Estes Summer 2025 Weekly Journals

Monday                                                                                                June 9, 2025

Today in PEP, we continued our journey with Toastmasters Project #10 from our Competent Communication Manual. Several of our brothers have had amazing, inspirational and moving speeches. We have heard about multiple religions and faiths, personal endeavors, struggles and perseverance – so many different walks of life under one roof. All our brothers have opened their hearts and shared their lives and thoughts in ways that none of us would have considered ourselves capable of before becoming part of this brotherhood we have found here in PEP, where we “live between the wings.”

We have all come a very, very long way from where we started our journey. Some of these men struggled just to get up in front of the class. The overwhelming nervousness can be daunting to face, let alone to overcome or direct its power. We can use this same power now to place emphasis and emotion much more constructively in our delivery, to bring life and meaning to the message we want to convey. We all work hard to use proper grammar and improve our vocabulary through the books we read, honing our abilities to be more professional speakers.

One of our 10 Driving Values is Excellence: “We seek to work with and learn from the best of the best.” Between the volunteers, executives and our brothers in arms, we have plenty of very smart and capable minds to learn from. There is always someone who knows something you don’t, so never close your mind to learning more and improving your speaking abilities.

Hopefully this offers some insight into the amazing things we are learning in PEP and what it means to live between the wings.

Matthew A. (aka “Velma”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               June 10, 2025

We woke up ready for the day. Some read the Word in their Bible while others conversed over coffee. We waited to be called for class in the gym, due to the PEP room being remodeled. As we gathered in the gym and got ready for class, we started with our daily routine of praying in.

The first half of class was Toastmasters. Alongside those who gave their speeches, our PEP brothers were selected for various roles before we sat down to listen to the speeches. Juvenal G. (aka “Garfield”) spoke about the importance of family. We heard how sometimes we put work over family and how we lost that family for lack of attention. We listened to his message and were inspired to make family a priority. Next was Benjamin T. (aka “Mini Me”), and he spoke and elaborated on PEP’s 10 Driving Values and how we can apply each one in our lives. The speech was so inspiring and challenged us to use the 10 Driving Values in our futures.

During the second half of class, we had BetterMan. Today’s topic was about how to be a godly father to our children. We need to bless our children, give them words of encouragement and pay attention to their different personalities. We spoke about how to lead with love. These classes make all of us reflect on our past mistakes as fathers as we gain knowledge and wisdom so that we can lead our families.

 Jaime B. (aka “The Map from Dora the Explorer”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          June 11, 2025

We started our day at 7 a.m., when a couple of PEP brothers got together in our dorm. We discussed three chapters that we will be tested on out of our True North book. After that, we briefly quizzed each other on a “names test” that we have coming up, followed by circling up and praying out.

We were called to class around 8 a.m. to continue working on Project #10 from our Competent Communication Manual in the gym. We started class with our pray-in before doing a quick run through of the graduation walk and seating before diving into our speeches. Patrick V. was the first one to speak, and his topic was about vision. He did a great job! Next up was Quan S., who spoke about setting a good example, coaching our next class to better themselves and for us to be good Servant-Leaders. Desmond B. was our third speaker, and his speech was about innovation. Our final speaker this morning was Matthew A., who spoke about prioritizing life and work.

For our second half of class, we had Clubhouse with executives Jim H., Cindy V. and Scott S. Today’s topic was about fitting in and belonging. It was a great Clubhouse topic, and we left with more knowledge and felt more confident than we did when we went in. All in all, it was a great day at PEP; thank you for this opportunity.

Jeremy B. (aka “Tom Hanks from Castaway”)

 

Thursday                                                                                              June 12, 2025

Today was a short, compact day in PEP. The current class was standing by for class to begin, which is anywhere from 7:30-8:00 a.m. We were notified by Adam W. that morning class was suspended and that we would pick up this afternoon in the newly painted gymnasium. Many of us have been able to get a short glimpse of the newly painted and renovated classroom on our way to the chow hall. Many of us are anxious to return to the classroom because it has become like a second home to us. In K-Pod, we decided to practice our Business Plan Competition (BPC) pitches. After the practice, we got our signature pages signed off for the day, which is utilized to hold each other accountable because in PEP, we seek excellence.

After lunch for the second half of the day, we all met up in the gymnasium for class. We took the “names test” today to verify that we have learned everyone’s name. Everyone seemed very confident, since we have all gotten to know each other so well.

Next, we arranged the chairs to host Toastmasters Project #10, the final project from our Competent Communication Manual. The time allowed for this speech is eight to 10 minutes, and we were able to complete four people’s speeches today before we ran out of time. The speaking capabilities of this class have improved tremendously. One of our emcees had a volunteer lead us in prayer. We then prayed out for the conclusion of our day.

Jason B. (aka “Shaggy”)

 

Friday                                                                                                    June 13, 2025

There’s never a day in PEP that isn’t exciting! We started off the day with a devotional, which is usually led by Adam W. The difference today was that we led the devotional by splitting into groups and each getting to speak on our topic. All week long we have been finishing our Toastmaster speeches, and by speaking of Friday morning at devotional, we got the opportunity to show the culmination of our combined speaking abilities powered by the Holy Spirit.

We had the second half of the day off, so for us, the weekend came early, giving us a chance to have downtime to unwind before what we all know will be a hectic week of preparation for our class to see their families and loved ones at graduation. There is so much excitement in the air, it’s hard to contain our love and gratitude. Back at the dorms, we’re assimilating new brothers into the program as they arrive for the next class. It’s exciting to have new faces who we can teach and lead, as our class finally receives the chance to step up and into Servant-Leader roles of responsibility.

We realize that the class may be ending, but the program is just starting for us. The best part is acquiring a position in the program that will allow us to truly grow as men and leaders in preparation for starting and owning a business with many people and moving parts. The best part of today was going to recreation and the “church of iron,” where we study the “swolley” commandments: thou shalt push and then rest; thou shalt split muscle groups between chest and back, shoulders and arms, and thighs and calves; thou shalt ingest protein and amino acids; and last (and scariest) of all, thou shalt observe leg day and not complain.

On a serious note, we love to work on ourselves in every way here in PEP and our dedication shows, because there is always more PEP brothers on the recreation yard than anybody else. That shows the drive we have here that will continue to carry us forward in the struggles of this life. Here in PEP, we believe the challenge is what makes the success worthwhile and the growth in the individual worth congratulating them on, because every one of us has come so very far.

 

Elijah B. (aka “Lloyd Christmas”)

 

Expressions                                                                                                                                   

“Everybody who desires success should realize that the seeds of success are sown by your side.”

– J.D. Rockefeller

There was no class today, so we all just hung out together in the dorm. We do enjoy any time we get off to catch up on books, art projects, exercise or writing projects. We have to get five signatures a day for our Big Idea Pitches five times a day from five different people, so we got that done. Then we had a pitch panel which is basically when we come together and recite our pitches in front of the whole dorm, so we got together with our teams (for those of us who have teammates in the dorm, then everyone without teammates went). We always enjoy having pitch panels so we can perfect our pitches and give encouragement to those who still need work. We all have our pitches memorized at this point, so it’s smooth sailing.

We are all excited about graduation coming up, so that’s been the topic of conversation; we look forward to our families coming and celebrating with us as we complete the program. It has been quite the journey, but we have grown so much in the past four months, and our growth journeys are not over by a long shot. We are so much better equipped for the road ahead of us, thanks to PEP. Today was a great day, and we’re all looking forward to the next step in our journey and pouring into the next group of guys coming in.

Joshua B. (aka “Shownuff”)

 

Monday                                                                                                June 2, 2025

Today, we started off our morning routine with some of us saying a rosary prayer in the cell. After hygiene, we went to the dayroom and listened to the Joel Osteen podcast of the day. Touching base with Jesus always starts our day out just right. Today, Joel Osteen spoke about trusting God to open doors and get you to your purpose. We followed this up by practicing reciting our next speech for class while walking along the upper echelon dayroom balcony. We still had time before our usual departure, so we continued a prison professor’s course on the tablet called Personal Leadership, Part 3. Today, they discussed another series of companies one of the hosts has led and the technical aspects of his leadership roles, as well as how they led to success or failure.

After this, we were notified that they are in the process of completely renovating the PEP classroom: new flooring, new paint, etc. We didn’t have the usual class time together, so we spent the rest of the day until 4 p.m. reading for class. Today was about Business Ethics – Government and the Private Sector, and it focused on constitutional arguments for and against governmental regulation of industry. We also read Organizational Behavior – Learning and Reinforcement, which discussed offering appropriate rewards in a timely fashion; best practices to train employees; reducing undesirable behavior; reinforcing desirable behavior; and helping employees assume more responsibility for self-improvement and job performance by creating a work environment characterized by continual self-learning.

At 5:30 p.m., some of us attended mass. Afterwards, we dove into some spiritual reading A. W. Tozer’s book The Pursuit of God. Remembering Kim E. saying, “Ben T., a good woman wants a man that loves Jesus,” we put our heads down and kept on reading. We all went back to our cells happy. We are in PEP and around like-minded individuals that want to thrive and prosper upon reentry.

 Benjamin T. (aka “Mini-Me”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               June 3, 2025

Today was nothing like any other day in class we’ve had so far. Normally we would go to class around 7:30 a.m. and fellowship before praying in, maybe even to include working on a few dance moves while cheering each other on as we bob our heads and clap our hands to the vibe of the music, acting as if we haven’t seen each other in years. In the classroom, we can forget every worry and, sometimes, even forget we’re in prison. Yes, ours is a room filled with bright young business executives ready to prove that we have changed while never forgetting to live life “between the wings.”

Instead, we met in the gym today because the classroom is being renovated. We began class as usual by praying in first. We were informed that we would be practicing our graduation walk, as well as where to sit, when to stand, how to receive our diplomas correctly, etc. After graduation practice, our fellow Servant-Leaders passed out forms for us to fill out and return on another day – in other words, we got homework. After explaining the documents, we closed out for lunch.

After lunch, we came back to the gym and started our final Toastmasters speech with Project #10, entitled “Inspire Your Audience.” As we listened to each brother, one after another, one speech really stood out. To paraphrase, he explained that if you swim against the current in an ocean, you waste a lot of energy without making any progress. If, however, you swim with the current, you can conserve your energy and make it further. Likewise, if you surround yourself with positive people who are going where you are headed, it’s a whole lot easier to get where you’re going.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to finish all the Toastmasters speeches, so we had to wrap it up for the day. We prayed out and went back to the dorm.

Patrick V. (aka “Chia Pet”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          June 4, 2025

Living “between the wings” in PEP is an awesome and fun workplace that we have been experiencing. Today, we practiced our graduation walk and Toastmasters Project #10. We have been working on finishing this Toastmasters assignment this week, and the need to remain on topic and meet all objectives is still vitally important. We must also use proper grammar as well as good overall structure including use of smooth transitions between topics covered in our speeches. Another important factor is to remain within the time limit. When you receive the green card, you should begin with your conclusion; the yellow card means it’s time to share your last thought or something to challenge or inspire the audience to do something; and the red card means you are past your time limit and will be held accountable for not meeting that objective.

Next, we proceeded to our second half in PEP, which took place in the gym due to ongoing remodel in the classroom. We are super excited to see the outcome. The gym has a fresh coat of white paint as well, provided by PEP. We discussed the topic of trust in today’s Clubhouse meeting with the visiting executives. Now we cannot tell you exactly what was said, but we can tell you that we talked about many different facets of how trust applies to us. Several members of the class and even the executives shared their vulnerability without fear of judgement, building trust and inspiring us to be more trusting while living life right, which is what we in PEP call “living between the wings.”

Jose V. (aka “Landscape Guy”)

 

Thursday                                                                                              June 5, 2025

Today we continued to work on our 10^th speeches in Toastmasters, a very important developmental public speaking course. We continue to improve our speaking capabilities with every project we’ve taken on, starting with speaking in front of the class for four to six minutes. With every project, the speaking time has increased while the speaking objectives vary with each assignment. We have worked diligently ever since we gave our “Ice Breaker” speech, which was a big step for a lot of us – standing up in front of a large crowd to give a speech, and then not only that but also taking constructive criticism from our experienced peers. We have overcome a variety of obstacles and improved our abilities to become competent communicators, showing that we can utilize visual aids by incorporating a PowerPoint presentation into our speeches. As stated before, we are delivering our last speech out of the curriculum, the big one: Project #10. The goal of this speech is to inspire the audience, appeal to noble motives and challenge listeners to achieve.

As every morning starts, we opened up with prayer. It is so amazing to see our growth in just a few months. Fred A., Kyveon H., Melvin P. and Jyron K. really moved us all with the transformation that they have achieved. With grit and perseverance, they have overcome fears and achieved goals to deliver speeches that edified everyone in the crowd. PEP has given us all a new vision for our lives. As the saying goes, “We are better than yesterday, but not done yet, because every day is a new learning experience.” Thank you, PEP.

Felix W. (aka “Major Lame”)

 

Friday                                                                                                    June 6, 2025

Today in PEP we had the choice to go to devotional, which consist of sharing God’s Word and speaking to one another about what God has done in our lives. Only a few did not go. After waking up and being productive, washing clothes by hand, we told our fellow brothers good morning to one and spread positivity, showing our love and respect for one another. While most of us watched the news, others played a friendly game of dominos for Fun, which is one of our 10 Driving Values. We then went to lunch together and enjoyed big slices of meatloaf with beans, carrots and bread on the side with some sweet tea. You can tell we are PEP by the way we conduct ourselves everywhere we go: professionally, respectfully following the rules by applying Integrity with Excellence in all that we do. We are all very eager, with only two weeks left until our graduation as the “Authentic” Class of ’25. We all know what is coming: we’ll need to step up as Servant-Leaders and help guide the next class to success. No matter what we are going through, we always lift each other up. We believe in PEP and all it does for us and our families. Even though we are incarcerated, we are in a home away from home for now.

At the end of today, our brothers enjoyed a softball game of Texas Longhorns vs. Texas Tech. We learn to live in the moment and make the best of our time in prison so we can go home as better men, loving fathers, great husbands and excellent leaders, and we will not stop, even when we go home. This new “us” is for life. God bless y’all.

