Page 22 - LifelineInaugural

Navigating the Rough Seas of Re-entry
Navigating the Rough Seas of Re-entry
By: Ramon Foster
“Instead of diving into uncertainty, we have to know that we can
make it and allow others to help us navigate”
It’s October 2008, just a few weeks after the 1000 Men Rally and
Eldrick James has just been released to a work release program.
Not knowing where he’s going to work, he makes a call to his
childhood friend, State Representative Alan Williams, who has
recently been working collaboratively as a partner with the 1000
Men Rally an event that was the vision of another childhood friend.
William decides to reach out to one of the corporate partners of the
1000 Men Rally 2008, Captain D’s owner/operator Terry Gillis, in
hopes that his partnership would extend past the events, but would
help in the evolution of change.
Now it’s August 2011, just a few weeks before the 1000 Men Rally
and Eldrick James, the former ex-offender is now the store manager
of the Tallahassee Captain D’s. “I felt that since I was coming out
of prison, I had to work harder than others because people were
looking for me to mess up,” James stated. After being hired as a
cook, James worked his way up and went through doors he claims
were opened for him. “I never gave up hope. I had to overcome odds
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because I knew there were people out there
looking for me to fail. The key to my successful
re-entry was good family, friends, and faith.
And to those in prison, stay focused and
strong. There are opportunities out here. Keep
God first. Keep looking up and looking ahead
and everything will work out for you.” James
credits both Williams and Gillis for believing in
him and giving him the opportunity to succeed.
Terry Gillis, believed in James and wanted to
give him and men like him second chances.
“I don’t believe in giving too much, but I do
believe in opening doors. It’s up to you to take
advantage of the opportunity in front of you.”
Gillis says. Gillis, who may not be familiar
with prison himself, has had some hard times
and that is why he believes in giving second
chances. “When I was 19 years old I became
a father. I had no idea how I was going to take
care of this child and this woman.” But Gillis
remained determined and optimistic about
things and at 22 years old with a child and
wife, Gillis got into the restaurant business
only making $3.35 an hour. “I had to make it
work. I wasn’t about to do anything illegal to
be separated from my wife and kid.” Gillis is
now the owner and operator of Captain D’s
in both Tallahassee and Quincy. Gillis says
the message he sends to those who are still
incarcerated, “stay positive and make good
decisions. Because the decisions you make
now will begin to effect how things will turn out
for you.”
Here it is now 4 years into the 1000 Men
Rally and Terry Gillis continues to be an avid
supporter of the rally, State Representative
Alan Williams continues to serve as an annual
chairperson and Eldrick James continues to
be the evidence of a successful re-entry, and
what happens when others reach out to help
navigate the re-entry process.