Estes Winter 2025 Weekly Journals

Monday                                                                                           November 11, 2024 

Hello, today is another great day here in PEP. We were all assigned our journals yesterday so here was how our day went. We are really learning a lot and how to be professional is one of the subjects. The example is on par with how the whole program really is. We showed up for class this morning and music was playing. We were all smiling and seeing familiar faces, we all were there along with our Peer Educators. There is a positive energy surrounding the class, just being around the energy boost our morale. Sometimes we need that energy in here to keep us in a good aura per say. PEP is testing us in various ways and it is a lot of work, let us tell you. We have multiple tests to study for along with business plan speeches to give. Not to mention we have Toastmasters which is a public speaking course that we do each week. This being the first time for some of us it can be nerve racking to say the least. It is a lot of pressure but as the saying goes, “pressure makes diamonds.” This is also were the positive energy from the class is so helpful. When we need a little boost of enthusiasm, we can always count on that from our PEP brothers. You can look at all the men who have made the decision before us and see that they have made an amazing positive change in their lives. It is awesome to be here and we continue to look forward to becoming PEP servant-leaders in the future!       

John C. (aka “Six Flags Guy”)

Tuesday                                                                                            November 12, 2024

We walked into the PEP room with confidence, knowing we were about to take a test. We all have practiced countless hours on to be sure. We all knew it was going to be intense for us all, given the fact that we hadn’t been in a setting like this at all in years. The team leaders were very helpful to us as we logged in. Some what putting us at ease knowing they were there to help incase we had any questions. It felt like time sped up for us as the mic informed us we had ten minutes left to finish. It was an hour and a half but it sure flew. As we all began to finish it was sort of a relief for us all. You could kind of feel the atmosphere open up and a weight being lifted up off us all. We began to put the laptops up and headed for lunch. We were all in a state of shock when we entered for second half and all the tablets were still out. Uh-oh…more test? We were happy and relieved when they told us we were doing our coat of arms with our green screen pictures. Out came the scissors and crayons and we went from Harvard back to Elementary school just like that. Boy was elementary school was fun! We were tasked with cutting out a super hero of our choice, color it and cut out things of magazines that we could find that we wanted or related to when we got to the free world. We were short on supplies and magazines but we made it work with what we had. In the end, we all had a good time talking and mingling. We also talked about our pitches and if we are ready for the big event! At the end of the day we took care of business and had fun in the end. An amazing way to end the day.

 Rene C. (aka “Hoola-Hoop”)

Wednesday                                                                                     November 13, 2024

PEP is sincerely a brotherhood, and the absolute best possible productive use of incarcerated time away from loved ones! It’s only our second week actually attending class, and already even the weakest connections to classmates with only a few words said in passing still feel like fraternal ones. There aren’t too many places other than faith-based dorms and religious programming where you experience such sincerity and the embodiment of one of our “10 Driving Values,” which is servant-leadership. This is demonstrated in every aspect of the daily schedules, from the classroom to the dorm. It is hard to explain it any better than simply saying that it’s biblical type behavior, and how refreshing it is to see people in authority treating other human beings with love, respect, and leading by example. Especially in a place like prison! The class is awesome as well as the leadership and administration in there, but we think it’s equally if not more dramatic to give some examples of how these standards and behaviors are carried back to the dorms. Back in the dorm, Wednesday is what we call “pitch panel.” It is unlike anything we’ve ever seen or experienced. It’s like a real world “shark tank” situation. Our dorm is about twenty-five to thirty feet high, with a second story on one side with the rest wide open in a loft style. When it’s pitch panel or any dorm meeting we first pray in, of course. Next, the current class lines up to the landing, while everyone else forms up in an audience. One by one we go to the middle and present our pitch to our brothers. When we’re done, we get feedback in the form of praises and sometimes constructive criticism, but always with the emphasis on constructive. God is at work in this place, building our character and maturing our spirit. All we have to do is do the work of “taking out the trash,” and filling ourselves with both righteous knowledge and entrepreneurial education, and between PEP and God, the sky will truly be the limit to the heights we will fly in both our careers and lives upon release…and obviously never to come or look back unless to come give back!