Juan Z. (aka “The Blowfish from Finding Nemo”)

 

Expressions                                                                                                                                   

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.”

– King Solomon

God came to King Solomon in a dream and asked him, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” Let’s be honest, what would you ask for if the Almighty God asked you what you wanted? Would it be riches, cars, clothes, or maybe to be famous? World peace? Honestly, the list could go on and on. But King Solomon didn’t ask for any of those things. He asked for wisdom – and not wisdom for himself, but an understanding heart (wisdom) so he could lead the kingdom with righteous judgment. God granted his request and then some – He not only gave King Solomon wisdom, but He also granted him all the things he didn’t ask for. King Solomon became the richest and wisest man that ever lived.

Because of this, I’ve concluded that I should be like King Solomon and ask God to grant me wisdom: wisdom as a father, a leader, a son, a brother, a husband and a friend; wisdom in every part of my life, so I can make wise decisions that will benefit others. You might be asking, “Why would you ask for wisdom?” And I would answer by saying because I know that if I can make wise decisions, then my decisions will affect my children, my brother and sisters, my friends, my community, my state, my country and ultimately the world. Even though King Solomon was the wisest man ever known, he still had the humility to write, “Lean not on your own understanding.” He knew who was the source of all his wisdom. That is why I put my trust in God.

Fred A. (aka “Logan from Blue Streak”)

 

Monday                                                                                                May 26, 2025

Greetings, PEP family. As you all know, today is a holiday. To be more specific, it is Memorial Day. We here at PEP would like to say to all the veterans: thank you for your service. For the family members of those who lost their lives, we would like to thank you as well. It is because of them that we have been granted this opportunity to change our lives, and we promise not to squander it. You all will continue to be in our prayers, and again, thank you for your service.

Our day began with a hearty breakfast at 5:30 a.m. Breakfast consisted of three fluffy, golden-brown pancakes, a mouth-watering beef sausage, oven-fried and seasoned crispy potatoes, some delicious peaches, maple syrup, steaming hot coffee and ice-cold milk.

After breakfast, we went back to our housing area to watch the news and see what was happening in our society. After the news, we had a group prayer to thank God for allowing us to see another day. Then we broke into study groups. Some of us studied the 10 Driving Values, which are character builders that help shape our attitude, change our perspective and guide us in how to handle situations or obstacles that come our way. One of these Driving Values, Fresh Start Outlook, helps us reach our full potential and shape better futures. Others were reading True North, a leadership and entrepreneurship book that explains how to become a leader within a company or how to start, keep and maintain a company.

Later, after we came out of our study groups, we pitched to several Servant-Leaders who gave us feedback on how to improve our pitches and delivery so we could do better at this Friday’s Pitch Day event. After the pitches, we enjoyed each other’s brotherhood by playing dominoes, chess and watching an awards show. That was how we wound down our day.

Thank you for your time, and may God bless you and keep you in perfect peace.

 (Ivan R. aka “Bernie Mac”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               May 27, 2025

Today we started the class with the Word of the Day: excellence. We discussed how excellence is important in life and what it means to us. After that, we got into BetterMan, a weekly class to help us improve as men and grow closer to God. Our instructor, David F., taught us the importance of getting a job and keeping it. He also taught us five things we can do to excel at work: don’t just work, but instead work to be really good at something; be responsible to those above you and earn their trust; give extra effort in your work; be an encourager and team builder; and keep your word.

After his presentation, we broke into groups and discussed these topics. We shared which areas we were good at and which ones we needed to work on more. After that, we listened to groups 1-6 talk about their group discussions. In the second half, we practiced our pitches because we are getting ready for our event on Friday. Some of our favorite pitches were Jason K.’s K9 Kingdom and Kyveon H.’s team from Big Boy Brunch. We liked how both teams pitched because we feel they have some of the best performers on their teams.

Today’s class was a lot of fun. We especially enjoyed the BetterMan portion because it helped us think about our future. We really love this program.

 Quan S. (aka “Flavor Flav”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          May 28, 2025

At 3 a.m., some of us woke up for laundry exchange. This allowed us to have fresh, clean clothes to feel good in. At 5:30 a.m., we walked down to the chow hall to eat toast with gravy and grits. The rest of the pod started to wake up and drink coffee while some others cleaned and exercised. At 7:30 a.m., outside recreation was called while the Servant-Leaders went to the PEP room for their meeting. That left the pod so quiet that we could hear the crickets conversing. At 10:30 a.m., the Servant-Leaders returned from their meeting, and about 15 minutes later we all walked to the chow hall to eat hamburgers, pinto beans and carrots. After chow, we came back to our pod and played dominoes and watched various television shows.

At 12:30 p.m., the current class was called down to the PEP room for Clubhouse. The topic of conversation was “self-purpose and our why.” Even though we cannot share specific details, we can share that we were able to have conversations with each other, the Peer Educators and our In-Prison Manager, Adam W.

After Clubhouse, we came back to our pod for the rest of the afternoon. Some were playing dominoes while the rest watched television shows. We were later called to the chow hall to enjoy a delicious serving of pork-noodle casserole with pinto beans and corn. After dinner, we returned to our pod where we unwound by playing dominoes and watching a basketball game.

(Ryan S. aka “Farva”)

 

Thursday                                                                                              May 29, 2025

Good day to all readers, and thank you for taking the time to read about this wonderful day. Today, we are honored to break down the day and our learning experiences here in PEP since we, as a team, have the privilege of embarking on this great and respectable journey. In class, we focused on delivering our business pitches and voting on our teams, evaluating the idea, marketing strategy and overall delivery. Don’t forget, as a team, the current class and Servant-Leaders work together to uplift and inspire our brothers not only to perform well but to overcome nervousness and use it as an ally, not a hindrance. It is remarkable how people from all walks of life come together to learn and grow, both as a unit and as individuals. We did this today in preparation because tomorrow is our opportunity to compete in front of the amazing executives as we build relationships.

Today, our Servant-Leaders and In-Prison Management gave us pep talks that inspired us, recognizing our hard work and dedication. They showed us that with hard work and dedication come phenomenal results. Yes we, as teams, have created strong bonds throughout this journey. Today was a day to honor and recognize what we have built together. During our downtime, we did all we could to help each other. We shared love and smiles, creating new ways to support one another through tough times and to refine our talents and passions. We’ve worked to weed out the negative and become better men. That way, we can live our lives pouring into others wherever we are.

Today was a great day. Teamwork was at its finest, and love was woven throughout our actions to blanket our brotherhood.

Pablo S. (aka “Master of Disguise”)

 

Friday                                                                                                    May 30, 2025

This morning came faster than expected. For the past two months, all members of the 22 business teams have been working their hardest to be in tiptop shape for today’s competition. We all met in the PEP room, excited and determined to give our best.

After praying in, we stacked our chairs out of the way to create a huge dance-off space. At that point, the room overflowed with smiles and laughter. That wasn’t even the best part. Felix W. and Lee J. are PEP’s very own old-school dance battle rivals. It was one of those “you had to see it for yourself” moments. After everyone was danced out, the Servant-Leaders placed all of our chairs back in orderly fashion.

We took our seats and watched a couple of videos the media team prepared for us. One happened to be a video of the current class from our first day of class to where we are now. The other was dedicated to Dan W. (aka “Steve Wilkos”). Dan W. has made a huge impact on everyone here at PEP by showing us what it means to lead with humility.

Finally, we made our way to the gym for the event. But first, before we broke off into our sections, we welcomed the executives and volunteers into the competition “PEP style.” Each team did an awesome job and gave its best effort. After the competition ended, Mike E. announced that we would be placed into groups of six, with two volunteers and four participants labeled CEO, COO, CMO and CFO. This allowed all of us to talk with executives and volunteers about the challenges an entrepreneur may face in life on the outside.

As the event ended, brother Zachary B. led us in the pray-out. We all cheered and said our goodbyes to the executives. PEP is more than just a program; this is life changing.

David S. (aka “DJ Sprinkles”)

 

Expression

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

– Benjamin Franklin

I used to be a very unstable, unorganized and lost person. I would not plan anything out, but instead I would just live in the moment and rush through things as they came. This led me to fail and either have to rush things or redo them because I did them incorrectly. Before I came to PEP, I lived a bad criminal life – and I wasn’t even good at that because I was caught multiple times, which led me to prison for not planning my future or thinking about any real success in life.

One thing I’ve learned is that I have to plan my future out. And even if things change as I go, I can still be prepared. Before I came to prison, I always told myself that I wouldn’t waste this time being locked up. So, I planned to become a barber and get my GED. Since being incarcerated I’ve learned how to cut hair, but I haven’t gotten my GED (yet). I removed myself from the GED class to come to PEP.

I am about to see parole for the first time. I’ve done two-and-a-half years out of five. I tell myself that God has an answer for me already, and he is in charge of my release and knows better than me. Whether I get parole or not, I have planned out what I am going to do. I am prepared for whatever. With that, I want y’all to plan for your future too so that you can avoid failure.

Jay S.  (aka “Care Bear”)

Monday                                                                                                May 19, 2025

Every day we wake up knowing the obstacles we have in front of us. We step into that PEP room together, knowing it’s going to be a great day. We all know we can walk in and not be looked at as criminals. We’re looked at as people trying to better ourselves. As class goes on, it tends to help a lot of us because it takes us out of the mindset of just being ordinary inmates.

To get the class going, we have a tradition where we go to the back of the classroom and dance to get energized for the day. After that, we gather around and pray in, beginning our day together in prayer.

Today was great. We heard everyone’s Toastmasters speeches. It gave each of us a chance to get up in front of the class and talk about what we know or what we’ve been through as we shared our stories and perspectives on society. Everybody took in all the shared knowledge. Since starting the class, we have shared things in common: developing our character, finding our inner selves and growing as we prepare ourselves to become greater men. This transformation helps us mold into more reliable, positive and responsible people, ready to return to society and be present not only in our communities but also with our families.

PEP has changed a lot of us. We’ve seen each other grow and change over the time we’ve been here. Man, we’ve all been through all sorts of times and situations with each other in this program. One thing is for sure though: we never give up on one another. We are here until the end!

Daizon N. (aka “Thumbhead”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               May 20, 2025

Today in class we finished Toastmasters Project #8. The goal of this speech was to get comfortable with using visual aids during our presentations, and everyone’s speeches and visual aids were fantastic. Our PEP class is truly amazing!

A big shout out to David F. and Adam W. for continuously pouring into each and every one of us, day in and day out, making this an awesome experience for us. This class is truly an incredible opportunity, and PEP is a fantastic organization to be part of.

During the second half of class, we practiced our business team pitches, which were awesome, by the way! Everyone did a great job: some pitches were funny and had the class laughing uncontrollably, while others were more on the serious side due to the type of business they were pitching. There is never a dull moment in PEP. It is full of amazing people and an abundance of positive energy.

This class doesn’t just teach us about starting a business and being entrepreneurs. It is also equipping us with the proper tools that we need to be better men in all our roles:  dads, husbands, sons and community members. This class teaches us about how to be part of a positive brotherhood, showing us unconditional love daily.

So, from this journal entry, hopefully you have had a good understanding about what this class really does for men like us, as well as some good insight into what we work on in class daily.

Patrick O. (aka “Miley Cyrus”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          May 21, 2025

We enjoyed a half day off today, which was greatly appreciated. We enjoyed our morning with the basic necessities of laundry and breakfast. We then came back and relaxed before our afternoon class.

While waiting, we all practiced our business pitches for the upcoming competition. We are all excited to compete. Everyone is on a new path – “determined” is a good word to use, as we all want to showcase the new skills we have learned.

We are very fortunate and appreciative of what PEP has offered us, even if it has been a rollercoaster of a ride with the business studies, financial classes and character development courses we have been through.

We met today with the famous Will G. and Natalie G., sole owners of Sweet Pearls Ice Cream. The amazing Melissa F. also came and gave some love to PEP and shared her knowledge on “Talents, Passion and Profession.” It was interesting to learn how the Clubhouse panelists found their talents and passions, which eventually led to their professions.

We were asked about the eulogy assignments that we turned in when we first started and if anything had changed. For some of us, our eulogy statement had drastically changed, while for others it changed a little. While we talked about talents, we emphasized that if we apply these talents with both passion and drive, they can lead to our professions and give us something we’d love to get up and pursue every day.

We ended our time together by giving thanks to God for this opportunity with the staff and volunteers that come to give us their time and love. God bless you guys and gals.

Joseph P. (aka “Bubbalicious”)

 

Thursday                                                                                              May 22, 2025

We started off like we always do, dancing and saying “hi” to our fellow brothers, after which we found our seats and prayed in. We then began with Toastmasters, where three of our fellow PEP brothers went up to the front of the room and gave a five-minute speech. One was all about family; another talked about changing our way of thinking; and our last brother talked about baseball, one of my favorite sports. Not a lot of people know this, but our Authentic ’25 class really does enjoy Toastmasters. We just vibe off of each other and have a really good time with it.

Then, we jumped into the next item on the list of things to accomplish today – we knew it was that time when we heard these four words: “Turn your chairs sideways,” That means test time, and today we tested on two subjects. One was PEP’s 10 Driving Values, and the other was over the book True North. When all that was said and done, we came together as a class to discuss the Word of the Day: “sacrifice.” We talked about the things we had to let go in our lives to be able to grow and become better men for our families and loved ones. We enjoy this part of the class because it gives us a chance to talk about the things we’ve learned in PEP and how we are going to use them in our everyday lives.

Today was one of many amazing days we have had in PEP. We are excited to see what tomorrow will bring as we live out what PEP is all about!

Jonathan P. (aka “Amanda Perez”)

 

Friday                                                                                                   May 23, 2025

We were blessed this morning with a devotional from Adam W. who delivered an authentic word from the Lord. The title of his devotional was “Troubles will come, but we go hard in our troubles,” which is a statement all of us in prison could relate to.

