“Until the lion writes his own story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” The Soy Autor writing process was developed in collaboration with young people at-risk of, victims of or perpetrators of violence in El Salvador. In 2017, this innovative program launched at Cook County Jail with young men awaiting trial for violent offenses. Through the process of drafting, revising, illustrating and publishing memoirs, the Authors’ Circle develops reflection, critical thinking, camaraderie, conflict resolution and positive self-projection.
In collaboration with:
Cook County Sheriff’s Office
Fresh Paint Brian Lehnert
Fourteen years in prison. Seems like such a long me. It is! I grew up and became a man in this place. I’ll never say that the me flew by because it did not. I felt everyday, and I can’t say for sure if I did the me or the me did me. Finally on August 16, 2012. AAer a long and dreadful countdown, I was released with three years parole and the first year was going to be on house arrest.
Sono Sognatore? Am I Dreaming? With no skills and never having a real job in my life, I had to come out and search for a job. With my background and wearing a house arrest band, the odds were stacked against me.
Sono Asino? Am I a Donkey? Who’s gonna hire me and why would they?
I waited at home for 2 days. My parole officer came to the house and gave me movement to look for a job. I got Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am ll 4pm. I didn’t own a car yet or even have a driver’s license.
So I had to be on foot to scour the neighborhood. I walked for miles, going into stores and businesses, puung in applicaaons. Before that day, I’d never even used the Internet. We didn’t have Google or Jobs R Us.com. My latest fashion statement was the newest, coolest beeper.
Sono Contadino? Am I a peasant? I had a whole new world to adapt to. I got my ďŹ rst cell phone, and ďŹ gured it out real quick. Downloading apps, seeng contacts and creaang a Facebook page. Finding old friends and seeing lots of random pictures! And dreaming of my own wedding one day!
I worked hard at TRO, 40 hours per week. And apparently made a great impression because the owner called me into his office and offered to start training me to run the biggest and best machine they had, with all the overrme I wanted. He said they wanted to hire me full me directly and not through the temp service anymore. I told them about my past and they didn’t care.
I was gonna be making $10 per hour and was excited, exceeding expectaaons at this point. But I was frustrated at the condiions of this place. There was polluuon and I came home full of oil and grease everyday. So I wanted to look for something new.
My friend, Dave was a roofer and he told me he could get me a job with him. And I came in the next day for an interview. In there I met Big Joe, the owner and the boss. I immediately told him about my background and that I never roofed a day in my life.
Big Joe did not care. He said, “I made a lot of mistakes in my past and could have easily been in your situaaon several mes and that. Everyone makes mistakes.”
I instantly liked Joe.
They were starrng a huge project in two days and asked if I could start then. He said I would be on the road for a while and they would pay for my hotel, lunch, dinner, and gas. I said, “Let’s do it.” Then he asked me, “how much are you hoping to make?” In my mind $10 per hour is what I was hoping for. I said “What do you think is fair?” Sono vattima facile? Am I a pushover? Sono scacco? Am I a fool?
He said, “How about $14 an hour?” with a fishing kind of look in his eye. And in my mind, I’m thinking “Hell, yeah!” So I say, “Sure, I guess that’s fine.” We shook hands and in my mind I was ecstaac.
painters We had fun, we went out to lunch everyday. The biggest and only argument of the day would be where we were going to eat today. We were eďŹƒcient at work and I learned more than I could have ever imagined. I loved coming to work and quickly absorbed a mountain of informaaon.
It wasn’t long before other companies started calling trying to recruit me. I loved working with Steve, but staying there, I was always third best. Sono regazzo? Am I a child? I needed to be in charge, I needed to be the man, I needed to be a boss.
So I lee there and went to MVP painnng, and was a foreman, making $20 an hour and running my own crew. I was a smooth and eďŹƒcient boss. I met my deadlines and trained my guys the right way, and how I wanted it to be done.
But as I learned more about the business, I needed more responsibility. In my mind, But as I learned more about the business, I needed more responsibility. In my mind, I had succeeded, and had a great job. But I was making the big bosses all the money can hire my friends and put food on their tables for them and their families. Sono
monifico? Am I generous?
When she was born, I was in the hospital and I cried like a baby when she came out. She was perfectly healthy and when I held her, she looked directly in my eyes and from that day forward I understood the meaning of uncondiional love. Io sono
padre. I am a father.
In order to succeed in this business, I needed to know everything about it. Un pezzo
grosso! A big shot! I started learning how to bid and price jobs.
I went to Office Depot and bought invoices, proposals and receipts; a briefcase, clipboard, and fancy pens to look professional. I bought magneec signs for my car with my company name on it. I was puung ads on Craigslist. I would study Youtube videos, learning everything about different paints: semi-gloss, flat, eggshell and maae.
I also started aaending classes on real estate. And went to a real estate boot camp. Soon I was meeeng millionaire investors and contractors. I set up an S-corp and named my company Quality Remodeling Enterprises. I set up a federal EIN number with the IRS for tax purposes. And a business account with my bank. I purchased a million dollar liability insurance policy.
And did all that for about $1,500. Now I owned my own company and was my own boss. Ma non sono lombrico! I am a businessman!
By starrng my own small business, it put me in higher demand with the companies I used to work at and as a non-union painter at $25 per hour, its top pay.
As great as I made all this sound, it wasn’t always so. At the tender young age of 13, wandered down the wrong path, and got into gangs. My brain wasn’t developed enough to know right from wrong, and I started using drugs and alcohol.
By 18, I was kicked out, living on the streets, homeless for almost six months. I was partying and geeng into trouble. Then all it took was 10 seconds to make the biggest mistake. I paid for it with 14 years of my life.
But I didn’t waste my me in the joint. I went to school and got three vocaaonal cerrficates, including culinary arts. And then worked hard for my associate’s degree and other various programming.
I ssll felt nervous and scared about my future, never expeccng to get anywhere or make over $10/hour. SO I had to go out and make the sky my limit. I did very well, too. Because I wanted it!
As you can see, I am wriing this from Cook County Jail. So something went wrong. Don’t fret, this will be explained in my future autobiography. So stay tuned (LOL).
I am from spaghetti and meatballs from Ramen noodles and Doritos. I am from the Midwest,
heat waves, cold freezes, and the Windy City.
I am from a hemp plant and can be turned into many things. I am from family cookouts and BBQs, from Aeriella and Chase. I’m from the trips to Great America and water parks. From “Don’t wet your bed” and “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” I’m from gold crosses and Figaro Chains, From Chicago and Sicily, pizza, Italian beef, and lasagna. From: I quit school at 16, now have an Associates degree. From Walmart shopping, Facebook pages and boxes
in the storage rooms with important family values.