Today we’d like to introduce you to Omar Howard.
Omar, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My mother moved me from Alabama to Georgia when I was ten years old. Her moving me from Alabama was her hope to have a brighter future and away from the things that plagued most broken families (drugs, alcohol, violence, poverty, etc..) But those same problems followed us to Georgia as some of the family members follow us bringing the same negative activities to our house. My mother as most single parents does what they think is best for their family. They have to to make ends meet to keep a roof over our head and provide food and clothing. And for the next several years even though negativity followed us, I remained positive with a bright outlook on life. My goal was to go to college and play basketball just like my father whom I never meet. I only knew about him and that he attended Auburn University and played basketball. My 8th-grade year I was an A & B student with great dreams of being successful.
The summer of 89, I was introduced to drugs and fast money. Never thinking that my life was about to take a turn for the worse. By midway through 9th grade, my grades were failing and I was skipping school so much that I eventually dropped out of school. I wanted to make money the fast way now. But one thing leads to another when you take the wrong path. I started selling drugs, breaking in cars and houses, and eventually started picking up guns and robbing. I had my first encounter with the law when I was 15 years old me and a group of guys got caught and charged with robbery in the year of 1990. You would have thought that would have grabbed my attention. But my life took a turn for the worst and begin to sink in an even darker place and for the next several years I was in and out of the juvenile justice catching terrorist threat charges on a police officer, gun charges etc. My life to me was over as begin to get depressed, stressed out and have no hope of a better life.
The year 1993, my life took a turn that I never imagine. I had just turned 18 a few months earlier. In 1993 I found myself in Dekalb county jail charged with 13 major felonies facing life in prison. While I was in prison, I realized I need to change my life, so I dedicated my life to Christ and begin to follow the ways of the Christian faith. Embracing my Christian faith was the best decision I’ve ever made. I ended up doing 15 years in prison. I was 18 when I first enter adult prison and 33 years old when I was released from prison. Since being out of prison, I was asked to come back in the prison as a chaplain of the same place I paroled out of in 2007 and since have been working that position. I’ve started my own mentoring program call Freedom is a Choice, Inc. I’ve spoken all over Georgia to high schools, colleges, etc. I was featured on Iyanla Vanzant “fix my life”. I have been featured on dozens of media and magazines sites. The state of Georgia in January 2018 awarded me a Pardon for all my charges that I was convicted of in 1993.
Has it been a smooth road?
No because of my background I wasn’t able to rent an apartment and was turned down by multiple jobs even Uber denied me in 2018 because of my background.
Please tell us about Freedom is a Choice.
Freedom is a Choice, Inc in a mentoring program geared toward encouraging our youth to choose freedom over incarceration. Freedom is a Choice, Inc is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Our mission is to Restore, Reunite, and Redirect our youth to build character by a structure that supports a positive self-image. We journey towards making positive differences in the life of troubled and at-risk males and females by helping them to focus on their standards of living. We also introduce and help reinforce the positive morals and values needed to equip these men and women to become caring adults in their future.
I’m known for mentoring young adults and motivating our youth to choose freedom over incarceration. I’m most proud of my company because we work with a lot of youth who have been either introduced to the judicial system or just needing positive reinforcement through mentoring. My program was founded by a formely incarcerated individual that most kids can relate to and be inspired by based on life-changing choices. My passion to serve my community is God-Given and is surely something I’m very proud of and will continue to serve as long as I have the ability to do.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Well, statistically we need more mentors more funding and more assistant from elected officials. We need more organization to collaborate alongside local government. We need the private sector to invest more resources into our organizations such as Freedom is a Choice, Inc and our communities.
Pricing:
- Donations to Freedom is a choice
- The Omar Howard Story $15 amazon
Contact Info:
- Website: www.freedomisachoice.net
- Phone: 404-480-3235
- Email: freedomisachoice2012@gmail.com
- Instagram: FREEDOM IS A CHOICE
- Facebook: Omar Howard
- Twitter: howard_omar
- Other: IG freedom is a choice linkin Omar Howard
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