Most of us were “going hard,” which is an expression that describes an unrelenting, dedicated, full commitment we had before prison, doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons. Nothing could stop us. Adam W. was comparing our old life to our new life using verses like 1 Peter 4:12-13 and Galatians 6:9 to both warn and encourage us for the trials ahead while we are living out this new life in Christ.

The most impactful part of the message was when we were asked two simple, yet profound questions: What is your tolerance level in doing good for the kingdom? And what is going to make you tap out? Because when we were in the world living the way that we wanted to live, we were able to stand up against anything and everyone who stood in our way. Our selfish desires enabled us to overcome any obstacles at all costs, for better or worse. And tapping out? We were so determined, hard-headed and prideful that accepting defeat or changing direction was hardly ever an option.

Will we be able to keep up that same energy when we are doing the right things? What about when things don’t make sense, or when things get uncomfortable? When you’re the only one building a huge life-saving boat in the middle of the desert for years while being ridiculed, will you be able to persevere? That’s essentially what Adam W. was asking us. It was a great message that was truly taken to heart.

In closing, we all gathered together in the middle of the room to pray while David F. went around the outskirts of the circle to lay hands on each and every person gathered around Adam W. Friday devotionals like today’s are the highlight of the week.

 David P. (aka “Big Snacks”)

 

Expressions

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost;
For out in this world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are;
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can!

– Walter D. Wintle

Real men have a vision for the future, and real men work hard to make it come true. Real men don’t allow themselves to get distracted, but with a laser focus and calm determination, they stick to the task at hand until it is accomplished. It may take a lot of patience and a great deal of faith, but achieving the goal is as sure as the reality of a supreme being.

Never hesitate to trust in that inner leading. Never fear, but choose to confidently trust that things will work out in the end for those who are truly dedicated to achieving success. Supreme intelligence presses against the doors of our thought, waiting to be known. We must be open to it at all times, being ready to receive direction so we can be guided into greater truths. We must be very aware of our thought life and, with clarity, send out only such thoughts as we wish to see manifested.

Melvin P. (aka “Road Runner”)

 

Monday                                                                                                May 12, 2025

PEP is always a trip out of prison and a welcome breath of fresh air. We started our day with warm smiles and handshakes and dove right into testing on Living in the Village.

Afterward, the inspiring Chaplain Bruce T. went over the last three chapters of Living in the Village. We are happy and proud to say that we have finally made it to the end of our curriculum on LITV. We have only one more test covering the last three chapters. Bruce T. breaks financial literacy down for us in a way we can grasp and understand. Who knew that learning about personal finances could help us in our everyday lives and be so beneficial? Between Bruce T.’s in-depth explanations and examples and the videos from Dave Ramsey and other professionals from financial institutions, PEP makes sure we can relate and fully absorb all the knowledge they have to offer. After our release from incarceration, we will be able to use what we’ve learned about financial literacy to become successful men, fully reintegrated back into society.

After lunch, we came back to class for another favorite of many students: BetterMan. This was led by fellow PEP brothers from previous classes and our motivational instructor David F., who taught us about loving and protecting God’s woman. He spoke about ways to work together with your wife so that your home becomes a place of happiness and righteousness. Thanks to programs such as these, all of us could honestly say we have become better men than we were when we first walked through those doors. Thank you, PEP!

Austin M. (aka “Kevin from Minions”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               May 13, 2025

The most important part of our class’s history happened today. We started the day with a beautiful and well-received presentation of Toastmasters. We worked on Project 8 from our Competent Communication Manual. During the presentation, the class presented pictures to use as visual aids and delivered well-constructed speeches. The energy in the classroom is always a positive, uplifting environment. It truly changes the brotherhood and brings unity to this class at the Estes Unit. The brothers did a good job on their presentations – we give them each an A+. One brother even spoke about food and how important it is for a person’s everyday health.

A few seconds into his presentation, a large amount of water actually fell through the ceiling onto him, and he concluded that water was important too. At that moment, the whole class laughed so hard at what had taken place. The timing was perfect.

As the day continued, we began the second half of class. We continued with our Toastmasters speeches until the last 45 minutes, which is when history was made: the moment the class of “Authentic 2025” came into being. We had a very long debate about our class name. In the end, we all agreed and were satisfied with the name. We are all authentic; we are different; and most of all, we are living history as one of the biggest classes in PEP. We feel blessed to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of other brothers who look forward to joining the Prison Entrepreneurship Program.

Garett M. (aka “Ella Mai”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          May 14, 2025

Today was once again another powerful and uplifting day that we were graciously blessed by our heavenly Father to experience. We began at the onset of dawn. For breakfast, we had French toast, oatmeal and coffee. In bright contrast to our usual weekdays in the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, the first three hours of class were designated specifically for our loving, inspiring, life-giving and outgoing Servant-Leaders.

Quite frankly, half of us would describe today as soulfully euphoric because we were given the chance to catch up on a few long-awaited hours of rest. We savored the slowly fading moment, though ironically, the other half of us felt dreary. Some even argued that today fell into the rare category of times when we were deprived of the overflowing joy the program usually provides.

But after lunch, our class of Authentic ’25 took part in our very first Clubhouse meeting. Almost immediately, we were enthralled. We took full advantage of the moment as we discussed the importance of values, creating a vision and living a life rooted in a meaningful mission. We can all honestly say that it is more than a privilege to be in the refining presence of Jim W., Dick U. and Scott S. These men are not only three successful businessmen, but today they served as amazing outlets. We left fulfilled as they made it their duty to pour out their wisdom, potent with knowledge and rich in purpose.

After class, we had dinner. Some of us spent time with our Creator at church while others watched the NBA playoffs, all before calling it a night and preparing for the wondrous day ahead.

Fredrick M. (aka “Young Ma”)

 

Thursday                                                                                             May 15, 2025

We started the day off just right with prayer. Before we walked into the room, there were computers set up on the tables as if it were going to be a normal test day. We came to find out that it was not a test day at all. It was grading day.

What we graded was 20 of our brothers in PEP, as well as ourselves, in terms of character. The purpose of this character assessment was to give each of us a chance to develop and work on the traits we lack. It is a true statement that PEP is deeply focused on character development and the cultivation of our minds.

As James Allen said, “Noble and God-like character is not a thing of favor or chance, but it is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking.” Through right choices and true application of thought, we can elevate our character. Sometimes we may not be aware of the areas we need to improve. But those who are on the same path, trying to change and better themselves, can bring those areas to our attention so that we can begin to work on them.

PEP is fundamentally based on 10 Driving Values, which we view as tools we must equip ourselves with in order to build a great future, not only for ourselves but for our families as well. By sharpening each tool to perfection, we leave no room for failure. We get what we put in, and it is up to us to make sure we equip ourselves and use these values to form a strong foundation.

Ruben N. (aka “Britney Spears”)

 

Friday                                                                                                   May 16, 2025

We did not have class Friday, so some of us PEP brothers, including Jeremy B. and Cody G., talked about our upcoming graduation. We recently named our class “Authentic ’25,” and once we graduate, we will become Servant-Leaders for the upcoming classes. We talked about what it means to be an authentic leader. We shared our life stories and reflected on how many people with painful pasts often see themselves as victims, feeling that the world has dealt them a bad hand.

Because of a lack of introspection, we too had failed to see the connection between our life experiences and the goals we should have pursued. We became caught up in chasing the world’s esteem, never becoming genuine leaders for our communities, families and others around us. The difference with an authentic leader lies in how we frame our stories. We also discussed how our life stories provide context for our lives, and how, through those stories, we find passion and inspiration to make an impact in the world. Our life stories are like permanent tapes playing in our minds. Over and over, we replay events and interactions with the people who matter most, trying to make sense of them and using them to help us find our place in this world.

We also talked about how reframing our stories enables us to recognize that we are not victims at all, but people shaped by our experiences. Those experiences become the foundation that allows us to become leaders. We all agreed that our life stories continue to evolve as we shape the meaning of our past, present and future.

We looked forward to graduating and giving back to the new guys coming in. After our conversation, we got ready to do our pitches in front of the dorm to prepare for our Big Pitch event at the end of the month. Our current Servant-Leaders are doing an amazing job getting us ready for the event. They constantly encourage us and are always available to help in any way they can. Thanks to all the PEP staff and our Servant-Leaders!

 Terry N. (aka “Colonel Sanders”)

 

Expressions

 “We all make many mistakes. For if we could tame our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.”

– James 3:2

I don’t know about you, but controlling my tongue is quite a task. Whether the words are said in haste, anger or in an attempt to be funny, speaking without thinking seems to be a fairly common problem. I think we live in the midst of an uncivilized and thoughtless society. I used to be careless in my speech and quick to become angry when I was on the bad side of life. Part of why I tried to become more stoic was to give myself a split second to think before my words came flying out unchecked. Trying to stay calm and quiet helped me keep my words deliberate and under control.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Most people spend more energy guarding their behavior than their hearts. But if you guard your heart, your behavior won’t be nearly as difficult to deal with. Pay attention to what goes in, and you’ll be pleased with what comes out. That’s because our hearts can determine the course of our lives. Our thoughts, emotions and intentions can shape everything we do and every decision we make. That’s why it’s vitally important for us and those close to us to guard our inner world.

Whatever sinks into your mind will often come bubbling back up, whether you want it to or not. It’s not enough to avoid putting negative thoughts and images into your heart; you also need to fill it with truth. Each day seems to bring something new to each of us – sometimes we welcome whatever comes with open arms, and other times we do our best to hold it back. Life isn’t trouble, but the fact is that sometimes trouble finds us, even if we’re trying to avoid it.

God created you for something distinctly suited for you – maybe it’s to stand before big crowds, maybe not; or maybe it’s to obtain untold wealth and fame, maybe not; or maybe you’re meant to become world renowned, or maybe not. Whatever it is, this much is clear: your life was created for you and you alone to live out so that you can impact the world in ways that only you can. Contentment is possible when you start with a grateful heart – not a token sense of, but the realization that the Lord has blessed you with everything you need. Dedicating time to the priorities that God has entrusted to you may not seem significant right now, but to someone who needs you, it could make all the difference in his or her life, as well as your own.

Earnest N. (aka “Balou from The Jungle Book”)

Monday                                                                                                May 5, 2025

In PEP there is always something to look forward to. We are learning every day about life and how to be a better man. We also have executives come in every Thursday to give us important lessons that we can apply to our business ideas.

Another fun feature is our fun names – they are really funny and can always make you laugh. Going to the back of the room or spinning the Wheel of Doom are also enjoyable. These encourage us to find the right balance between having fun and being serious.

The big events we have with the executives are amazing experiences. Being able to pitch a business plan idea in front of a lot of important people makes us feel like we aren’t in prison.

We also enjoy becoming better speakers through Toastmasters. The topics we hear are interesting and make us feel comfortable speaking in front of a large group. BetterMan is our favorite part of class, where we get to speak in groups and talk about how we can become better men for our families. We analyze why it’s so important to be there for our kids and loved ones; we see how our decisions affect them so much and why our presence makes such a big difference in their lives.

PEP is an important tool for us to take seriously in our current situation of being incarcerated. We have the time to break down what we want in life and how we can apply the tools we’ve learned here to achieve all we want to achieve. Our 10 Driving Values give us motivation to make the right decisions for our family members. Before we know it, these 10 Driving Values will become instinctual – they are the best part of the program to help us develop our character.

David L. (aka “Fake George Lopez”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               May 6, 2025

In PEP, there is never a dull moment where we are not learning something new or useful. Today, we took our final test on entrepreneurship. PEP is not just a program that teaches us about starting a business and becoming entrepreneurs. It also helps equip us with the right tools so that we can become successful, responsible and reliable members of our communities. It also helps us to become better men for our families.

During the second half of class, we had a fellow PEP brother write a letter to us by the name of Charlie J. He let us know PEP is a family that will be with us every step of the way – there will be things that will try to lead us off our paths, but if we trust the process and keep the faith, we won’t lose our way.

Then, we were asked a question about what we want in and out of life. It made us think. Our BetterMan course went hand-in-hand with this question, because we learned that in life we have to be understanding and have self-control. Even more importantly though, we need to have a vibrant faith because there will be tests in life, and it is up to us to stay the course and pass those tests.

 Isaiah L. (aka “Young Morgan Freeman”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          May 7, 2025

Today was a great day! Not only did the good Lord wake us up, but He gave us another chance to learn how to be better men for our families. It started out as a quiet morning, due to the fact the current class had the morning off because there was a Servant-Leader meeting taking place in the classroom. Living in J-pod, it was our day for commissary. As blessed as we are by our families, we were able to make it back with just the right amount of time to make it for PEP’s afternoon session, where things get spicy!

We’ve been working on our team business pitches for weeks now, and it was time to put the hard work into action. Pitch by pitch, the brothers were able to practice in front of the class, showcasing the competition from within. With less than a month until the next pitch day in front of real-world executives, it’s time to get down to business. Every day is a journey all about teamwork and dedication.

Once class was done for the day, we returned to the dorm, where we were able to participate in perfecting our public speaking abilities through Toastmasters. Just being able to hear the brothers and their stories is enough to put you in a trance, taking you on a journey that you don’t even realize you are on. It’s truly something beautiful, and it’s such a pleasure to be a part of. So don’t think PEP is only tests and competitions. It’s a brotherhood of like-minded individuals dedicated to character development and rebuilding that which may have felt lost for so long.

We can’t wait to see everyone at graduation, which will make taking this journey worth every step.

George M. (aka “Dr. Evil”)

 

Thursday                                                                                             May 8, 2025

There was no class today, but that didn’t stop the PEP brothers from doing what PEP has been teaching us. The day started off with all the brothers waking up and going into the dayroom, shaking hands and telling each other good morning. The morning also started off with the guard calling our recreation service. So, whoever wanted to go out and feel the sun or workout had the option to do so. Some PEP brothers went to school or classes, while other brothers stayed in the dorm to study, do homework and watch TV.

Around midday, one of our Servant-Leaders hosted a study group for the dorm to study our PEP rules, and about half of the dorm attended. The brothers all enjoyed fun and a few laughs before we heard the call for chow time. After chow, we held our weekly pod meeting, where we break into groups and talk about PEP’s 10 Driving Values. We did a 360 on one of our PEP brothers. This is when the group identifies both a strength and a weakness for the brother that the 360 is being done on, and it has to be one of the 10 Driving Values.

