Having an Impact & Keeping Hope Alive

GREETINGS TO ALL.I HAVE BEEN TOLD I WAS LATE ON SPEAKING TO YOU ALL. I JUST GOT LAZY IN MY FRUSTRATION. SORRY. BUT HERE I AM NOW. I HAVE BEEN LAZY IN WRITING BUT NOT IN DEEDS. I ENJOY ONE ASPECT OF THIS PLACE,AND THAT'S MY MENTORING. 

IF NOTHING ELSE THE LITTLE DUDES ARE STARTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MR.T HAS SOMETHING TO GIVE. THEY STILL WANT TO GET OUT FOR THEIR DAILY WIGGLE, GET ON THE PHONE TO USE JPAY, JUST BE OUT OF THE CELL, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IN CLASS THEY ARE STARTING TO LISTEN. 

I GOT MY FIRST THANK YOU LETTER AND IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES. WISH I COULD SHARE THE ENTIRE LETTER, BUT IT BASICALLY THANKED ME FOR ALL I HAVE GIVEN AND SHOWN HIM, AND THAT HE WISH HE HAD HAD SOMEONE OUT THERE WITH HIM LIKE ME AND MAYBE HE WOULDN'T BE HERE NOW. REALLY TOUCHED MY HEART BECAUSE I KNOW HE WAS FOR REAL AND IT CAME FROM HIS HEART. NOW HE IS OFF TO DO 11 YEARS, WITH AN IDEA HOW TO SURVIVE IT. HIS FIRST TIME IN PRISON. MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT I HAVE CHOSEN TO DO. 

I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT THERE AND WORK WITH THE KIDS BEFORE THEY GET TOSSED AWAY...THAT'S MY SOLE PURPOSE. TO DO AS MUCH AS I CAN TO STOP THIS CYCLE BEFORE THEY GET TO THE SYSTEM. SHOW THEM THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID TO LIVE LIFE, TO DO IT DIFFERENT THAN EXPECTED, TO GO SLOW.

SO WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO? I'VE STARTED A NEW CLASS STRUCTURED AROUND ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, RACE AND MODERN AMERICAN HISTORY. A FIFTEEN WEEK COURSE THAT WE ARE DOING WITH 17 STUDENTS FROM CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY ABOUT THE IMPACT OF RACE IN DETERMINING WHO IS CAUGHT UP IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE IMPACT OF RACE,CLASS AND EDUCATION IS WHAT THE CLASS IS CALLED. THE STUDENTS CAME HERE THIS WEEKEND, BUT MAINLY IT WILL BE DONE BY TELECONFERENCE. PRETTY GOOD CLASS. I HAVE ALSO COMPLETED MY SUCCESS COACHING AND MENTORING COURSE. THE BIGGEST THING OF ALL THOUGH IS I HAVE COMPLETED MY PARALEGAL COURSE, AND AM NOW WAITING ON MY GRADE AND MY CERTIFICATE THAT WILL MAKE ME A CERTIFIED PARALEGAL. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AS MY PLAN IS TO LEND MY SERVICES TO THE GUYS I LEFT BACK ON DEATH ROW. 

BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST, STILL WAITING TO GET HOME. HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE IN FRONT OF THE PAROLE BOARD THIS MONTH. STILL UP TO OUR GOVERNOR TO GIVE ME MY FREEDOM, BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL, AND I TRUDGE ON. WOULD LOVE TO BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. SO YES I'M STAYING BUSY AND STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE.

ONE GOOD THING HAPPENED, I NOW HAVE MY CELL BY MYSELF. DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST, BUT FOR NOW I'LL ENJOY IT...I TRUST ALL OF YOU ARE WELL, AND I WON'T TAKE SO LONG WITH MY NEXT TOUCH.

BLESSINGS TO EVERYONE,HUGS...ARTHUR...