Meet Lamar from Bronx, NY

He said, “Growing up in New York City is a pretty fast paced life. Because of that, my soul is still pretty fast paced. I have six siblings. I’m a middle child. I had a good childhood and loving parents. My mother is one of the strongest women I know. She has the fortitude and strength of steel. She’s incredible. My father is a determined, passionate, hard-working, family, man. He loves sports and so do I. I, unintentionally, picked up the trait of screaming at the television during sports broadcasts from him. I love the Yankees! How can I not? I grew up right next to the stadium.” Lamar is passionate about giving back to the community and making a difference in people’s lives. He works at a prison as a liaison for inmates who are transitioning from incarceration back into society. He said, “When I was young, I didn’t love myself. I didn’t believe in myself. I didn’t feel as though I had value or purpose. I never felt like I was enough. Because of that, I made some very poor decisions. The hardest thing that I’ve ever been through in my life is 21 years of consecutive incarceration. I’m 44 years old. I spent those 21 years gaining an understanding of my intrinsic value in the world and understanding how I can incorporate myself into society and the rest of the world with value. That’s even harder to do when you’re incarcerated and the odds are stacked against you. One habit that I have incorporated into my every day life since I was released from incarceration is that I am determined not to let my mind go into a negative mindset. I use meditation and affirmations to keep my mind in a positive place. I also understand that my freedom is something that should not be taken for granted. I live a life of gratitude. Not one moment of my life and freedom is taken for granted.” Since being released from incarceration, Lamar is passionate about using his story to hopefully encourage those that may feel as though they are unseen, not valued, or have no purpose and may be heading down a path that will change the trajectory of their life permanently. He is a public speaker and has given lectures at Yale University, on Broadway in New York City, and at local events within the Capital Region. The one thing he wants to tell the world is, “Operate from a position of caring for yourselves and for one another. Act as if what you do makes a difference- because it does.” Thank you, Lamar, for visiting and bravely sharing your compelling story.