After the meeting, all the guys went back to studying, working out or taking care of business. Also during the day, all the guys were reading and practicing their business pitches by pitching to each other. As the night ended, we had a prayer call. So, even though there was no classroom time, the dorm still managed to make it a PEP day. There is no other way to spend a day with a dorm full of PEP brothers. We are all committed to making a change and using what PEP has taught us to use it in the free world and make a difference.

Pedro M. (aka “Gizmo”)

 

Friday                                                                                                  May 9, 2025

For those of us in J-pod, we began the day in our living space among true leaders and a real brotherhood, starting with our fellow brothers helping one another. Whether it be PEP class studies or personal issues, we are always positive with each other. Those who could placed phone calls back home to seek inspiration from loved ones, and some of the brothers spoke with mentors and pod leaders seeking guidance that we all need at times. We would like to wish all our mothers a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend. We also appreciate our Servant-Leaders and mentors for stepping up when we need them.

We sat back and spoke about our options when we are released, and most of us are waiting for that privilege to either get reunited with our family or to go to the transitional house. Wherever we may be going, we are all grateful that we all have this in common and feel the same about PEP about how it is not a hand-out, but a hand-up. We truly appreciate it!

Also, to the investors that make all this possible, we give you a standing ovation, PEP style. Also, to our class leaders Adam W. and David F., we thank you guys for all that y’all pour into us as changing men. A special thanks goes out to our Warden as well for all the support. We thank y’all so much from the bottom of our changing hearts and changing ways.

We leave y’all with this: we truly believe we have to go through humility before honor at the cost of self-sacrifice, and we are all grateful to be part of this program where we live “between the wings” of our brotherhood.

Tony M. (aka “Elmo”)

 

Expressions

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

– John 8:32

I thought my dad coined the phrase, “The truth shall set you free,” because he believed it fully and in total honesty. If I came home after curfew, it was always much better to tell the truth and suffer the consequences than to tell a lie and add that offense to the other. The punishment would always be less if I told the truth than if I had made up an excuse. And my parents would know if I made up an excuse – they seemed to have spies out in the streets reporting back to them about my every move.

I learned to live by the concept of no excuses and no explanations. I eventually learned that my dad’s words were actually quoted from Jesus, and that God is even more interested in my truthfulness than my dad was. Jesus was talking primarily about the importance of learning the truth, the eternal truth of his teaching, but the principle of speaking truth applies to our own words too. God knows that skirting the rules will always catch up with us. Whether we’re actually doing something illegal or simply cutting corners ethically, the short-term win is never worth the long-term cost. Honesty really is the best policy.

Of course, knowing that our dishonesty will catch up with us is poor motivation for telling the truth. It’s better to tell the truth because it’s the right thing to do, and because we want to be known as people of integrity. We want others to be able to count on us, and we want to set a good example for the young people in our lives, desiring to be sought out for guidance and direction. Most of all, we should strive to glorify God who is the source of truth. We were designed to be reflections of Him, and when we don’t relate to Him and others honestly, we’re missing our purpose. The truth really will set you free and lies are hard to maintain – that’s why a pattern of lying can be so exhausting. If you want to live in freedom, practice seeking truth in every area of your life, including your own words.

 Albert M. (aka “Skunk from Bambi”)

 

Monday                                                                                                April 28, 2025

Today in class, we had a lesson on Living in the Village, a helpful guide to financial prosperity. We were taught by Bruce T., who provided insight and facts on setting financial goals for the future. The first chapter Bruce T. covered today was Chapter 9, which explained the importance of establishing an emergency fund. Preparing for the future by planning today makes it easier to handle financial difficulties that may arise later. Chapter 9 also suggests that individuals examine their budgets for items that can be cut in case of emergencies.

The next chapter we discussed was Chapter 10. It covered the importance of establishing an Individual Retirement Account, or IRA. We reviewed several types of IRAs, including the Roth IRA and the SIMPLE IRA, a savings incentive match plan for employees. The lesson recommended having adequate insurance, starting as soon as possible and hiring a good adviser.

The third chapter we studied today was Chapter 11, which focused on the benefits of eliminating low-risk debt. The chapter gave an example of someone taking out a loan and acting as collateral. A key term from Chapter 11 is “psychic income,” defined as the mental satisfaction a person gains from paying off debt early.

During today’s lesson on Living in the Village, we also watched video clips of financial guru Dave Ramsey, who shared strong views on how to manage one’s hard-earned money.

Zachary J. (aka “Borat”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               April 29, 2025

In true PEP fashion, we rolled out of bed and turned our swag on! We started this program with 102 students, and now we are 85 PEP brothers strong. We’ve endured, been tried and tested along this journey with sprinkles and spurts of fun. It’s been a blast but also a blur. One assignment comes after another, along with homework and business pitches to remember. It feels as if the weeks loop and every day rolls into the next, filled with spontaneity.

Since today is Tuesday, we usually take tests over two chapters from the literature we’ve been studying the previous week in our entrepreneurship books. This morning, we were tested on Chapters 10 and 13. What’s cool is that PEP’s unique program is run by our PEP brothers who have already experienced exactly what we’re going through. Of course, they are graduates now developing their leadership skills as PEP Servant-Leaders.

After our test this morning, we enjoyed another fine cuisine at Estes chow hall for lunch. Following a brief break at our dorm, we strolled down the hall for the second half of another awesome PEP class session.

We have a DJ who plays a variety of jams throughout our day in class, and in proper PEP fashion we boogied on and danced from the back of the classroom to the front, just like every single time one of our teachers, facilitators or volunteers enters our class to speak. So guess what? David F. was breakdancing today before leading us into our Christian-based class called BetterMan.

Cool, huh? We live together, eat together and learn together. PEP is truly a blessing. We promise we’re putting that work in and we are truly blessed to have so many people pour into us. Lives are changing. We are grateful. God bless y’all. We love you, mamas and poppas.

 Jason K. (aka “Rice Crispy Treat”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          April 30, 2025

Today was mind-blowing: we didn’t have class today, but instead we did a few different things besides sleep and go to commissary. Everyone in the current class joined a study group hosted by a brother who has one of the top GPAs, George M. While waiting for the chow signal, we decided to do peer 360s where we told our brothers specific things we can improve.

As the day went on, we all seemed very eager, and it wasn’t just for the chicken patty we had for lunch. It was due to the pressure of the upcoming event and everything we have done to stay prepared. That’s when it happened: PEP brother Joseph P. broke the silence and began to say his pitch. We all followed suit, practicing our pitches as we usually do. We didn’t stop there though; we decided to do them again, but this time be funny or extra dramatic. This helped not only to get more familiar with my own pitch but also to memorize our brother Albert M.’s cereal box pitch by heart. “The Cereal Police” line is a journey back in time.

PEP has helped us accept that vulnerability is a huge key to healing and that we shouldn’t take anything personally. Accepting these two things has been crucial to the success of many of us.

We ended the day with our brother Thad C. saying, “We will fail, we will fall short, but we will not give up.” To whoever is reading this, thank you for not giving up. You are appreciated!

Jyron K (aka “Bert” from Bert & Ernie)

 

Thursday                                                                                               May 1, 2025

We started our day by turning in our homework: our pitch sheets for the week. Afterwards, we prayed in and then went to the back of the room. After taking our seats, we went over the Word of the Day. The question was which word would get you further in life: knowledge, hard work or attitude. Which one was the most important to be successful? We all concluded that the best answer was attitude.

After the Word of the Day, an executive volunteer arrived to go over Chapter 14 of our entrepreneurship textbook. The chapter covered franchising and purchasing a franchise business. We discussed what agreements companies offer, price ranges, how purchasing a franchise can reduce the risk of failure, brand awareness and general franchise issues. We also learned that there were more than 750,000 franchises available. We looked at the competitive strengths of various franchises in the industry, bankruptcy and other valuable information.

We went to lunch and had Hamburger Helper and took a 45-minute break before returning to class. The second half was one of my favorites: Toastmasters, Project 6, and our objectives were to use body language, light pauses, vocal projection and meeting the goal without any notes for five to seven minutes. Some of the topics included fear, fishing, the Civil War, The Land Before Time, perception and everything in between.

We prayed out at 3 p.m. sharp. Then we returned to our dorms, practiced our pitches and finished whatever homework we needed to complete. Overall, it was a pretty productive day.

Keith K. (aka “Fake Teddy Swims”)

 

Friday                                                                                                    May 2, 2025

First, let this date sink in for a minute: our class has made it to the halfway mark. For those reading this, be sure to give that guy you know a big congratulations next time you speak to him.

Today was a great day spent in the dorms, but just because we didn’t go down to the classroom doesn’t mean it was all fun and games or a day of relaxation. Let us give you a brief glimpse into dorm life for the Estes Unit’s Prison Entrepreneurship Program:

First, we got up, grabbed some coffee and started cleaning. We have people who help clean the pod every morning to make sure everyone has a nice and sanitary place to live. This includes wiping every surface (including the railing), sweeping and mopping the floors and cleaning the shower area. Big praises and thanks goes out to everyone on the cleaning crew. Of course, everyone cleaned up after themselves throughout the day as well.

Then we started studying and working on our various assignments. The current class could generally be found in the dayroom reading over the chapters, going over course material and studying for upcoming tests. In K-pod, we had some guys who made flash cards with key terms and definitions. Some sharpened other class members with surprise pop quizzes. The guys also came together for a study group to prepare for our final test over the entrepreneurship course.

After our break for lunch, it was time to move on to practicing our pitches. We spent a lot of time working on memorization to get it down 100 percent. Then we worked on body language and vocalization to make sure we conveyed our enthusiasm. We focused on building conviction for when the executives come and we have our second big event at the end of the month.

There is a consistent sense of brotherhood both in and out of the classroom. A major contributing factor to that comes from our Servant-Leaders. They are always there to guide us, day in and day out, with schoolwork and to help keep us on the right track mentally. Today, like many days to come, was an inspiration to us all and hopefully will be to you as well. The men have a firm sense of direction and remain committed to self-improvement and positive change.

Grady L. (aka “Jeebs”)

 

Expressions

“Trials, temptations, disappointments – all of these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fibre of character but strengthen it … Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.”

– James Buckham

These are great words from James Buckham, and the name of this quote is “Focus Your Energy.”

I would like to thank this program, my family and friends for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to learn and grow as a person – thank you for never giving up on me and always giving me support. Being able to do the little things in life like this simple Expressions assignment has given me perspective on this quote that I have been struggling with. The idea behind “trials, temptations and disappointments” is what most of us deal with on a daily basis.

When I have previously dealt with these three words, I’ve simply given up and set myself up to crash due to not caring about my failures. Now that I have come across this quote, I have learned that I am going to experience trials, temptations and disappointments – but I get to choose whether I let it destroy me or help me. By acknowledging them, I can face these head on to the best of my ability. This allows me to build and strengthen my character so that next time it won’t break me or send me on that crash course.

I have a lot to prove to myself, my family, my friends and this program. I have become a better man and a better human being for everyone that’s been here for me and has never given up on me. Thank you to all, and thank you PEP for this opportunity to learn and grow.

 Vincent L. (aka “Water Boy Dad”)

 

Monday                                                                                                April 21, 2025

Today was our first day back after the long Good Friday and Easter weekend. We started our day in PEP fashion, with everyone wearing jackets or boots being sent to the back of the room. This means anyone in the class with these items on had to dance their way from the back of the class down the aisle with the rest of similarly dressed classmates cheering them on. This gives us a chance to shake up our morning and begin with smiles and a good laugh. Following this, we all came together and prayed. These are the two ways we start class every morning.

Next, we were given today’s Word of the Day: procrastination. Procrastination means to put off doing something. We had a discussion over the word and its meaning, with a few of us acknowledging how we may suffer from, or even how we have overcome, procrastination in our own lives.

Then we had our financial literacy test over Chapters 7 and 8 from our Living in the Village book. Once we had turned in our tests, all Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) had their “financial ask workshop.” This is where the CEOs and their respective CFOs put together a short video presentation detailing their company’s financial information and pitch requesting their loan or initial investment needs.

This concluded a well-rounded day, where PEP continues to teach and prepare each of us to become to become more accountable, responsible and influential men for our families and communities.

Joseph H. (aka “David Ruffin”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               April 22, 2025

Today was a blessed day in class. Today we sang Happy Birthday to our In-Prison Manager, David F.! Here at the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, we transform men so that they may have better lives in the real world.

We had a great day testing out of our entrepreneurship textbook. We test over two chapters every week, and our grades show how much work and studying we put into the program. Our GPAs are updated and posted each week in the dorms as we continue to learn about all aspects of starting an entrepreneurial business. This week’s test was over the Economics of One Unit (EOU), which breaks down your product or service into a single unit of sale to ensure that it is profitable. Everything must be accounted for in this measurement: every tomato, onion and slice of pickle must be included, and every item in inventory needs to be counted.

We ended our class today with a session on BetterMan which helps us change our old ways of dealing with people. Many of us have had very bad relationships and never knew how to treat people. BetterMan is one of our favorites because it helps us change the way we think about ourselves and others. Many of us had bad habits and negative thinking and looked at everything as a joke. We didn’t think of the future or the impact we had on our families. BetterMan has helped us look at a lot of things and individuals around us differently. We don’t only think of ourselves now, but instead we consider our friends and family in all our decisions.

 (Kyveon H. aka “Pumba”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          April 23, 2025

We woke up this morning thanking God for the blessing of living another day. We are thankful for his love, mercy, grace and favor. Today we did not have class, which gave us a little extra time to sleep and recoup. A lot of us woke up to the contagious laugh of our brother Phillip C. We all think he learned to whisper in a helicopter (LOL). He is such a funny guy, and he keeps us laughing every day. What a great spirit!

