30 Days of Reflection: Day 11 (The Power of Second Chances)

Life is the act of juggling balls, some rubber and some glass. When things get overwhelming, you *will* drop balls. The goal is to keep the glass ones, the most precious ones, in the air. — Inspired by wisdom from a mentor, as told to me by Mychal Pagan

For the past two years, nearly every Monday morning I would wake up at 3:30am and leave the house by 4am so I could make a 4:30am AMTRAK train headed from DC to New York. A hotel room or Airbnb somewhere in Manhattan would become my home base for the next 3 nights and 4 days until it was time to make the trip back.

When people would comment on the distance of my commute, I would say that the trip was worth it, not to mention that it was less time than I’d be commuting weekly if I was back in the Bay Area. This was the commute I happily endured to have the privilege of leading the work at Second Chance Studios (SCS) — a digital media company that helped folks who were formerly incarcerated launch media careers like podcasting or video production.

As my time with the organization has drawn to a close as we wind down operations, I have had a lot of time to reflect on how grateful I am to have had this opportunity. You see, through a 6-month full-time, paid fellowship, we taught the SCS Fellows a range of technical, soft, professional, and life skills. However, what I received was much more than the knowledge I shared.

There were numerous instances where I found myself deeply moved, often to tears, by the shared experiences and profound connections I formed with the team. Working closely with individuals, some of whom had been wrongfully convicted and endured over two decades behind bars, I witnessed a remarkable level of resilience. I also had the privilege of connecting with individuals who, despite facing the daily struggle of providing for their children with the burden of the entire system against them, refused to succumb to despair. They taught me the indispensable lesson that it is far easier to give up than to embrace the possibilities and persistently forge ahead, day after day. These encounters truly illuminated the depths of human optimism. As a bonus, I also learned invaluable skills in navigating the vibrant and bustling city of New York.

While it was exceptionally difficult to serve in this role while I was balancing the MBA designed for working professionals, I believe, like everything else, the timing was no accident. On my hardest days, I felt that it was the Fellows who were keeping me going versus the other way around. One of the examples that I think about often is the time during one of our weekly 1:1 check-ins when I asked @Mychal, who was also attending university while working with us full time, how he was doing with balancing everything and he shared some wisdom that his mentor had shared with him. That is: Life is the act of juggling balls, some rubber and some glass. When things get overwhelming, you *will* drop balls. The goal is to keep the glass ones — the most precious ones — in the air.

Sometimes we, or the people we work with or love, drop the ball. But the fact is that we are all human. However, if given a second chance, we can pick the ball back up again. And when we drop glass balls and they shatter, the work is in the repair. Nevertheless, it is possible.

Most importantly, I am filled with gratitude for all those who made the program possible — Sandra , Anna Low-Beer , Ann Claudette P. , David Gaskin , Doris Schwartz , James Severe , Minerva "Mimi" Coffie , Khalil Parham , Jamil Aziz , Damion Coppedge , Kifana Longdon-Gordon , Kayla Watson , Bryan Simmons , Jane Hensley , Robert Rose , Mario F. Wright , Joey , Malcolm Scott , Mychal Pagan , Adrian A. Greaves , Miles Carter , @Greatness, and many more.

Special shoutouts to: Coss Marte for being a huge inspiration; Sandra for taking a big leap of faith with me; Anna Low-Beer for being my right hand ride-or-die; and David Gaskin for being overwhelmingly empathetic, as well as the best storyteller to EVER do it! Ann Claudette P. for your nonstop creativity and problem-solving; Alfred Johnson for being an invaluable sounding board; Doris Schwartz for your kindness, insight, and professionalism; Minerva "Mimi" Coffie for always having my back; Kayla Watson for your humility and grace; Bryan Simmons for always stepping up; Mario F. Wright for holding the heart of the group; Mychal Pagan for your wisdom and thoughtfulness; and Adrian A. Greaves for being a true servant leader. All of you are part of one of the most accomplished groups of people I have ever had the privilege of working with — multiple degree holders, award-winning filmmakers, seasoned researchers, content creators, credible messengers, and published authors — may you continue to shatter people’s preconceived notions. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a small part of your journey.

It would be no exaggeration to say our time together has changed my life.

See full CBS News New York feature here .