Honestly, growing up, I didn’t feel, I guess, like everybody else, I kind of always felt like I was the kid that was behind. English wasn’t my first language. So it was, I guess it was difficult, a little bit, towards the really early stages of elementary but I picked up pretty quick on my English. I kind of was the kid that was left behind at recess to finish catching up on stuff.

My first year I went to college somewhere else in Northwest Indiana, and over there kind of just felt like there wasn’t a lot of engagement on campus and things like that. And I wasn’t happy with my life. And I wanted to change not just my life, but other people’s lives. I think I had enough ambition, passion in me to do something so much bigger than what I could have done back there.

I came to IU Indy, and I was ready to start my own org, but I was so scared, and I joined another organization, but ultimately I ended up leaving and having to create this one. So I would say that’s my biggest accomplishment for sure, and the thing that I’m the most proud of, not only like as someone that’s like facilitating and, you know, leading all the events and just putting them together and organizing, it’s kind of hard to see the impact you truly make on a community. But sometimes when I see people come up to me at events or just in general, to tell me how excited they are for the next event, or how much they like what I do, it’s like, it feels really good.

What would you say to your younger self if she could see you now, about to graduate from college?

I would say, don’t feel hopeless. I think a lot of times I felt not good enough, and I felt very hopeless because I looked at all the other kids that were, you know, playing outside during recess, and I was sitting here inside finishing my little quizzes or trying to gather all the points for reading and stuff. So I would say, don’t lose hope.

I would tell that younger version of me, like see that, like you made it, like you believed in yourself, and you made it even though other people didn’t believe in you, but also that life is not gonna look like this forever. It’s not gonna feel like you’re left out forever. You can create spaces where other people don’t have to feel that way.

As a kid growing up, my mom was adamant on us going to school, getting a college degree. It was kind of like we were forced to go to school.

When I was young, at first, I liked going to school, but then we got older, and in teenage years, it was like, ‘OK, I don’t like this,’ because it wasn’t like the topics that I liked to learn about.

But it wasn’t ‘til I probably got in my mid-20s that I said, ‘OK, well, maybe I need to try something different.’ So I went for my associates in business management and I liked it. And then I got incarcerated and started the WCP Program, and I really liked it, and I found that I was good at school.

I felt like I was ready for it this time, and I was much older, and I was more mature, and I felt that I was ready to actually commit to it.

It’s had its challenges because, like normal class settings, you have more access to a teacher, and, like, if you have questions or stuff like that, we only could talk to the teachers, like once a week, or whenever we had study hall. We kind of like, use our peers that are on the units with us to talk amongst each other if we need help. I kind of did my own, like, private studies, or have my family send books in to learn more if I needed, like, extra help.

I’m interested in, like, African American Studies and the history of slavery and stuff like that.

Before, I never thought that I would go back to college or do any of that. But I decided to, and I stuck with it and I went all the way through.

I’ve changed a lot. Like I went from wild, I didn’t want to listen to people and I wanted to do things my way, (to) being able to take constructive criticism and being guided the right way. And I’ve matured a lot. I don’t think the same anymore. I don’t act the same anymore. I’m more committed to a better life.

Before the graduations, I didn’t take it as seriously because it didn’t mean anything to me. It was just something that I was made to do, that I had to do, versus this is something that I want to do, and it is all part of a vision that I have.

I have a background in IT, but when you coming from a different place, you a little bit older, and you don’t have a lot of time to put it in, to go up in a ladder, it’s rough for you to stay in the field, which happened to me.

I’m someone that likes to learn and put my hands on, understand how things work. So being in HVAC and have good perspective and understanding and reading about it made me enjoy more every day (what I) was doing.

It was hard because of the schedule. My wife works as well, so for us to fit our schedule together was rough in our family, because I have to go to work in the morning, mid-afternoon, and after that, go straight to class.

But I have to give grace to my wife because she keep it together for the sake of our family. I was able to do that because she was willing to do the sacrifice.

When I start something, I’ll finish. I have a mindset that if you willing to start something, I will make a contract with myself, that I’m going (to do) this to the end, I’m going to finish that, because I was willing to start it.

Starting a new profession is a way to make it up, not just for myself, but for my family (to) try and make a better living, have a better lifestyle, something better for us. So that was my line of thought — I’m not doing this just for me. I’m doing (it) for my family. So there’s no way I’m going to stop.

I was willing to start something new, start a new profession at 38 years old, because I know a lot of people won’t do that because of pride, because they don’t want to put (in) the effort, because of many other reasons. But when (you) start something from scratch later in life, it’s hard and something that I’m proud of.

I think like a lot of my peers, (I’m) ready to just be done with high school. I’m so ready to move on. But I also am realizing that, like, “Hey, I’m not gonna get this back.” So I should probably enjoy what I have right now and enjoy the present, and especially my friends and hanging out with them.

I’m thinking I’m gonna be so ready to be in the next moments of my life, I feel like, because it’s gonna be fresh faces, new environment, gonna figure out life on my own — not necessarily on my own, but like, out of the house, doing my own thing.

What are you most looking forward to?

Like in general?

About college.

I think the freedom, I think. And making, definitely making new friends, meeting new people, I’m very extroverted when it comes to meeting new people. So I love doing it.

What am I most proud of? I think getting this far because I’ve done a lot in my past four years, 12 years, 13 years. I think actually getting through it and sticking with it is what I’m proud of.

Do whatever you want. Don’t worry about what everybody else thinks. I feel like, because I really regret not getting into track earlier than I did, because I joined my junior year. And then I thought to myself, I really wish I started running earlier, because my little brother — oh my gosh, I’m so proud of him. He recently just broke 2:06 in the 800 (meters). I was frustrated at first, because I had just broken 2:11 that same meet. And I was like, OK.

But definitely do whatever. Do whatever you want, and don’t worry about what everybody else has got going on.

So, when I was growing up, I liked school. I made good grades.

I wouldn’t say I neglected my education, but just, I made alternative decisions that didn’t put my education first.

When I went to prison, I think it took for my mother to tell me, “Hey, (Tichina), I still have your brothers out here. I’m still living, the world’s still spinning,” and I think that’s when reality clicked in for me.

What would you tell your younger self, or even yourself like, 10 years ago?

Tichina, life is gonna life. You’re going to have problems. You’re going to have ups and downs, but as long as you keep God first, you’ll see yourself to the other side. You’re just that little girl from 42nd and Post that has a bright future, and it’s just ahead of you. You’re just a reach away. So keep grabbing, keep grabbing, and I’m so proud of you.

So I think now looking back on it, if I could show everyone from the judge to the lawyers to the prosecutors to the COs to even my old bunkies, the people sitting in there, like if I could do it and keep working at it, anyone can do it.

It’s like, how do you rehabilitate and show the world that people change? So that’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last 20 years, not only prove to the world, but mostly prove to myself that I’m changed, I’m rehabilitated, that I could sustain being in society and have everything that everyone else has without that stipulation.

So whether I further my education or this is the last of it, I just know that I got a step closer to a goal that I never thought that I would have reached as a convicted felon, as a person with stipulations, so like, now that I no longer have those barriers, I feel like I can do anything.