We mostly just relaxed today. Our teams have finished pitching our business plans together. Our teams consist of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and a Chief Financial Officer (CFO). These teams were chosen for the end-of-class Business Plan Competition. There are a total of 23 teams in our class. Our classmates are spread out over four pods (dorms), and there is only one team with all four members in the same pod. That team consists of Deric H. (CEO), Grady L. (COO), Steven J. (CMO) and Vincent L. (CFO). How lucky are we?

We have such a great group of guys, from current class members to Servant-Leaders. Anthony J., Jonathan C., Ledavious S., Orrian E. and Jesus C. truly uphold the meaning of having a Servant-Leader mentality. They check on us daily just to see how we are doing, and they are more than willing to help us with our assignments and/or give us good advice.

We held a pitch panel this afternoon and came together as PEP brothers to work on our business pitches. We motivate and advise each other on techniques and ways we can improve. PEP truly transforms us for the better in more ways than one!  

 (Deric H. aka “Tommy Strong”)

 

Thursday                                                                                             April 24, 2025

Today was an energetic day in the PEP classroom. This morning started off with everyone greeting each other, followed by a little dancing. Everyone with tattoos got to dance and got their blood flowing to start our day. We also had a moment to be able to pray-in together.

Our Word of the Day was failure, and our two emcees elaborated on the topic. One of the speakers said, “No one wants to fail, but how we choose to look at it determines if we will allow it to bring us down or continue to push forward.” As a class, we also discussed that no one truly fails until one gives up on himself. There is a saying that we learned today: “In school, you are taught a lesson to take a test; in life, you are tested to learn a lesson.”

We had two executives come in to teach us about Chapters 10 and 13. For Chapter 10, Wade M. went over Human Resources Management. This chapter expounded on how you hire or fire employees. In reviewing Chapter 13, John S. went over the importance of why you should look or think about having an exit or “harvest” plan when it comes to your business.

The day was filled with positivity, laughter and knowledge. We learned a lot of good things in our entrepreneurship lectures. PEP offers insight on becoming an entrepreneur, but more importantly, this class helps us build our character. We encourage each other to keep going, and that allows us to connect and build as a whole.

Today was a great day, and we are looking forward to the next steps in our PEP journey.

Kevin I. (aka “Speedy Gonzalez”)

 

Friday                                                                                                  April 25, 2025

Friday morning began with everyone’s favorite breakfast: fried eggs with biscuits and jelly. Nothing else can get men up at 5 a.m. like a good breakfast, and today was no exception. After the morning meal was over, we came back to our living area and patiently waited for our 7:30 a.m. call out to the PEP classroom.

Today was a special day because it was the beginning of our Friday morning devotionals. This is the part of the program where our leaders take turns sharing the Gospel message with those who would like to hear it. After our normal pray-in, In-Prison Manager Adam W. (aka “Milk Dud”) shared a great message with the men about becoming mighty men of God by immersing yourself in the Word of God and responding to the stirring of the Spirit within. Adam W. taught that it’s the response to that stirring of the Holy Spirit that will ultimately be the means by which God works through normal men which then creates the mighty man of God.    

Once the devotional was over, we all came together to sing a happy birthday to one of our mighty men of God: Adam W.! Afterwards, we spent about 20 minutes in fellowship while discussing the message before heading back our living areas to enjoy the rest of our Friday off from class. Most men spent the rest of the day finishing up homework and preparing for the agenda of next week. All in all, Friday turned out to be another blessed day, and one that would’ve otherwise been a much different experience without PEP. It’s for this reason that we thank God for PEP and for the spirit of love and service to others that it represents.

Steven J. (aka “Right Said Fred”)

 

 

Expression

 “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

– Hebrews 4:16

The word “boldly” here in the original language means free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, bold assurance. This certainly describes the expectation (faith) we have for the Day of Prayer for Prisoners.

It is important that we ask for things that are consistent with the will of God. When Jesus said to pray “in his name,” he didn’t mean that we should ask God for anything and attach the words in Jesus’ name at the end in order to magically get our wishes granted. What he meant was that we should pray for things that are consistent with His plan for the world and His purpose for our lives. We should pray for things that are in line with His character and nature.

I frequently use the example of getting your car aligned. When a car is out of alignment, the vehicle will pull to the left or to the right. Your steering wheel may vibrate, the car burns more gas and the tread on your tires will wear much faster. It can even be dangerous as it could make a wreck more likely! But if you take your car to the mechanic for an alignment, your vehicle’s steering and suspension can be adjusted so that your car won’t pull left or right anymore, helping you to stay on course.

Duryder J. (aka “Tina Turner”)

 

Monday                                                                                                April 14, 2025

The moment you walk into the PEP classroom, it feels like we are no longer in prison as we exchange handshakes, greet our fellow brothers and prepare for our day.

This morning, we had class with Chaplain Bruce T. going over Living in the Village. It is a class to educate us about money management, budgeting and learning ways to help our credit score; these are essential tools for our success.

After completing that class, we moved on to Business Plan Competition (BPC) practice, where we practiced our pitches for the business teams that we are on. The BP staff is very detailed and straightforward in explaining how they expect us to prepare for our pitches. The help we received from PEP graduates is truly tremendous. We have 10 Driving Values that PEP operates by in order to be successful. Seeing the graduates exemplify those values pushes each and every one of us to become better men.

PEP is not just about business and entrepreneurship. It has a lot to do with character development, and it is also designed to equip us with the right tools to help us better ourselves. Coming into the PEP room is always amazing; it’s where we promote positive energy and help each other as men strive to change our old ways to give each other a fresh-start outlook on life.

Today was an awesome day, and we are excited to see what the future holds.

Bryan H. (aka “Olaf”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               April 15, 2025

Tuesdays are very serious in PEP: it’s test day, and today we tested over two chapters in our entrepreneurship textbook – it was very intense. There was no going to the back of the room today. We prayed-in and then we all logged in to our laptops to begin testing.

Today, we tested over Chapters 6 and 7. Everyone was serious about this test because it determines our grade point average (GPA). We all have a little competitive thing going with each other, and everyone’s goal is to be in the top 10 GPAs. That says a lot, considering that there are 85 people in our class. We were given an hour to finish the test, and then we were allowed to go back to our dorm. The good thing about that is it was store day for our pod! We were required to return to the PEP classroom at 12:30 p.m. for BetterMan.

BetterMan is just one of the few courses that we take during our stay at PEP, and it is a wonderful course. Today, our focus was on being a better dad. Everyone had a lot to say about both our fathers and being fathers. David F. is the keynote speaker every week for BetterMan, and we all say that he does a wonderful job. He connects with us in a very special way. After he spoke, we broke up into groups and had an even better discussion, where we shared about our own fathers: some good things and some bad things. Our group explained to the guys that our fathers are human beings, so they aren’t perfect. We also discussed the importance of appreciating our fathers while they are here with us – unfortunately, some of us are fatherless. At the end, we had a great discussion to wrap things up.

We always pray-out before the day is over, and today everyone left in good spirits, thanks to BetterMan!

Anthony H. (aka “Carl Winslow”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          April 16, 2025

Today, we started our morning bright and early, coming together as a class to pray over our day. This always reminds us of our “why,” which is the reason we choose to participate in this life-changing program, the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP).

One of the most common reasons we joined PEP include becoming better men for our children, wives, and community. Being part of PEP has lit fires in us to become the men God intended us to be. This fire has always been there, but now it has gasoline as an accelerant, along with so many new pathways to burn through. Our prayer routine really sets a positive atmosphere for all the men working hard to give back to our loved ones.

Through the middle of class, we worked on Toastmasters, which is a public speaking program to help us become articulate, knowledgeable men. This really helps us in many ways, including being able to speak properly. This ability impacts our kids and wives, allowing us to effectively lead them as leaders of our household.

As we wrapped up our day, we went over some of the opportunities and resources PEP has to offer us outside of prison, which really excited us for the new road ahead of us.

When we finally got back to the dorm, we all got straight to studying, making sure all of our class assignments were completed. This is something we never would have imagined we would see in prison: pure determination in those who really want change!

 Ezekiel H. (aka “Pinocchio”)

 

Thursday                                                                                             April 17, 2025

In our class, there is always something fun going on (maybe because we have 85 people in our class). We all gathered in the classroom when they called all the guys who made parole and had boots on to the back of room to dance. After that, we found our seats and Fred M. prayed us in. We learned the word of the day: “renaissance man,” which means a man knowledgeable or proficient in more than one field. That message was brought to us by Isiah R. and Jeremy W., who also spoke about the meaning of peace.

After this they read some of our praise reports: Jacob G. was recognized for Love; Patrick V. was recognized for both Fun and Accountability; and Jeremy B. was recognized for Execution. That was all we had time for, but Kyi H. spoke a little on PEP’s Driving Value of having a “Fresh Start” Outlook.

Jim W. then went over Chapter 8 in the entrepreneurship textbook. We all noticed Jim W. says the word “okay” a lot as he teaches, and the lesson on that chapter took up the first half of class.

After we came back from chow break, the officer that works in our classroom stood up and told us how he noticed how PEP is helping us. He said that he liked it, and that he was proud; he gave us an understanding of him that we needed.

Then we did some number-crunching on our Economics of One Unit (EOUs), but only after everyone who was balding, baldheaded and had dreadlocks went to the back of the room.

We all like our class and think it is going to be the biggest graduating class yet. Days like today really make it worth going.

Christopher H. (aka “Mister, Can I Wipe Your Window?”)

 

Friday                                                                                                  April 18, 2025

Friday was a holiday, commonly known as Good Friday. Events like this are cherished among us here at PEP – you could say it gives us hope.

The opportunity to have a break from the intense day-to-day of our program is great for team morale. Really, it’s a chance to get some assignments done to help with our time management. For others, it’s a chance to get a few extra hours of sleep.

In the wing, you could see people at every table writing on brightly-colored construction paper. Why, you might ask. Recently, we have been tasked with undertaking the infamous “3-3-3’s,” which is a rite of passage here at PEP.

So, what exactly is a 3-3-3? You know that old school assignment where you had to write a specific word or phrase a certain number of times? Now, imagine doing that with 17 pages, each 11”X7.5” filled with information, and writing all of that out THREE TIMES! It may sound easy, but for a lot of us, that pen a paper almost won.

Some of our brothers gave up once presented with this endeavor. Some of us experienced hand cramps. However, for those of us who came out victorious, we will forever share a bond through this adversity that we overcame together.

PEP is not for the weak or faint of heart. It takes a lot of discipline and consistency to make it through this program. So, between the heavy workload and high expectations, you could say that having a day off to get some extra sleep and complete some assignments truly made it a Good Friday.

Kyi H. (aka “Jhene Aiko”)

 

Expression

“Bury your past, or it will bury you.”

– Dwight Thompson

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which the higher power has called me to do. Choosing to live in the past can cause all kinds of bitterness, rage and anger toward myself and others. Forgiveness of self is impossible until you stop living for a better past. If I want to see change happen in my life, then I’ll have to have a vision that goes beyond what I’ve already seen and experienced. You must also be fully committed to change – that’s the only way transformation will be made complete.

I must forgive myself for the mistakes I’ve made in the past. It’s easy to try to hide them and not think about them, but the things that we hide have power over us. They can sit there in the back of our minds and grow toxic, eating away at our self-assurance, not even realizing what’s happening. My foolish behavior is now a thing of the past, but I also can remember a time when I couldn’t disconnect from it mentally or emotionally. A sense of self-condemnation was draining me of my energy. It’s like I still wanted to hold on to my past – up until I picked up the Bible. When Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished,” the score card for my sins was torn up. Once he died for my sins, he canceled the record that contained the charges against me. I forgave myself then.

Ketrick H. (aka “Scrappy-Doo”)

 

Monday                                                                                                April 7, 2025

Today was a great day for us in the dorm, as far as energy and productivity. We woke up in the dorm with great energy and abundance. We came out to the day room with different things to study. There were Living in the Village study groups as well as a few Entrepreneurship study groups. There is always something productive or positive going on in the dorm; sometimes it may just be positive conversation about family.

Next up, we had a pitch panel: this is when we practice our business pitches. We also practiced our Toastmasters speeches and using proper grammar. We’re learning to speak without using slang on this current project.

We are always very respectful of one another when it comes to living together. We have accountability groups in the dorm, that focus on building each other up and holding each other accountable. Our group is called the Regulators, and today it was our turn to clean the dorm. One person mopped, another swept, another wiped the tables and the rest cleaned the showers.

This program involves a lot of character development, and it’s always a team effort. The Prison Entrepreneurship Program helps us become better sons, husbands, fathers and men overall. We just have to use the tools that we’re given. Everything we do, from the class to the dorm, puts us in a better situation while incarcerated.

We have learned so much in the last six weeks here in PEP. Tonight, we had a big spread, and everybody pitched in a little bit of food. We all cooked and ate roast beef tacos, sodas and cheesecake together. We ended the night with a prayer circle, where everybody circled up and prayed together, then shook hands as the day came to an end.

Deon G. (aka “Missy Elliot”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               April 8, 2025

Today was test day! This was the day most of us had been preparing for all week. These tests can be tough! So, a lot of us really focused on studying for them. On test day, when we wake up in the morning and come to the dayroom, we find groups of people studying. We are all trying to cram in as much information as possible to ensure we do our best.

At 7:45 a.m., a Servant-Leader came to the door and yelled, “PEP current class testing!” We all started heading out the door and down to the classroom. We got to class and collected our name badges as we waited for the Servant-Leaders to finish setting up the tables and computers for testing. Once they finished, we were instructed to take our seats, log in to our accounts and proceed with testing. We had a one-hour time limit. Before we knew it, the time limit was up and the test was over.

Next, it was time to do our peer reviews. This was when we read and reviewed our classmates’ responses to the open-ended questions. We had 30 minutes to finish these before it was all over – finally, we could relax!

On the weekly schedule, it said we had BetterMan (character development portion of the curriculum) for the second half of the day, but due to technical malfunctions with the recording equipment, we had to re-record our team introduction videos. Once those were finished, our day was complete. Now, it was time to go back to the dorm and get some much-needed rest.

