Change is never easy. For many of the 600,000 justice-impacted Americans who leave jail and prison every year, the mountain of past mistakes, broken dreams, and lost opportunities can feel impossible to scale; each step up is a reminder of our failures until we reach the top.
Nevertheless, to see the heavenly vista of new life on the other side, one must transform oneself into a polished version of who they used to be, and Cindy’s story proves that this transformation is not just possible, but it can also be triumphant.
Cindy, 34, grew up in San Fernando, California, as the daughter of a single mom raising three children. In high school, she dreamed of becoming an actress who could sing and dance. But those dreams were derailed when she began experimenting with substances as a teenager. By 17, she was following the wrong crowd and soon after became pregnant.
“I had a lot of jobs around when my son was a toddler, but I could never keep one for long,” says Cindy. She admits she was making mistakes back then that got in the way of keeping steady work.
She continued to take risks until at 25, the young mother was sentenced to prison and taken into custody, where Cindy would remain for almost a decade. Inside, she fell into old patterns, trying to numb her feelings and survive a harsh world.
“That was a really low point for me in my life because I was acting out of fear and loneliness and regret,” Cindy says. “But I decided to put my old ways aside and be better for my children. I enrolled in college courses at the prison and signed up for a 14-month reentry program in San Diego.”
After she was released and moved into the transition house, Cindy had a hard time finding a job because of her criminal background. She enrolled in community college, worked on her recovery, and stayed optimistic despite the roadblocks.
One year later and still struggling to find a quality job, Cindy was referred by a friend to the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) in Los Angeles, the nation’s largest employment program dedicated to justice‑impacted individuals. Cindy joined the transitional work crew, maintaining highways for four months while meeting regularly with a job coach.
“CEO saw potential in me and had faith in my abilities before I did, honestly,” says Cindy. “My career goal is to be an addiction counselor and psychologist, but I needed to learn some skills before I finished my degree. I needed some real-world, on-the-job training.”
So Cindy applied for a position in CEO’s Emerging Leadership Program (ELP), shadowing case managers, volunteering for office work, and gaining hands-on experience in administration. This was a turning point for Cindy, who earned her position through hard work and began to build the confidence, resources, and vision she needed for her future.
About the same time, Cindy was working with her job coach to find a position in the recovery field – she was hired immediately as a facilitator at a residential substance treatment center.
“As much as I was learning in the ELP program, I had to leave with only two weeks left until graduation,” Cindy says. “Everyone knows that’s the goal – to find a stable, quality job.”
Shortly after being hired, CEO covered the expense for Cindy to earn a certification as a Registered Alcohol and Drug Technician (RADT). They provided her with professional work clothes and even helped her secure housing. Cindy began receiving retention checks for maintaining stable employment, and started therapy at CEO’s Los Angeles site.
Cindy says that it feels like a new beginning for her life. “I recommend CEO to people because they gave me the spark I needed, and with all of the resources they have, I think it's a really great organization."
Cindy is now continuing her education in psychology and addiction counseling and working to gain the required hours needed to take a state exam in her field.
“My motivation to become a counselor comes from lived experience, and I want to give back to the community that I took from. I want to be a part of that change.”
Cindy’s story shows that people can change with the proper support. After years of struggle, she has finally morphed into the best version of herself. At the heart of this success, right next to her determination, is the belief, structure, and opportunity she found at CEO.
“With the right help, someone coming home from prison really can be a success story…I’m living proof, and it feels good,” Cindy says.
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