I’m a 34-year-old Atlantan currently living in Lawrenceville, GA. I was recently released from prison in December 2020, the best thing that happened in 2020. I have been part of Common Good Atlanta for 8 years and counting. In those years, I’ve learned to enjoy reading and writing. It’s hard to get a Math wiz to like reading and writing, but the influences from Common Good Atlanta can do that. The program helped me publish a book chapter and an upcoming article.

I spent fourteen years in Georgia prisons before venturing into the “free-world” in the middle of 2020. During my incarceration, I was a student in two programs that dramatically changed my life for the better. The first is Common Good Atlanta, a college-in-prison program. Among many other things, this program aided me in walking out of the proverbial Plato’s Cave. I also obtained three publishing credits while attending this program, including a peer-review journal where I argued for higher education in prison. The second program is Hello World, one of the few programs in the United States that teach technology, such as computer programming, to incarcerated individuals. As a result of this class, I’m a freelance software developer working from home.

I'm originally from Toronto, Ontario, but have lived in Georgia for most of my life. I work in the field of health and nutrition and I love running and being active in general. I also really enjoy preparing healthy meals, writing, singing, and spending time with my family and close friends. I work closely with Common Good Atlanta in many ways including as a board member, alumni, and on other special projects, as well as a monthly running and cycling club we have recently started. I look forward to continuing in my growth as a writer and finding joy in new ventures and passions as they are presented to me.