John C. (aka “Little Caesar”)

Thursday                                                                                         November 14, 2024

Today is Thursday, November the fourteenth 2024 and it was an incredible day, and a blessed one at that. We started it with a prayer, gave thanks to God for another day, for our brotherhood here in PEP and for everything he is about to show us. Then we talked about where we envision ourselves in the future. All of us see ourselves owning a business, even probably multiple business. That’s why we’re here. To invest our time to get all the resources and knowledge that we can get to help us in the near future. To see how to properly use all those resources and knowledge and get the most out of everything that we learn here. We also have a family form to fill out to give to Laura S., that’s our PEP mom per say, to help us mend broken relationships between our family and loved one’s. We haven’t had the opportunity to meet her yet, but from everything that we have heard it should be an awesome experience. We have all fallen short in one way or another and it’s only right we fix it before we go home and show our new selves to our loved ones. We all strive to be better men to help our families and our community. We also pitch the second half of the day and brought our walls down that the penitentiary system has instilled in us. It was great to get along and be able to support one another. God bless this program we are all grateful for the opportunity.

Rene D. (aka “Banana Montana”)

Friday                                                                                               November 15, 2024

We started off by a pray-in when we get to class. Then we go to the back of the room and they play music for us to dance. After, we are asked to be seated by Phillip A. and Isiah R. as they explain the word of the day. It was value and they gave their example of the meaning and then ask us to give ours. One example was when we were out in the world we didn’t value our freedom. Being without our children really has been hard so we will no longer risk our freedom. After that, David F. started teaching us on BetterMan and this is going to be a wonderful class. It’s about bettering ourselves for the world and changing the ways of old. In the BetterMan class we broke off into groups and got to talk about our life and what we were like. Then after BetterMan Jeremy J. and Shawn B. were our guests, they came in to talk to us about reentry when we got out. About going to the transitional home, and what are the rules of the homes and also answered our question on everything we need to know about after we are released. The last three hours we did a pitch panel on our business idea’s. We all liked that we got the chance to do it so we can be ready to pitch for the business PEP staff. We have a great group of men in this class of Winter ’25 they have all great ideas on their business plan. We all cannot wait to get to pitch in front of business executives on next Friday. This program really is a good thing for us to grow in our life as men. We as a class already feel that it’s moving me in the direction of success by sticking to the 10 driving values it sets for us. The end of class, we prayed out, every class we pray in and out and we all love that we do that. We look forward to writing in our journal again and letting you know about our class. Have a blessed day.

 David D. (aka “Irish Fairy”)

Expression

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” -Babe Ruth

This quote came from the famous baseball player Babe Ruth. I think the main meaning behind this quote is to inspire people to take a chance on trying things which may seem scary or uncomfortable. It’s a baseball quote metaphor meaning step up to the plate and take a swung because you never know if you will hit a home run. Not just playing baseball but in life too. For example, if I never took a chance on signing up for this program I could be setting myself up for failure, ironically because of my fear of failure. Now that I did sign myself up for this program I am stepping up to the plate, the opportunities could be endless. The good thing about this is I could apply this mindset to other areas in my life whenever an opportunity arises, that may intimidate me, or seem a little risky. When I got to this unit, I was in general population doing my time until one of the staff members called me out and told me I was on the roster for PEP. When I was told about the requirements and responsibility and opportunity, even the benefits that came with this class, I didn’t know if I could stand the pressure or accept what I was called upon to do. But know that I know that the only limitation that we have in life are the ones we place upon ourselves.

Charles D. (aka “Chocolate Shake”)

Monday                                                                                            November 4, 2024 

This was the second day of class for the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) at the Estes Unit, and was it an absolute blast! (An emphatic “yes!” would be the reply.) Though initially the apprehension was high in the room as participants were finding their seats, the ambiance soon took a turn toward an attitude of participation and performance.

