Me at the Prison Entrepreneurship Program Graduation this past Saturday. 

We all deserve second chances. Our creator gives us that (no matter who you believe the creator to be),  and I choose to invest my time outside of work wisely as a result of this belief. As a small business owner (and more so as a human being), I have had second chances.  Thus,I have a desire and a commitment to our community  to try and give back some of what I have been blessed with. In order to be everything I know I can become, I make it my goal to act as a catalyst for change in my community I must be willing to :

1)      Stand for something

2)      Speak up for others (especially those in need)

3)      Believe in and show my support of those willing to do what’s needed to change their circumstances

4)      Put my money and my time where my mouth is.. if I’m willing to talk about it- am I willing to give my time and money to fixing it!

I’m telling you all of this because I went to prison this past weekend. Ok, I went as part of PEP or the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. You can read more about it here, http://iwasinprison.com/ or by watching the video below.

The men I have encountered in this program over the last 4 years I have been involved, have exceeded my every expectation. Their tenacity, honesty, perseverance to overcome, and pure motivation to change is nothing less than filling my tanks up with jet fuel. I leave prison with the engine roaring and I’m ready to come back to my civilian life and push myself to be a better person!

To learn more about this one of a kind Prison Program, that’s not only breaking barriers, but breaking recidivism records and breaking bad lifestyle cycles click here www.pep.org

If you can, I highly suggest becoming involved with this program. It is rewarding and you are truly helping to change someone’s life.

Britanie Olvera