By Sherman Justice

“Free Minds has taught me that being the griot of your own personal story is one of the greatest attributes that you can offer the world. And when you have a story like mine, there’s a lot to share.”

Growing up in my neighborhood, speaking proper English was frowned upon and to be honest I have used slang for as long as I can remember. I quickly learned that this was not going to work in public speaking, which is one of my primary roles as the Reentry Coach and Community Partnership Liaison at Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop. Free Minds has taught me that being the griot of your own personal story is one of the greatest attributes that you can offer the world. And when you have a story like mine, there’s a lot to share. (A griot is a West African storyteller, poet, and historian, who often uses music as part of the oral tradition)

I was touched by the criminal justice system at a young age, shot on two different occasions almost a month apart, and to top it all off I served five years in the Ohio State Penitentiary. It has taken the better part of some twenty odd years that I have lived to realize the power within my story. My testimony enables me to share and connect with youth that are following the same footsteps I once took. I currently lead an initiative to end the school-to-prison pipeline while mentoring young men returning home from incarceration.

Poet Ambassadors

Sherman and a team of Free Minds Poet Ambassadors brought our “On the Same Page” violence prevention initiative to Scranton, Pennsylvania.

My journey with Free Minds started after attending a Write Night and immediately feeling like I wanted to do more. I quickly began volunteering and at my first event Tara asked me to speak in front of over one hundred people! I remember being so nervous to the point where every word that came out of my mouth made my stomach turn and my throat didn’t seem like it wanted any word to come out. And although I’m sure I may have stuttered a few times, the words came out and it was in that moment I began to realize my purpose. The next day Tara called to praise me, and she told me how good I did. I was shocked but I knew I needed to get some type of training so I could do better.

I was hungry to learn because I knew there could be actual employers out there that would hear me speak and if I did a good enough job that would hire me (this was before Free Minds hired me). She agreed with my suggestion and she did something that would change my life forever—she enrolled the Free Minds Poet Ambassadors in public speaking classes.

I recall meeting Ford Koles from the Advisory Board Company for the first time, and thinking he looks pretty typical, but when he walked into the room he owned it! I knew I wanted to have that same kind of presence and confidence when I entered a room. Ford spoke like a true leader, and after a short conversation he called on me to tell my story. When I started talking, he quickly interrupted and instructed me to start over. So I did, and as I was speaking I remember feeling like he was staring at me waiting on me to mess up. And I did, but after about the fifth time of starting over, I stopped myself and just asked “so what am I doing wrong?”

Ford explained to me that speaking is meant to be a conversation, not a lecture, and he used an analogy that I will never forget. He said, “When you were a child and your parents spoke to you, you were receptive because it was just a regular conversation, and not a voice recording or some college professor that has this pitch that he has been saying for 50 years.” As a person who has had to sit through countless lectures, his words made sense, and I realized that I have to be willing to have a conversation with the audiences I speak to. I want to thank Free Minds and Mr. Koles for pushing me to be the best man I could be. Thank you!

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