It's Not Mandatory We Go To Prison


It's Not Mandatory We Go To Prison 

Chris Sain Jr. Educator, Speaker, Author on his  "Its Not Mandatory We Go To Prison Tour"
There are almost 2.1 million people in prison. Approximately 40% are African American Males. One in every three black males born today can expect to go to prison at some point in their life. America ridicules, persecutes and criticizes the black child but never discusses what it has done to the black father. Mass media ideas, dramatically reinforce some of the most negative conceptions of black & brown ppl. Those perceptions also drive policy. 
This is why I do what I do!

Its Okay To Be Great

We all make mistakes. No one on this earth is perfect and like many people I know, I to have had my fair share of not-so-good-moments. But, the goal in life is to not let our past mistakes dictate our future.The reality I share with low income, poverty stricken youth growing up in inner-cities around the country is; Don't let the fact that, just because everybody in your family went to prison, mean you have to go as well. There is no need for you to be out here taking penitentiary chances." I affirm them by letting them know, "its okay to be great. Its okay to be more than what society expected and predicted about you." ~ Choose to be great!!!


As a critical and analytical thinker, when I look at the education data, prison data and national statistics on African American males, 12-25 years of age in particular, the information I see suggest two things to me:

1. African American males, are statistical leaders in every category of failure.

2. African American males are only good at going to prison.

Many people are afraid to go into the places I go, to talk with the individuals the world as given up on. But I actually enjoy spending time with them, letting them know its still people out here that believe in them. Their perseverance and resilience is refreshing.

Two of the many things I share with those on "vacation" is:

1. Believe in yourself or nobody else will.

2. God does not care about a Ph.d or Felony.

Although numbers don't lie, the numbers don't tell the whole story. However, the cold-hard-truth which is what I share with young people is often times difficult to hear and accept, but must be shared with our young men so that they know and so that they can decide to do something about it. 

It is important to understand that young people can't aspire for greatness if they have never been told about their greatness. It is this "truth" that I take with me when I travel to various correctional facilities, urban communities, low income neighborhoods and underperforming public k12's.

Related: Dead or in Jail by 25

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