Rufus knows what it's like to need a second chance. He grew up in New York with one brother and his parents, who separated when he was 12. His father moved out of state and they kept in touch only sporadically. He started dealing drugs at the age of 19, which resulted in several periods of incarceration. Rufus continued dealing when he moved to Baltimore at age 26. In 1999, life on the streets caught up with him and, with his previous record, he was sent to prison for 27 years.
While at Maryland's Eastern Correctional Institution, Rufus started participating in programs. He was especially impacted during Narcotics Anonymous meetings by the stories of users whose lives were damaged by the drugs that he had been selling. "It hit a button and I knew I had to change."
He was released from prison early for good behavior and went to live at a transitional residence for reentering citizens. He started working with Living Classrooms initially. Rufus joined Second Chance's workforce development program in September 2014 and is currently receiving on-the-job training from the merchandising team in the warehouse store. "I love what I'm learning right now. I didn't know anything about merchandising before, but I really enjoy what I'm doing."
Rufus takes a quick break from his retail duties to share a smile.
Although his father has passed away, Rufus still has his mother and refers to her as his best friend. "I should have listened to my mother. She was always telling me, 'Stay in school and get your education. The rest of it - girls, partying - will still be there. Women will like you better if you do the 9-to-5. You won't be doing drugs or going to jail or getting killed.'" Rufus has two children, a girl and a boy, with whom he stays in close contact. "My kids are doing things the right way."
Rufus says that prison forced him to reflect on his life and make positive changes. "In prison, you've got nothing but time to think about what you did and what you should have done." He appreciates the second chance that he now has here at Second Chance. On this Giving Tuesday, we are all grateful for your support of the programs we offer that create real change in people's lives!
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