As we prayed in, the tension seemed to leave the room. The Servant-Leaders, all graduates of the program, did an amazing job at setting the tone for us by sharing stories of personal challenges, and how they were able to either overcome or persevere. There were also presentations by other Servant-Leaders on the first steps toward creating a pitch and a business plan, which is an initial business idea exercise with four quadrants requiring our input in areas of opportunity, solution, customers and differentiators. Additionally, there was another presentation on the weekly class journal and expressive writing. It is an interesting and intimate exercise that allows participants to contribute their points of view, including their inclinations or persuasions, that may guide them through the turmoils and triumphs of life, or they may simply serve as a lens into their experiences, values and/or outlook on life.

Then we had an activity that is perhaps a novelty exclusive to PEP: assigning “fun names” to participants. The activity had the whole group in a fervently ecstatic uproar. Faces lit up and laughs were heard all around as the group suggested different names for individuals standing at the front of the room. Each person in the room gets assigned a “fun name.” We were not able to get to everyone today, so we know that during the next class, there will be more laughs for sure.

We certainly are eager to step into class and have a few more laughs on this journey of enhancing our business acumen and aptitude.

Sylvester B. (aka “Apu from The Simpsons”)

Tuesday                                                                                            November 5, 2024

Our PEP class is great in so many ways. We are just starting out, and everyone is helpful and respectful. We got together and read the first couple of chapters in our workbook, and what we noticed is how we all came together to study as one. We even helped each other with our “big idea pitches,” which is really interesting. PEP helps us build a brotherhood where we can come together and help each other build up our character. As a brotherhood, we are discovering what it is like to be able to ask for help and not be judged.

The information we are studying covers a number of topics, including character development and the fundamentals of starting our own businesses. The atmosphere in the classroom is awesome and uplifting. It is amazing to see how helpful everyone is as well. Even the TDCJ staff, along with the PEP staff, have really shown concern for us and how we are doing. With all these helpful Servant-Leaders, we see that we can do anything we put our minds to.

It was a great day in the classroom and dormitories. The PEP community is great to be a part of, and it is making this experience different from any unit we have come from. This is a great opportunity, and we are all excited for tomorrow! Thank you and God bless! 

 Scott B.  (aka “Golf Ball”)

Wednesday                                                                                     November 6, 2024

Today’s PEP class was different from orientation – it was down to business. As soon as we walked through the door, you could feel the excitement and good vibes coming from all alumni and current class members. We grabbed our nametags and found our seats by looking at the seating chart. The seating chart changes every day, so you have a chance to interact and get to know everyone in the current class.

We began class with one of our peers praying us in. After the prayer, two of the Peer Educators went to the back of the classroom and danced until they got to the front of the room. When they introduced themselves, they each said their “fun name.” Everyone in class gets a “fun name” to help break the ice. One of the Peer Educators told us how we should fill out our intake paperwork.

When we finished, the other Peer Educator talked about how we will take and be graded on tests. The assessment rubric broke down how we will be graded. The Peer Educator was very informative and answered each question we had. He explained to us the way tests are scored in detail. We learned how many questions we will be given, along with the time limit and the fact that we will take tests on laptops.

We then welcomed one of the Unit’s Chaplains to the front of the room. He will be teaching us from our Living in the Village book. He explained how many chapters we will be reading each week and how many tests we are going to have. When he was done, we welcomed our In-Prison Manager, Adam W., to the front. He gave his testimony, and it was inspiring. He spoke with confidence and was open about his story. That’s the kind of speaker we strive to be. We ended class with one of our brothers praying us out.