 Jacob G. (aka “The Leprechaun”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          April 9, 2025

Today was a fantastic day in the PEP classroom. After breakfast, we had a prayer circle and prayed in. We prayed for our families, kids and parents, as well as many other things that we need help with from God. It’s a daily tradition that brings great spiritual energy to the classroom. Our community here is closeknit, and that was apparent today when everyone broke up into groups and had discussions about things currently going on with our families.

We held a pitch panel after dinner today to help sharpen our business pitches for the competition. The Servant-Leaders gave us great feedback and advice – whether it was about our tone of voice, vocabulary, delivery, posture, room control, hand gestures or eye contact, they broke down the fundamentals of public speaking. We definitely grew today with all the wisdom and knowledge that was imparted. All of the current students are receptive to the information being shared, and the attention to detail exhibited here is honestly astounding.

There is truly an amazing feeling we all get here in the PEP dorm, with positive energy constantly flowing. Anyone who enters the room can definitely feel the love that we have for each other. That is a true testament to the effort that PEP puts into our transformation and character development. While they do place a great emphasis on being a successful entrepreneur, PEP makes the point that it is all useless without the proper character. We have learned that good character is the foundation of success.

Today was truly a great day, and we’re always excited to see what tomorrow has in store. We are all honestly proud to be a part of the PEP revolution!

 Nasir G. (aka “Microwave”)

 

Thursday                                                                                           April 10, 2025

Today, PEP class was exciting and beneficial toward our personal growth. We arrived in the classroom, and everyone was energetic and positive toward each other, acknowledging one another by exchanging smiles and handshakes. Then, after everyone grabbed their name badges, we did a morning ritual here at PEP and went to the “back of the room.” We began to dance as a class together toward the front of the room, down the middle row, to each of our assigned seats. One of our PEP brothers volunteered to pray us in. Of course, count time came afterwards, so once we all got counted, we walked back to our assigned seats.

One of our Peer Educators spoke to us about our group competition pitches that are due Friday. We will begin recording on Monday and obtain feedback on where to improve our pitches for our group competition coming up in a few weeks.

We then had two PEP graduates from the previous class talk to us about the word of the day: syndrome, which is defined as a characteristic combination of opinions, emotions and behavior. Sharing these words of the day is meant to help us grow mentally and to help us better understand how we can improve.

We had two executives volunteer their time to teach us about Chapters 6 and 7 from the Entrepreneurship textbook. They taught us valuable information about budgeting and cash flow when starting a business. We then got together afterwards with our big pitch groups to discuss our pitches for the upcoming competition.

Today was an energetic day, and we are excited to see what PEP has in store for us tomorrow.

Juvenal G. (aka “Garfield”)

 

Friday                                                                                                April 11, 2025

Today started out awesome – we went to the chow hall and had a good breakfast. Then we came back to the dorm and worked on our “3-3-3’s” for about an hour before making sure that all of us had our homework in order before heading to class. Once we entered the classroom, everybody greeted each other and got situated. Then we prayed in.

The schedule for the day was for everyone to do their Toastmasters speeches. Since there are 91 of us in the class, we were going to have a long day. We were informed the day before about the “3-3-3’s” homework, so we were all pretty tired from staying up late and trying to get as much done as possible. It started out with some really good testimonies, and everyone was doing great. We got through about 20 speeches before we took a break for lunch.

We went back to the dorm for about an hour and worked on our “3-3-3’s” some more before we went back to class to continue our Toastmasters. Once we got back, we heard probably another 20 testimonies before we had to end class. We prayed out before everybody went back to their dorms.

The testimonies that did not get heard will be done next Thursday. That gave us a little extra time to work on them to make sure that we are ready before we headed back to our dorms to work on our “3-3-3’s” some more.

 Glenver H. (aka “Janky Tire Shop Owner”)

 

Expressions

“If you think you are beaten, you are

If you think you dare not, you don’t,

If you like to win but you think you can’t

It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost

For out of the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow’s will

It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are

You’ve got to think high to rise,

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!”

– Walter Wintle

I read this quote every morning, and truly this is one of my favorites. It inspires me to believe in myself. Self-confidence is a huge attribute that one can possess.

James Allen wrote As a Man Thinketh, a book that discusses our subconscious mind and how it translates into our physical reality. So, if we have destructive thoughts and we continue to let those thoughts empower our minds, we then begin walking a path of self-destruction.

This is why I constantly feed my mind constructive thoughts. I devote 10 minutes to myself on a daily basis to improve self-confidence. I now have a better perspective of what a better lifestyle is about. I have rebuilt relationships that I had broken in the past due to my lack of self-confidence. The reflections of my behaviors started from a simple thought. By understanding this nature and the subconscious mind within, I now can become the man that wins.

 Gareic H. (aka “The Light Tyson”)

 

Monday                                                                                            March 31, 2025

Class was a pretty amazing today, after pray-in, we went over a pretty deep quote. Which went like this, “Heart racing, legs trembling, palms damp with sweat, you cling to the side of the wall in search of the next hold, the next foot placement that will advance you higher. You catch a glimpse of the distance below as your brain confronts you with all the things that can go wrong. What if I fall? With every move you fight against your mind, every cell in your body screaming. You reach the top; your tiny size put into context against the giant walls. You feel powerful, humbled, free. In this inspired instant, you realize that it is not always about the climb itself but what you learn about yourself on the way up.”

We all took something from this, the majority of us seeing it as to never look back to the past, and to always continue to push forward. After that, we had a pretty fun teamwork exercise involving spaghetti noodles, string, tape and a marshmallow. There was only twenty minutes given to work together and build the tallest structure that can hold the marshmallow up without falling over.

Also, we got our CEO’s picked and got to congratulate each and every one of them for their hard work on their pitches. There wasn’t a dull moment in class today, and we are growing closer as a brotherhood each and every day. We all strive to be the best person we can be and all look forward to more amazing days like this that PEP has to offer.

Jose C. (aka “Shakira”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                               April 1, 2025

Today started off with an amazing breakfast and we came back to our dorms. Since it was test day the day room was full of men studying together. Our level of dedication to preparation and excellence is really starting to show.

We were called to the PEP room at 8:15 a.m., and you could feel the excitement fill the room. Gone was the worry and fear of the 1^st and 2^nd tests. It has been replaced by the strength of men that; as a group, was prepared to execute and perform at a level commensurate with our combined expectation. As we looked around the room, our eyes met and conveyed the reassurance that each man had done his part and was confident in his ability to perform his task without question. We had one hour to complete our tests and unlike chapter one and two; no one was frantically trying to guess at a last answer. Instead, the look of sureness in ourselves was in all the faces around the room.

We were released to lunch and then came back to have an insightful BetterMan class with David F. The journey has only just begun and yet men who but one month ago barely spoke to each other; were now opening up and truly seeking to draw on the brothers to their left and right. Seeking guidance and support while they confronted the ghosts of their past, and just as iron sharpens iron; all of us have begun to mold into a forged sword that was able to rise and meet any challenge as one.

Every day we grow as men! If this is how far we have advanced in a month, then watch out for the brothers in this PEP class. Because we are going to shatter the ceiling of misconception and self-doubt.

 Jonathan C. (aka “Cotton Hill”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                         April 2, 2025

There was never a boring moment in our PEP class. From the moment Jonathan C. Prayed us In, to the assignment of CMO’s, COO’s, CFO’s and dancing from the back of the room; there was excitement!

Once we finished dancing, everybody cheered as Michelle G. entered the room. She was wearing her TCU shirt, because she is a professor there. She had all of the CEO’s stand up and introduce themselves, and their businesses. We were briefly interrupted for count time, and we had to be quiet so the correctional officer could hear everybody say their pod and bunk number. When Ms. Michelle continued, she began with owning her Fun Name, “King Leonidas” by screaming, “We are Spartaaaaa!” She then resumed with Chapter twelve of the Entrepreneurship book by asking, “When getting your business up and running, how do you establish legitimacy so customers can trust you?” She spoke about: production charting, time management and finding a good location. She spoke about the need to include all licensing, inspections, permits, hiring and training when estimating finances.  She taught us that marketing is much easier now with the internet. We no longer have the Yellow Pages, and she taught us that Credit Karma can help us rebuild our credit, and that we must keep our personal and business finances in separate accounts. Fidelity can insure our businesses, and LinkedIn is good for networking. Word of mouth is our most important advertising and it can “make or break us.”

Before class ended, our PEP brothers introduced Jeremy W. and Shawn B. to speak about re-entry and the benefits of transitional housing. The day had come to an end, and our brother Garret M. Prayed us Out. What a great day! All the knowledge poured into us was amazing! Thank you PEP! God Bless all who reads this journal. We live “Between the Wings!

 (Rene D. aka “Yellow Angry Bird”)

 

Thursday                                                                                             April 3, 2025

Today was an amazing day, and upon entering the PEP classroom: there was an abundance of laughter and positive energy. We have a ritual here at PEP: before class starts, we acknowledge our brothers by greeting each other and shaking each other’s hands. Some CEOs of the Business Plan Competition (BPC) pulled their groups to the side and delegated tasks for the upcoming event.

After which everybody settled into their assigned seats and then the famous “Back of the Room” call was presented, and all of the CEOs had to go to the back of the room and dance down the middle row to the front of the class. We continued to stand as one of our PEP brothers began to Pray us In. Today the Word of the Day is “thought,” which is: the process of using your mind to consider something carefully.

We all agreed that as a man thinks so he is; in which we considered that we should be conscious of what we allow into our garden. (Subconscious) Because if no useful seeds are put into the soil, then an abundance of useless seeds will be harvested and continue to grow. Then a situation was presented to us, and it was: a millionaire gave you a million dollars and he told you to pay him two million back in thirty days. How would we do it? One of our brother’s answer was to leverage that million with their bank and ask for a loan of a million using the prior million as collateral. We didn’t consider that once we pull a loan on the prior million; that it will be frozen, putting us in debt for a million and leaving us with the initial million we started off with.

Today we reviewed Chapter nine of our Entrepreneurship Book, and had who better than to help us review other than: Mike B. aka “Sweet Key Lime Pie.” He lectured us over the legal issues that may come up with a new business. Equipping us with the knowledge of the differences between partnerships, sole proprietorship and corporations. He kept us engaged with an occasional joke throughout the lecture. Today was an awesome day and we are excited to see what’s next to come!

Marcus D. (aka “Steve Urkel”)

 

Friday                                                                                                   April 4, 2025

Today in our PEP class was family day; a day we’ve been looking forward to. We began the day with our normal routine; arriving to the classroom, everyone started greeting each other and the classroom was filled with positive energy. We grabbed our badges, turned in our homework and found our designated seats for the day. We were brought to attention to start our daily ritual and given a blessed pray-in by our brother Rene D. We were then seated, and we looked up at the projected screen and saw the 10 top GPA’s called to the Back of the Room. We got up to clap for them as they danced to the front of the classroom to start the mornings vibe. One of the emcees grabbed the microphone and introduced Ms. Laura S., who was already at the back of the classroom.

So, the DJ put some music on while she boogied to the front as we clapped for her. She then introduced herself as Laura S. aka “The Grammar Assassin” and owned her name by: acting as if she was throwing commas in our direction. She was very nice and proceeded to tell us a little about herself. She said she has one son and told us that she has been with PEP, talking to families, for a while now, and loves doing what she does. Furthermore, she said she would be putting a lot of time towards contacting our families and letting them know about the program and graduation. Sadly, she said her father-in-law had recently passed, we want to give our condolences to her and her family from us here in PEP.

We then watched some positive movies while we waited to see the photobooth to take pictures for something special our kids. Then shortly after, we saw Ms. Laura S. for our one-on-ones. She was very kind and gave a motherly vibe, and was very sincere in asking questions about our families. When we were done, we put our badges up and were released back to our dorms. We would like to thank her for still coming and reaching out to our families.

Mario D. (aka “Danny Trejo”)

 

Expression

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in you brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye; when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Do not give dog’s what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one sees finds and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” -Jesus Christ

These are words of the greatest man who walked the earth. These words were recorded according to Matthew who also inspired me with a quote saying- “People out here define us because of our past but it’s because of Him, the Lord and Savior, we do things differently.”- The Apostle Matthew (fictional excerpt from famed biblical series The Chosen) And this inspires me because people like to judge all. But they don’t perceive the log in their own eyes, but want to be quick to judge others.

So, I am very inspired by the Most High and love Him very much. Now I learned how not to judge others but to help and love others. I myself am a changed man by faith, and also restored by faith. Doors are being opened by faith and so much more will be done by faith, thank you.

 Rene G. (aka “Squidward”)

Monday                                                                                            March 24, 2025

Today was another productive day well spent in our PEP class. Every day that we are blessed to attend our class is greatly appreciated. We always welcome each other as we make our way to get our badges and find our assigned seats.

We started our day with a “back of the room” routine, where we get to dance our way to the front of the classroom. It helps to break any tension we might have and break us out of our character a little bit. Dancing is always greeted with laughter and smiles, and it is great to see everyone enjoying themselves as we dance away.

Afterwards, we took our seats and allowed one of our brothers to pray us in. We gave thanks to our Lord above for allowing us to be in good health and for taking care of our loved ones, peers and staff. Bruce T. blessed us with his presence today, educating us on the different types of life insurance policies and their functions. Once we finished today’s chapter in our Living in the Village workbook, we proceeded to take our chapter test based on last week’s reading.

After completing testing for the day, we wrapped up our day by praying out, hanging up our badges and exiting the room. We look forward to tomorrow, knowing that we are always blessed to learn something new that will assist us when we return to society. It’s always beneficial, and we look forward to every day in this program.

Javier C. (aka “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                            March 25, 2025

This day, like every day, was unique in its own style. We love coming to class first thing in the morning, with music coming from the loudspeakers, everybody mingling around greeting each other for the morning, talking about the day or night before and our current assignment(s). The vibe is one of strong positivity and camaraderie with our PEP brothers and volunteers.

