised at the number of women inmates
surprised at the number of women inmates
surprised at the number of women inmates that are incarcerated that do not have a
that are incarcerated that do not have a
that are incarcerated that do not have a high school diploma or a GED but as I
high school diploma or a GED but as I
high school diploma or a GED but as I continued on throughout my sentence I
continued on throughout my sentence I
continued on throughout my sentence I was able to roll forward and prepare my
was able to roll forward and prepare my
was able to roll forward and prepare my stuff for the future I’ve never been the
stuff for the future I’ve never been the
stuff for the future I’ve never been the type to take no for an answer and I’ve
type to take no for an answer and I’ve
type to take no for an answer and I’ve always had a tenacious personality and I
always had a tenacious personality and I
always had a tenacious personality and I would use that as I prepare for my
would use that as I prepare for my
would use that as I prepare for my release
however they
however they to roll with the punches because prison
to roll with the punches because prison
to roll with the punches because prison taught me how to be a fighter and not a
taught me how to be a fighter and not a
taught me how to be a fighter and not a physical fighter but it taught me how
physical fighter but it taught me how
physical fighter but it taught me how the bad times don’t always last one of
the bad times don’t always last one of
the bad times don’t always last one of the challenges that I faced when I was
the challenges that I faced when I was
the challenges that I faced when I was released from prison was employment
released from prison was employment
released from prison was employment nobody wanted to hire a convicted felon
so after applying for a nearly 200 jobs
so after applying for a nearly 200 jobs filling out 200 job applications
filling out 200 job applications
filling out 200 job applications physically and online I was finally able
physically and online I was finally able
physically and online I was finally able to find a job because someone believed
to find a job because someone believed
to find a job because someone believed and given someone like me a second
and given someone like me a second
and given someone like me a second chance
chance
chance I worked at this place for almost five
I worked at this place for almost five
I worked at this place for almost five years under the direction of a Human
years under the direction of a Human
years under the direction of a Human Resources under the direction of a human
Resources under the direction of a human
Resources under the direction of a human resource director miss Becky miss Becky
resource director miss Becky miss Becky
resource director miss Becky miss Becky believed in second chances and she
believed in second chances and she
believed in second chances and she schooled me and she educated me and it
schooled me and she educated me and it
schooled me and she educated me and it was while I with him while I was working
was while I with him while I was working
was while I with him while I was working with her is when I decided to go back to
with her is when I decided to go back to
with her is when I decided to go back to school it wasn’t easy it was very
school it wasn’t easy it was very
school it wasn’t easy it was very challenging because now I have to check
challenging because now I have to check
challenging because now I have to check YES on an application that asks the
YES on an application that asks the
YES on an application that asks the question have you ever been convicted of
question have you ever been convicted of
question have you ever been convicted of a felony felony but I didn’t know
a felony felony but I didn’t know
a felony felony but I didn’t know not allow that to deter me or stop me
not allow that to deter me or stop me
not allow that to deter me or stop me and in fact that’s where I created my
and in fact that’s where I created my
and in fact that’s where I created my motto to use your adversity to create an
motto to use your adversity to create an
motto to use your adversity to create an opportunity I’m now married have two
opportunity I’m now married have two
opportunity I’m now married have two small kids currently in a doctoral
small kids currently in a doctoral
small kids currently in a doctoral program about to graduate prison was a
program about to graduate prison was a
program about to graduate prison was a stepping stone
stepping stone
stepping stone that I used to position me to be able to
that I used to position me to be able to
that I used to position me to be able to fight adversity when I got out of prison
fight adversity when I got out of prison
fight adversity when I got out of prison there was no one in my immediate area
there was no one in my immediate area
there was no one in my immediate area that I can identify with who had
that I can identify with who had
that I can identify with who had overcame a challenge so after I wrote my
overcame a challenge so after I wrote my
overcame a challenge so after I wrote my first book consequences it became a
first book consequences it became a
first book consequences it became a platform and a tool that I use to
platform and a tool that I use to
platform and a tool that I use to highlight the challenges and the
highlight the challenges and the