Jesus C. (aka “Aflac Duck”)

Thursday                                                                                         November 7, 2024

Class began as it has every day since our class started: with good energy, great attitudes and a supportive brotherhood. Our brothers Javier C. and Isiah R. gave us a task on our Word of the Day, which was “action.” Javier C. shared some pearls of wisdom as he explained how action is demonstrated through consistency, while Isiah R. shared how structure, organization, process and behavior play a crucial role in how you act and the actions you take. Action is our ability to seize opportunities, and our ability is based on how well we organize our private lives, how we behave within the process of learning and how we structure our thoughts. Our actions always reflect our habits, good or bad. PEP is introducing us to the tools and opportunities we need to establish great habits.

We were introduced to one of our teachers, Scott S., who gave us a look into his journey through his testimony, which most of us could identify with. He too went through PEP and told us that through the hunger to change, he was able to use the tools the program provided and became successful. We all agreed that success starts in your thoughts, then in your habits, next in your relationships and finally in your work.

Scott S. introduced us to “entrepreneurship 101” by laying the foundation as he covered Chapters 1 and 2 of our entrepreneurship textbook. We were engaged the whole time, and Scott S. definitely embodies PEP’s Driving Value of “Fun” while also making sure we understood the material being taught. Thanks to the Servant-Leaders, Peer Educators and our In-Prison Management team, this new group of men are quickly gaining confidence, respect, sense of humor and trust in both each other and the program.

Jervon C. (aka “Wacktric Mahomes”)

Friday                                                                                               November 8, 2024

Social norms in prison dictate that when you enter a room, you are most often greeted with hard stares, aggressive postures and mistrust. However, PEP is the polar opposite. The moment we enter the room, we are greeted with music, positive energy and handshakes from our classmates and leaders. Next, to raise the energy further, we all gather in the back of the room and dance our way to the front. This is often ridiculous and always funny.

Following today’s prayer, we were given some advice on our business pitches by one of our helpful Servant-Leaders before we were given today’s Word of the Day: “character development.” We had time for self-reflection and group discussions about what character traits we were working to improve. Class members took turns standing, introducing themselves by their “fun name” and doing hilarious impressions. Then we each spoke about what specific trait we were working on, whichs included complacency, kindness, goodness, courage, ego, confidence, patience, being more receptive and overcoming trauma.

Following this group discussion, we transitioned to a new phase and took the Myers-Briggs Assessment. This is a highly regarded psychology test that helps identify specific personality traits and what career field we would most enjoy and succeed in. Next, about nine class members were called on to dance their way to the front of the room. It was then revealed that they had failed to turn in an assignment on time. After being hilariously interrogated and roasted, it was decided by the class that they should face the “Wheel of Doom,” where the wheel is spun and the doomed individual must act out whatever the wheel lands on. We finished on a high-energy, funny, fun and positive note. PEP is not your average prison program! We look forward to more.

 David C. (aka “Bhad Bharbie”)

Expression

“Life is not fair sometimes – you gotta have a lot of dog in you. You gotta bite back sometimes.”

– Steve Harvey

When I caught this charge, I thought my life was over. I didn’t know what to think really. I lost hope for a while. I wanted to give up, but I wasn’t raised like that. I thought it was the end of my life, but God had a different plan for my life, and the plan He has for my life is more than mine ever was.

My first year down here, I got my mind right. I did a lot of soul searching and reconnecting with my Lord and Savior. It’s been a journey through the streets of life. Life has had a funny way of teaching me a thing or two. It has taught me when you think you’ve hit rock bottom and have nothing left, you pick yourself up, even when you’re hungry and people stop believing in you, and even when everyone counted you out and doubted you.

I have to prove my critics wrong for the betterment of myself. So I told myself, “If you give up, that will bring you nothing; if you manage to wake up tomorrow, see what tomorrow brings you. God woke you up today because He wants you to execute the plan. Take on any challenge that comes your way. Take the test and get that win.”

That’s why I choose to never quit, but instead I will make the most of this life – so I keep waking up and pushing forward!

Jonathan C.  (aka “Eddie Kane from The Five Heartbeats”)