Chad

"Had it not been for the program, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m currently in as fast as I am."

At Rubicon, we’ve developed a holistic approach to support individuals in their efforts to achieve economic mobility. We know that there is no single solution that will instantly break the cycle of poverty in every community or household, but rather many resources that can work for different individuals at varying phases of their lives. We collaborate with participants to develop strategies that fit their individual interests and needs related to our four focus areas of assets, income, wellness, and connections.

But sometimes, participants come to us ready with a strategy of their own. When Chad joined Rubicon Programs as a participant in our Foundations workshop series, he already knew the path he wanted to take to create economic mobility for himself and his family. Rubicon simply supported his goals with the resources he needed to get there.

“I wanted to get into truck driving, and it was my understanding that the Rubicon program could help me make that happen,” Chad says. “It was in my mind the fastest way to a career.”

Prior to coming to Rubicon, Chad spent 15 years of a 32-years-to-life sentence incarcerated. “I thought I was never coming home,” Chad says. He spent some of his time in prison writing a book of poetry, Reflections of a Convicted Poet, that he hoped would provide his son with a deeper perspective on life than the 15-minute phone calls that he was allowed. Upon his parole in 2020, Chad got the book published so others could learn from his insights.

Chad also immediately began looking for resources that would help “put [him] in a position to make some career money,” and make up for the years that he had lost. Through a referral from one of our partner agencies, Chad met John Cunningham, Career Advisor for Rubicon Programs, and told him about his plan to become a truck driver. Within weeks, Chad enrolled in the Foundations workshop and applied for truck driving school, all while working on a temporary contract at a leading Bay Area tech firm.

However, as the popular idiom goes, even the best-laid plans often go awry. Chad found out while working for the tech firm that his conviction had incorrectly been post-dated to 2020 on his record, an error that could cost him his contract. As a part of our wraparound services, Rubicon’s legal department worked in partnership with Chad’s appeals attorney to share information and resources that would help correct his record. Chad was able to maintain his employment, and, with the support of Rubicon’s pro bono legal services, he avoided spending significant money on legal fees and hours filling out paperwork for court.

Once his record was corrected, Chad was back on track to pursuing his goal of becoming a truck driver. He completed the Foundations workshop series in March 2021 and immediately enrolled in truck driving school, eventually earning his license and starting his career in the field. “Given Rubicon’s assistance, I’m currently employed doing what I set out to do,” Chad says. “That in itself is its own achievement, but had it not been for the program, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m currently in as fast as I am.”

Chad soon started an LLC and has plans to build a business where he can employ other formerly incarcerated individuals as truck drivers. “At the end of the day, I like to be in control of my own situation,” Chad says. “Aside from that, in the event that I have something going, that puts me in the position to help other people…The whole reason individuals went to prison tends to be money motivated. So if I can build a platform where I can employ other people who were formerly incarcerated, then that’s what’s up.”

In addition to supporting other formerly incarcerated individuals in their efforts to create economic mobility, Chad is motivated by his son, a high school junior with ambitious goals of his own. “My sole motivation for trying to get out of prison was so I could be a father to my child,” Chad says. “So now that I’m here, that also is part of why I’m like, ‘let me start my own business so I can make my own money so I can send my son to the college he wants to go to.’ Whatever I’m out here doing, my sole focus is that, and God willing, all of what I’m striving to do will come to fruition in time.”

Chad is optimistic for what his future holds and eager to continue offering support to other justice-impacted individuals. “It’s never over, regardless of what happened in your past, your past doesn’t define you. The hardships that we go through are merely meant to refine us,” Chad says. “Don’t look at the things that are happening as meant to destroy you—they’re not meant to destroy you—they’re meant to be lessons to learn from and grow from.”