highlight the challenges and the consequences of what happens when you
consequences of what happens when you
consequences of what happens when you make a bad decision but also to share
make a bad decision but also to share
make a bad decision but also to share and to encourage other formerly
and to encourage other formerly
and to encourage other formerly incarcerated individuals and also those
incarcerated individuals and also those
incarcerated individuals and also those individuals that are being released back
individuals that are being released back
individuals that are being released back into society that you can use your
into society that you can use your
into society that you can use your adversity and create an opportunity and
adversity and create an opportunity and
adversity and create an opportunity and that’s exactly what I did I use the
that’s exactly what I did I use the
that’s exactly what I did I use the adversity of being incarcerated and
adversity of being incarcerated and
adversity of being incarcerated and creating the Appert an opportunity of a
creating the Appert an opportunity of a
creating the Appert an opportunity of a speaking platform why I encourage and I
speaking platform why I encourage and I
speaking platform why I encourage and I inspire and I motivate individuals today
inspire and I motivate individuals today
inspire and I motivate individuals today as you think about my talk not just the
as you think about my talk not just the
as you think about my talk not just the fact that I’ve been incarcerated not the
fact that I’ve been incarcerated not the
fact that I’ve been incarcerated not the fact that I was incarcerated at 23 but I
fact that I was incarcerated at 23 but I
fact that I was incarcerated at 23 but I want you to think about these things
it’s been almost eleven years that I’ve
it’s been almost eleven years that I’ve been out of prison but about five and a
been out of prison but about five and a
been out of prison but about five and a half of those years I kept hiding
half of those years I kept hiding
half of those years I kept hiding I kept hid because I was embarrassed and
I kept hid because I was embarrassed and
I kept hid because I was embarrassed and shame I now have a voice and I know I
shame I now have a voice and I know I
shame I now have a voice and I know I now have a platform to inspire to
now have a platform to inspire to
now have a platform to inspire to encourage and to motivate but putting
encourage and to motivate but putting
encourage and to motivate but putting out the fire for me is about taking that
out the fire for me is about taking that
out the fire for me is about taking that adversity and turn it into an
adversity and turn it into an
adversity and turn it into an opportunity so I leave this with you
opportunity so I leave this with you
opportunity so I leave this with you today wherever you are in your position
today wherever you are in your position
today wherever you are in your position wherever you are in your life I want you
wherever you are in your life I want you
wherever you are in your life I want you to think about the power of second
to think about the power of second
to think about the power of second chances I want you to think about
chances I want you to think about
chances I want you to think about someone that may come up into your
someone that may come up into your
someone that may come up into your establishment for for employment I want
establishment for for employment I want
establishment for for employment I want you to think about someone who may need
you to think about someone who may need
you to think about someone who may need that second chance and I want you to
that second chance and I want you to
that second chance and I want you to reevaluate yourself and say do I have
reevaluate yourself and say do I have
reevaluate yourself and say do I have the power to put out the fire in their
the power to put out the fire in their
the power to put out the fire in their adversity
adversity
adversity you to think about the challenges that
you to think about the challenges that
you to think about the challenges that formerly incarcerated individuals have
formerly incarcerated individuals have
formerly incarcerated individuals have in the stereotype that we are given
in the stereotype that we are given
in the stereotype that we are given not every convicted felon did something
not every convicted felon did something
not every convicted felon did something horrible sometimes we made a very bad
horrible sometimes we made a very bad
horrible sometimes we made a very bad mistake so I ask that you all today as
mistake so I ask that you all today as
mistake so I ask that you all today as you listen to my story or if you are in
you listen to my story or if you are in
you listen to my story or if you are in encounter someone else who has been
encounter someone else who has been
encounter someone else who has been incarcerated to not be so quick to judge
incarcerated to not be so quick to judge
incarcerated to not be so quick to judge and ask yourself this do you have the
and ask yourself this do you have the
and ask yourself this do you have the power to help them put out the fire in
power to help them put out the fire in
power to help them put out the fire in their adversity thank you
their adversity thank you
their adversity thank you [Applause]
”
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