Habakkuk along with his daughter, Aaliyah, and her mom, Antnoisha McMillan, at her center college commencement. | Supplied Picture
It’s been one month since I walked out of jail.
I haven’t but misplaced my drive to get issues performed. Earlier than I left, I created a blueprint to observe that consisted of: Budgets, requirements that I needed to maintain and reminders of issues and other people to steer clear of.
All this, so my thoughts wouldn’t be in every single place or pressured.
This blueprint helped me stroll step-by-step into what I needed to get performed.
As soon as my family and friends knew that I used to be residence, they got here from throughout simply to see me. The phrase was solely given to a choose few. There was hugs, cries and smiles.
I’m actually grateful to see my family members and be round those that caught by me whereas I used to be away. I actually didn’t inform nobody I used to be out or publish on social media; I needed a easy transition and never too many distractions.
My first week residence was devoted to tackling my requirements: Getting my New York State ID; adjusting my baby assist, so I can get my driver’s license again so as, and acquiring medical insurance to guarantee and stop surprising well being points.
In jail, I discovered restricted healthcare supplied in addition to heath training choices; so staying on prime of these issues are as much as the person.
I additionally went purchasing for garments and footwear with the assistance of family and friends. A assist group is way wanted particularly after doing 10 years.
Habakkuk Nickens. Picture by Mike Greenlar
Moreover, I had saved up some cash to melt the reintegrating course of.
By my second week, I used to be on the hunt for jobs.
I utilized to 10 jobs and networked with mates to see who may plug me in to their job. Positive sufficient, I discovered two job choices.
I began working my second week out.
One job offers with prison justice reforms, and the opposite job is manufacturing facility sort work at a neighborhood bakery.
The hours had been excellent, and the pay was OK. However by mid-June, I used to be promoted to supervisor.
My commentary is that native jobs are searching for folks at an all-time excessive, so getting a job today wasn’t an issue for an ex-offender.
Actually, I even acquired extra job choices since accepting my present roles. I got here residence on the proper time.
By week three, I used to be on the brink of send-off my 14-year-old daughter Aaliyah to her semi formal and commencement.
By week 4, Arihanna, my 17-year-old, had her promenade.
Making it residence to see all of this was nothing however a blessing. This might solely be God’s plan for me to see.
That is the newest entry in a sequence of columns initially revealed in The Stand concerning the journey residence for returning citizen Habakkuk Nickens, who was sentenced to twenty years in federal jail on racketeering expenses. His time was reduce brief because of a compassionate launch movement and the First Step Act, which reduces prisoners’ time primarily based on participation in recidivism packages. His earlier column will be accessed right here.