After getting settled into our assigned seats, we prayed in, arms around our closest brothers, to begin the day with our best foot forward. As soon as we said “Amen,” the emcees got on the mic and announced who would go to go to the back of the room to dance down the middle of the aisle to whatever music they selected to play over the loudspeakers. It’s a way to get the blood pumping and our spirits even higher, as well as a way for us to get comfortable with each other and wash the penitentiary mindset and stigma off us. It is something we all need to bring us closer together. Today, our brother went off on the dance he did. We couldn’t contain our laughter as he provided us with the morning’s entertainment.

We then focused on presenting our elevator pitches in preparation for the executives who will be coming to Friday’s event. We all have been putting in the extensive work required, and man it shows! We are all excited for our first event; we’re also nervous, but with all we have done so far – with the help of our PEP brothers, the 10 Driving Values and PEP staff – it’s given us the confidence to overcome this and look forward to everything else.

 Jonathan C. (aka “Tookie from George of the Jungle”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                       March 26, 2025

Everyone got up early today to study for the Chapter 3 and 4 tests out of our Entrepreneurship textbook. We all waited anxiously in the dayroom, going over flashcards and study notes while waiting for Adam W. to come in and yell, “PEP current class!”

When we all got to the PEP classroom, all that we expected was a normal test day. All the tables were set up, each with three chairs. We all sat down and waited for the laptops. Once the laptops were passed out, everyone attempted to log in to the PEP test page, but one person after another began to have problems signing into the test page. Eventually, the Peer Educators and Facilitators realized that the problem was the internet connection. We were all instructed to sign out of the laptops and power them down. After that, we were all instructed to go to the back of the room so that all the Servant-Leaders could begin to arrange the room for paper testing. This worried the whole class because none of us knew what to expect as far as the layout or format of the test.

So, we all found our seats and our brother David F. prayed for us, but not before giving us words of advice and encouragement. He told us to keep up the good work and not give up. As soon as the timer started ticking, the PEP room went silent, and testing was in full effect. After the timer reached zero, all tests were picked up, and we were allowed to speak amongst ourselves. We were all asking each other how we felt we did. We were all confident we did well. Looks like all the studying and hard work paid off. 

 (Phillip C. aka “Paul Naw”)

 

Thursday                                                                                         March 27, 2025       

Today in PEP was another inspirational and insightful experience. After we prayed in, two of our PEP brothers, Javier C. and Jeremy W., gave us the Word of the Day: resilience. They gave us some great examples of how to be resilient when going through difficult situations. They also explained why it’s important to develop resilience to be able to bounce back from any obstacles that may present themselves.

After some more good examples and great feedback, another PEP brother shared some of his insights and knowledge on the foreign exchange market.

Afterwards, we welcomed our guest speaker, Cindy V., who gave a great lecture that hit all the key points on Chapter 5 of our Entrepreneurship textbook. After Cindy V. finished sharing her knowledge on Chapter 5 (“Business Mission Statement and Strategy”), we welcomed another executive, Jeff H. He came to speak about one of our 10 Driving Values: “Excellence.” He spoke on what it means to be excellent and how to achieve it for yourself.

Afterward, we broke for lunch and spent a little time back on our pods to reflect on everything from the first half of class. When we came back to class, we welcomed our third and final speaker for the day, Carl B. He gave a lecture on Chapter 11 from our Entrepreneurship book covering marketing, and he made a lot of great points on the subject. He also gave great examples of good and bad marketing; sales; and customer targeting.

After he finished his presentation, we prayed out and were done with another great day. We definitely left with more knowledge than we had before the day started!

 (Scott C. aka “Yank”)

 

Friday                                                                                                 March 28, 2025

On the Sanders Estes Unit, there is no other place like the PEP classroom. Today we held our Big Idea Pitch event with the executives in the gymnasium. As we arrived, the vibe in the classroom was already alive with smiles and handshakes coming from every direction. Everything we have all been practicing for comes down to this moment. So, you can imagine what was going through all of our minds when we walked in and noticed that there were a few faces we had never seen, and the room was set up a little differently.

Our day began with PEP participants going to the back of the room to dance to the music the DJ chose to play, but today the DJ was calling out pairs of guys to have a dance contest. We all paid close attention to the board, just hoping our name didn’t show up (at least for those of us that can’t dance or are too shy).

After that “intense but fun” dance contest to begin our day, we all bowed our heads as one of our participants volunteered to pray us in. Next, the facilitators explained to us what was expected, including that it would be fun. We then did a few test runs just to get a feel of what it would be like in the gym. After lunch, we all headed back to the classroom for count time. We knocked that out quickly and got started with the “real deal” event in the gym.

We were all excited and at the same time very nervous. As we walked into the gym, music was playing and there was a huge group of executives cheering and giving us high fives! They were all smiling, yelling and dancing. It was a time we will all remember for the rest of our lives. After the event, all the participants were talking about how much fun it actually was. It helped many of us come out of our shell and not to be so intimidated. It felt great! We are all eager to see each other graduate this class in the near future. Thank you PEP!

 (Perfecto C. aka “Sweet Pan Dulce”)

 

Expression

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect worback, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

– James 1:2-4

“Count it all joy”? That sounds like an impossible task when we look at our various trials in life. Yes, counting it “all joy” is a tough task. It is a call to understand suffering from the vantage point of confidence in God’s sovereignty.

Trials can be considered pure joy only when one realizes that they are designed by God for a purpose. They are tests of faith given in order to develop perseverance. In turn, perseverance produces a mature Christian character.

The early believers were persecuted for their faith. They knew what it was to suffer because they loved Jesus. But James clearly reminded them, and he reminds us, that God is very aware of those trials and is very present in them.

Of course, these growing pains hurt, yet God enables us to count these tough times “all joy.” I know he has revealed Himself to be faithful, wise and loving. Also, I know from his Word that He can and does redeem the most difficult of life’s experiences. He has lifted me up while going through my prison sentence and will continue to do so after I am released.

I also have the ultimate security: I will spend eternity with Him. Yes, the world brings loss, pain and sorrow, but the promise of eternal life can help us remember that there is more to life than what this world has to offer – after all, God is with me on the journey. He will not let me go, and He has reserved a place for me in heaven for eternity.

Johnny C. (aka “Igor”)

Monday                                                                                            March 17, 2025

There is no better way to start your day than walking into a room full of positivity. Before we embarked on our lesson for the day, we prayed in and gave our thanks to God. Then, before Chaplain Bruce T. made his way down the aisle, we needed him to go to the back of the room! On our feet, we clapped as he danced his way down to the front.

We started our lesson from the book Living in the Village by listening to Bruce T. explain how big businesses use marketing tools to persuade us to spend our money. We watched a video about the “Marshmallow Method” and why it’s important to wait and not rush into anything at the first sight of financial progress.

We then took a test over Chapters 1 and 2, which we discussed last week. Afterwards, we went into our next phase of BetterMan. David F. lead us as we read out of our pamphlets about unfinished business. He stated why it was important to know where you come from, because you must know that in order to know where you’re going. Then we broke into groups to discuss our perspectives. Some of the questions were along the lines of, “If you can change one thing about your upbringing, what would it be?” Basically all of the questions were some version of the question, “Is there any ‘unfinished business’ from your past that you believe is still affecting you today?”

Group work is an essential part of PEP; it really connects us as brothers and pushes us to open up in order to truly be men in the right way. After finishing up in our groups, we closed out class by practicing our pitches for the upcoming Big Idea Pitch event. It was helpful to hear some wise feedback from our In-Prison Manager, Adam W. We look forward to growing and learning throughout our PEP journeys.

Desmond B. (aka “Lil Ron Ron”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                            March 18, 2025

When we entered the PEP classroom, the first thing we did was greet our fellow brothers. Then, we got our name tags off the wall and went to some tables with computers. Before we sat down or started testing, we prayed in. After we said “Amen,” we took our seats and got ready to test. Today was our class’s first day of testing on the Entrepreneurship course. We had an hour to test, but during the test they called chow and everyone went to the lunchroom to eat.

When we came back to class, they needed to make sure everyone was there so that no one would be left out. Once everyone came back, we proceeded with the test. After we finished testing, we got up from our tables and computers, and they put our chairs back in order so that we could begin our second half of class, which was Toastmasters. Toastmasters is a public speaking curriculum where we give speeches in front of the class. We are on Project #1, called the “Ice Breaker” speech, which lasts four to six minutes. The point of this speech is to let our class know a little bit about ourselves and what it was like growing up. Most of us spoke about how we got here and where we are trying to go in life.

During a speech, we are not allowed to use “crutch words” or slang. If we do, they let us know by hitting a bell, and they keep a record of which of these words we used so that we can work on not using them. Because our class is as large as it is, with almost one hundred participants, we had to split the class in two to complete this first speech. A couple of people talked about their life until it was time to go, at which point we bowed our heads and prayed out. We put our name tags on the wall and walked back to our dorm, finishing another successful day in PEP.

Emmanuel B. (aka “Fake Ja Rule”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                       March 19, 2025

We didn’t have class today because the Servant-Leaders had a meeting in the morning, and in the afternoon the last class of PEP graduates, Relentless ’25, held a Clubhouse meeting. But that didn’t stop us from having a productive day in the dorm. It was certainly relaxed though, even though everybody had pitch sheets to get signed. So throughout the day, we were all pitching our businesses to each other and working on perfecting our skills.

Some of us were studying our Living in the Village workbooks, getting ready for the next lecture and test on Monday, while others were busy studying our Entrepreneurship textbook to get ready for that test next Tuesday. Those tests are hard and require a lot of studying to do well.

They posted the Living in the Village tests in the dorm on the wall so we could see how we did. Overall, it was a productive and relaxed day in the dorm. Some of the Servant-Leaders came back at lunch and helped those of us who wanted help with what they could. About half of the Servant-Leaders left after lunch, but the few that remained were really helpful. This class has a lot to offer and without the hand up, a lot of us will not make it in the future. We are truly grateful for the opportunity that PEP has given us.

In the afternoon, we watched TV and just enjoyed each other’s company in a place that is so much less hostile than anywhere else in the system. Thank you PEP for everything.

Julian B. (aka “Joda-Wish”)

 

Thursday                                                                                           March 20, 2025

Today was a busy and productive day in our PEP class. Class began as usual around 8 a.m., this time with everyone wearing white shoes dancing from the back of the room! We opened with our daily prayer and had a class discussion on consciousness. Everyone made excellent points on how important it is for all of us to be aware of certain situations as well as ourselves.

An executive volunteer came in and taught us Chapters 3 and 4 from our Entrepreneurship textbook. We discussed business idea generation, initial evaluation and external analysis. He’s an excellent teacher, and he did a great job explaining how these topics relate to our own business ideas. We were dismissed for our lunch break and returned at 1 p.m.

The second half of class was dedicated to Toastmasters. We are finishing Project #1 and have begun to get more comfortable speaking to an audience. We are also discovering the speaking skills we already have, and which skills need our attention. Each of our classmates spoke for four to six minutes. We speak about ourselves and what brought us to prison and PEP.

We were dismissed at 3 p.m. and returned to our pods. We had dinner at 4:30 p.m., followed by our individual pod and team meetings at 5 p.m. We met with our accountability groups and did a 360 assessment on a participant and discussed accountability and integrity. We finish the evening by doing our assignments, practicing our pitches, spending time together and preparing for another great day in PEP.

God bless PEP and all of our brothers.

John B. (aka “Bobby Bouchea”)

 

Friday                                                                                                 March 21, 2025

We came to class to continue with our first Toastmasters project with noticeable apprehension and ended the day with a pleasant surprise. As soon as we got our IDs and sat down for Toastmasters, everyone with Jackie Chans had to go to the back of the room and dance up to the front. By the time we danced and sat down, it was time for Toastmasters.

When we got toward the end of the class, we got a guest speaker who is famous in the Texas prison system: Keidrain B. of Brewster Trucking Co. Everyone was full of life as soon as he entered the room. We asked a bunch of questions, and it was a quite stimulating discussion. Keidrain B. told us his story about where he came from, and it got us all going crazy. We even gave him a fun name: T. Pain, and he sings “Let me buy you a drank” with a little dance. It was quite an ecstatic atmosphere in the PEP room!

Then, the Toastmasters lead closed out by asking us who our favorite Toastmaster (speaker) of today was. Now that most of us are done with Project #1, we will be moving on to Project #2. This day pumped most of our brothers up, and we will be looking forward to what PEP has to offer us in the coming months. After we prayed out, some of us got to talk to our fellow PEP brothers before heading back to our dorms. Thank you PEP for a great experience – in prison!

Damarte B. (aka “Bruh-Man from the fifth floor”)

 

Expressions

“I think, therefore I am.”

– René Descartes

Descartes was a philosopher born in the late 1500s. Known as the father of modern philosophy, his definition of this quote – the very act of doubting one’s existence – proves that a thinking entity (or self) exists. Reading this quote really got me thinking (no pun intended) about being aware of my own consciousness and/or whether my subconscious is a separate self – as in, its own entity. Is thinking actually a manifestation of thoughts being subconsciously aware of oneself? There must be a thinker (self) to have the thought, and those thoughts turn into feelings or actions.

Can one determine his existence with just thought? Do we question our own existence? Does thought equal consciousness? Is consciousness an identity unto itself? These are all questions that you may ask yourself when reading such a broad quote. I’ve asked myself these questions, as well as some deeper questions, such as: does dualism exist? Are your mind, body and soul distinct, and if so, are they aware of each other individually?

These are just some of the questions I ponder daily. Other questions include: where does our conscious awareness come from? Is there a God? Does said God control our awareness? If we are unable to prove our own existence, are we really alive? Are thought and awareness the equivalent of consciousness? I don’t know, and I don’t think we’ll ever know.

Reading this quote keeps me grounded and reminds me how little I truly am compared to the vast imagination of thought.

Henry C. (aka “Honey Boo-Boo”)

Monday                                                                                            March 10, 2025

We started class by putting up our cups, grabbing our name badges and sitting in a quiet Monday morning fog – then all of a sudden, it was time: every man wearing a green jacket was instructed to go to the back of the room to get his dance on, and it was fun and funky. One guy had to do the “Wheel of Doom,” which has a layout similar to the Wheel of Fortune. The Wheel of Doom is just a fun game and accountability tool that the Prison Entrepreneurship Program uses to lighten the mood of prison while helping to wash off the tough exterior that a prison environment creates.

