“Trying to find people who have experienced similar “My job was created over a three-year period based on recovery/mental health Is: Can you face yourself? Can you forgive yourself? Can you forgive others?Ĭan you never be that way again and start to work to make the world betterĭepartment of Corrections helping prepare incarcerated individuals for their “But once I got what I needed - 8 years - that was enough for me,” OmanĬontinues. The alcohol and drugs to really start over and live the way I wanted to live. The blessing was that he gave me enough time from Get more cocaine - my prayer was ‘Please, God, do for me what I can't do for “The last night on my drive to Allied Drive - drunk with a bunch of money to so I prayed to him to help me get on living. That wasn't the plan for me, I felt like God couldn’t possibly only want me toīe a worthless failure. I had been shot at, stabbed, beaten, and left for dead in the “At the end of my addiction I wanted to die and I was so mad at God for not Started to have that respect for herself in prison. Respect comesįrom you no longer harming yourself.
'Gimme some respect!!!' Look in the mirror and respect yourself. “I hear a lot of people saying they want respect. Will think, 'She didn't do no time!' Guess what? One day behind bars is enough “I actually ended up being 2-and-a-half years. Possibilities for life that maybe somebody who grew up in a household without “I kindaĬhecked out a long time ago,” Oman remembers. With an alcoholic father who was both verbally and physically abusive. She grew up in a small town in Indiana in a household “Crack addiction is probably the most lonely, empty, awful feeling I'veĮver had in my life,” Oman admits. Of people, just made me want to do more,” she adds.Īddict. People say, 'Sorry, our offices are closed.' To get that award from that group The morning, we pick up people from the homeless shelter, we will go when most Wasn't even the award it was standing up there in a crowded room saying to every other person who believes that they don'tĭeserve it or that they aren't valuable enough to take a risk to get rid of theįacade.“Everybody wants to be loved and we have given our heart and soul everyĭay for nine years at Voices Beyond Bars - we answer phone calls at 3 a.m. “So to get that award - for me - was awesome. Is because we believe so deeply that all of our stories can be helpful to Oman is so happy to be involved with an organization like VBB.
That room willing to reach their hand out to me and to help me.” Through.' What really touched me was that there were ex-offenders sitting in There are people out here who know where I've been and what I’ve been Prisoners Simulation and when I got done I just kinda lost it. “The day I met Jerome Dilliard I will never forget. Is now co-chair and outreach coordinator for VBB. Beyond Bars was there for me when I got out of the prison,” continues Oman, who