After more dances and laughs, we began our first day with Bruce T., one of our many wonderful executive volunteers. He began by introducing us to the class that he will be teaching us called “Living in the Village.” He likes to refer to it as “Living in the Neighborhood,” since his PEP fun name is Mr. Rogers from the old TV show Sesame Street. We covered a brief history of America’s economy from the Great Depression to the housing bubble busting (2007-2008). Then we moved on to the four steps of “getting your house in order” covered in Chapter 2 of the personal finance book Living in the Village, along with many other invaluable facts.

Once his class concluded, we moved back to selecting class members’ fun names. We chose many great fun names, and the whole class got a good laugh. Most of the names are based on cartoon characters from movies and TV shows.

After returning from lunch, we were introduced to another class called Toastmasters, which is a class committed to developing communication and leadership skills. Today’s PEP class was entertaining and gave us some solid insight into what challenges lie ahead.

Jason B. (aka “Shaggy from Scooby-Doo”)

 

Tuesday                                                                                            March 11, 2025

As we walked into the classroom today, everybody was excited and ready to give their business pitches. Jeremy W. started his journey with us as an emcee, and he did great. The men living in M-pod had to dance, followed by Zach B., Javier C. and Jaime P. giving us our two Words of the Day: consistent and consistency. The definition of consistent is “acting or done the same way over time, especially to be fair or accurate,” while “the quality of always doing or behaving in similar ways” defines the word consistency.

Next, we were given the BPC pitch sheet by Jeffery L. (aka “The Weather Man”), who told us to memorize our pitches by the end of the weekend, if possible. Then we ran through our first two pitches (Jaime P. first, then Felix W.) before we had to do the “danger quiet game,” aka count time with consequences. Afterward, we heard from Jonathan C. about his super useful chemical clean-all solution; Kyveon H. with his breakfast food truck and famous glazed donut cheesy burger; Patrick V. with his EV charging mobile assistance; Jason K. and his doggy daycare/Hilton hotel grooming facility; Craig S. with his Boston’s best burgers and subs in the back of a food truck idea; Jyron K. with his trucking logistics company; Terry N. with his power washing business; and Juan Z. with his EV trucking logistics company. Most of these gentlemen are from J-Pod, where we make millionaire moguls.

This journal session was fun, and we hope you gained insight into a normal day in PEP.

Elijah B. (aka “Lloyd from Dumb & Dumber”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                       March 12, 2025

This morning heading into the PEP classroom, we could all see our brothers smiling and greeting each other. We entered the room and everyone was shaking hands, and you could just feel all the positive energy. Next, we grabbed our name badges and found out where we were going to sit today before we had our daily pray-in.

Right after pray-in, the next thing we heard was, “Everyone with white shoes on, head to the back of the room!” The entire place came alive, and the music turned on; all of our brothers started dancing and clapping. If there was a man in the room that wasn’t fully awake, they sure were now! Then it was time to sit down for the “Word of the Day.” Today’s two words were “sight” and “vision.” Jeremy W. and Orrian E. gave their thoughts about these words and what the words mean to them. They went back and forth about it, and then for about five minutes or so, they picked people out of the crowd that had their hands up, asking them what their thoughts were. One of our PEP brothers said something that hit home with us: one day, when he was driving down a road in his hometown, a building came into view. He could envision himself running a business out of it, and it took fifteen years to make it happen, but he never lost his vision. It all starts with a vision, and it can take years, but if you never lose sight of your vision, you’ll make it happen.

We concluded class with Toastmasters, which is a course that is a beast of its own. Its focus is on helping us become more effective communicators, and it is just one of the many tools that PEP uses to rehabilitate us for society. Finally, we prayed out and went home for the day.

Charles B. (aka “Beaker from The Muppets”)

 

Thursday                                                                                           March 13, 2025

 

This morning, we walked into class and were greeted by the Servant-Leaders. On our way to get to our name tags/badges, we greeted one another and, once we retrieved our badges, we sat in our assigned seats indicated by a chart that tells us where we’ll be sitting for the day. Our seating chart changes every day or two so that we get to know everybody in our class. We found our seats and settled in.

Every day, the screens will say something like “everybody with a green jacket, go to the back of the room,” which means it’s time for those men to dance down the aisle. Everyone who isn’t dancing gets up and claps for the ones who are dancing, and it’s a pretty good way to start the day. Also every day, we also have a Word (or Words) of the Day; today’s words were “endurance” and “self-discipline.” A couple of Servant-Leaders spoke about these words and then let a few of us from the current class speak about them as well.

Afterwards, we had a special guest Gerald D. come and talk to us for a while and give us his testimony. He did nine years on a 10-year sentence and is now on PEP’s staff. After he finished, we talked about and created our PEP Coat of Arms, which is a vision board with our head shots glued to a superhero’s body; we also need to include two of PEP’s 10 Driving Values on there, along with some other images that express who we are and what we represent. It was another great day in PEP!

Joshua B. (aka “Sho-Nuff”)

 

Friday                                                                                                 March 14, 2025

Good morning, PEP family and friends! We started this great Friday off with our daily meet and greet. Then we prayed in as a family, followed by dancing. That’s when we saw this on the screen: “If you think you will be a CEO, to the back of the room!” So, all of us in the current class got up and started to dance, beginning class with positive energy as everyone laughed jokingly with their PEP brothers.

As we continued with our morning, the two emcees gave us the Word of the Day: “reason,” which means a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc. One of the emcees made some good statements about what is the reasoning on the things we do and why we do it. As we went on thru class we gave some guys their fun names. It was pretty funny. One person got Cotton from King of the Hill and somebody else got Thumbs off of the movie Spy Kids. It brings back a lot of our late 90’s and early 2000’s childhood movies we use to enjoy watching as kids while growing up. While we were doing the names three people got the wheel of doom. The class got them to do boot camp. They had them march around class yelling at them as if they were in basic training. We got information on a family package on the people at the PEP Headquarters so they can contact our family. Once we came back from our break, we got into our book and PowerPoint of Entrepreneurship. The guy that was up front gave us a powerful statement on how to start a business and how to maintain a business. He gave us some key tips on the business he has and what it will take to sustain a business. The pros and cons of having a business. After his PowerPoint, he answered some questions from the guys of our current class. This is the journey of how us guys in PEP class was on this beautiful Friday.

Martavious B. (aka “Squirrel Master”)

 

Expression

“I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from pain and treasure the most precious gift I have-life itself.” -Walter Anderson, “Overcoming Obstacles”

This quote means a lot to me and was taught to me by my grandmother when I was a young boy. It’s about being able to channel your energy, especially after the loss of a loved one such as my grandfather. He was a huge father figure to me growing up, and it showed me two things. You can be sad and give up on life, or channel that sadness into something positive. Being young and not knowing how to cope I chose sports as an outlet, as many of us have. I channeled my energy to be good at football, but turned out to be great at it. I earned two D-1 scholarships: One to OSU and one to LSU. I felt like I had the world in the palm of my hand. Still coping was a part of who I became, but being young I chose to hang with the popular crowd and smoke weed. After smoking so much I began to slack in my studies and failed a history class with a 68%. “No pass, no play!”, I’ll never forget my coach telling me this, while simultaneously ripping my heart out of my chest. Having lost my D-1 scholarship after completely giving up, I had to find another outlet to channel my energy. That began when I purchased a 1967 Galaxy 500 at the age of twenty. With the car not being drivable, I towed it back home where I began to restore it to its former glory days. After getting the car running with a little help from YouTube University, I finally found a passion in life again. I chose to rise up and find something worth living for again by bringing life back into old classic cars. With that passion still fueling me today and having restored three other old school vehicles, I can’t wait to show my children that there is more to life than sadness.

Zachary B. (aka “Phineas from Phineas and Ferb”)

Tuesday                                                                                                 March 4, 2025

Today was our first day of class, and it was a totally different atmosphere than what most of us are used to – there was screaming and yelling as soon as we walked through the door, and the way the brothers greeted us broke down many walls. The greeting was welcoming, and you could feel the love. We saw the power of love today with people gathered together from all types of backgrounds, ages and ethnicities in one room.

That was only the beginning. The class was filled with excitement and positive energy. All the Servant-Leaders were easygoing, and you could tell they cared. Nobody had a chip on his shoulder or was angry. We were all united and of one accord, and the dancing kept everybody laughing and busy. Then we gave each other fun names, and this part of the day was hilarious. But the real shift came at the end, when we all had to do some leg raises on the floor. We couldn’t stop laughing.

Also, we were surprised when the guy from the free world spoke. David F. had been to prison before, not once but three times. He’s been through what we are going through and succeeded, taking PEP up on its offers when he left. Hopefully, the brothers are all encouraged the same way. His testimony wasn’t spectacular, but it was real; we could all see that. If he could go through this program and stay connected when he left, then we all felt we could do the same.

Overall, today was great, and PEP is going to be much more than we can even begin to fathom.

Fred A. (aka “Logan from Blue Streak”)

 

Wednesday                                                                                          March 5, 2025

We began our work by splitting into groups to discuss the two first Driving Values, “Fresh Start” Outlook and Servant-Leader Mentality, and what each one means to each of us. “Fresh Start” Outlook is embracing the opportunity for a new beginning. It’s about shedding past mistakes and focusing on the future with optimism and determination. We agreed this is like a clean slate for a fair chance to show our potential. It will allow us to restore our dignity regardless of background or personal history. We strive to equip human beings to achieve their full potential. We believe that people can change, dignity can be restored and as a result, society will reap bountifully.

The second Driving Value we discussed was Servant-Leader Mentality, which emphasizes leading by example and prioritizing the needs of others. This mindset helps build strong, supportive relationships while leading with empathy and respect. We discovered PEP believes that with leadership comes the overriding responsibility to be of service to others. We believe the contributions we make in the lives of others are far more important than our own accomplishments. We will lead by example with humility at sacrifice of personal glory.

PEP exists because of our desire to serve all those with whom we come into contact, especially our participants, executives, partners, donors, prison staff and the community at large. We agreed it is important to prioritize being of service to others. We also discussed being humble in leadership positions to build strong supportive relations and seeing others succeed over glorifying our own success. These are very important lessons we learned to help build our character and help us begin our journey to become better men and productive members of society.

Matthew A. (aka “Velma”)

 

Thursday                                                                                           March 6, 2025

Today in class, we took a personality test to understand our perspectives on different scenarios. The whole time, we laughed and had fun as positive energy and overall good vibes filled the atmosphere.

We have a daily ritual in our PEP class of starting each day with prayer, which is a true blessing from above. Then, as a class, we move to the back of the room and dance to the front. It’s a great way to start the day.

Today, we came to the front of the class and let our classmates give us fun names. That’s one of PEP’s ways of washing prison off of us. It’s pretty cool, honestly – no other prison program does this. We have Servant-Leaders who ensure we take the necessary steps toward true character development. As a class, we are honored to be here because these people could have left us stranded in those nasty old prisons; instead, they reached out to us, giving us a new direction for our lives. We all need it for sure.

PEP is about helping us grow to be more responsible, positive, self-motivated people for our community and our families. Today was the start of greatness, and we are eager to see what else PEP has to offer!

Jayden B. (aka “Shrek”)

 

Friday                                                                                                 March 7, 2025

Today we did not have class, but we did a lot in the dorm. Some of my fellow PEP brothers woke up early and got together to read the Bible. We read Scripture and shared our testimonies and experiences over some coffee. We share our stories to uplift each other; we also want to warn each other of our mistakes so that no one else repeats them.

The PEP environment helps us break the walls that we have created – both in the world and in prison – to protect ourselves when we had to live in “survival mode.” We see each other slowly break those cycles by openly communicating and sharing as we learn to use our 10 Driving Values, one of them being Love. We also serve each other and understand we have been given a great opportunity in PEP.

Throughout the day, we can see many PEP brothers exercise, study hard and work on assignments in order to change our old mentality. We also give ourselves breaks from studying and reading by watching TV or using our tablets in order to reach out to our loved ones on the outside for moral support. They remind us to give it our all in the program and become somebody different, to keep learning and changing our mentality.

We appreciate this wonderful opportunity we have been given to change our lives because now we have a bright future to look forward to. We practice applying the 10 Driving Values both inside and outside the classroom as we anxiously await the day we can apply them in the free world with family and friends, as well as in business.

Jaime B. (aka “The Map from Dora the Explorer”)

 

Expression

“Life is no straight and easy corridor along which we travel free and unhampered, but a maze of passages through which we must seek our way, lost and confused, now and again checked in a blind alley. But always if we have faith, a door will open for us, not perhaps one that we ourselves would ever have thought of, but one that will ultimately prove good for us.”

– AJ Cronin

This is a quote by AJ Cronin from the book Who Moved My Cheese. This quote hits home for me on so many levels. It is a good indication of how hard life is, but how faith in God can prevail and that He will show you a way out of the dark and into the light.

It makes me reflect on my life and how I once had everything going for me: a nice house; a great job; a beautiful, loving wife; two happy boys; three cars … but I lost my direction and faith after Covid hit. When I lost my job and couldn’t find steady work, I ended up going to a dark place and lost it all. My house, cars, wife – my whole life came crashing down, and I ended up in prison. This was the start of my maze of passages, feeling lost in a prison world I didn’t know and confused as to why and how I even ended up in this situation.

Then my dad passed away, and I realized I had no one to release to and nowhere to go. I hit rock bottom, and this was my blind alley check. A friend of mine had convinced me to go back to God and start reading the Bible, so I thought, “What do I have to lose, right?” About a week later, my parole was denied and another week later my short way was denied too. So, I decided to pray about it, put my faith in God and His process. I prayed for Him to please show me what He had planned for me, to basically show me the reason why I’m still in prison.

Three weeks later, I received PEP’s message on my tablet. I signed up for the program, sent in the application and got accepted. Now here I am, on a journey I never would have thought of or even known about. But by me having faith, I was led on a course that is proving to be extremely good for me.

 Jeremy B. (aka “Tom Hanks from Castaway”)