From the Cell to the Stage!

According to a Justice Department report released in July 2003, the U.S. prison population surpassed 2 million for the first time—2,166,260 people were incarcerated in prisons or jails at the end of 2002 (these are the latest statistics available). Since 1990, the U.S. prison population, already the world's largest, has almost doubled. About two-thirds of prisoners were in state and federal prisons, while the rest were in local jails. The report does not include all juvenile offenders, but noted that there were more than 10,000 inmates under age 18 held in adult prisons and jails in 2002. About 10.4% of the entire African-American male population in the United States aged 25 to 29 is incarcerated, by far the largest racial or ethnic group. Today, more African-American men are in jail than in college. Read more: Prison Population Exceeds Two Million — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881455.html#ixzz1cSv32zL9

I wanted to write an article sharing a real story to encourage those who may have been incarcerated especially young offenders. I wanted to highlight how the knowledge and power of Jesus Christ can turn your situation around if you are willing to submit to Him and allow Him to. So, I decided to interview people I know have been incarcerated but are now whole heartedly serving Christ. I started by interviewing actor and comedian Thomas K. Wells who was a juvenile offender and spent more than his share of time in jail as well as detention centers and boot camps. We talked about his past and how Christ has become the head of his life and placed him on a journey to becoming the man, HE intends for him to be.

Here is the first interview.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR UP BRINGING AND WHAT TYPE OF EVENTS LED TO YOUR BEING INCARCERATED. Where I grew up, the only role models we saw were drug dealers and gang bangers, so that was the example we followed. We saw the fast money and fast cars and we wanted that for ourselves. At least I did. It wasn’t hard to find a way to get involved in that lifestyle; I didn’t have to look far because it was all around me. The first incident I encountered was at age sixteen. I was riding in a car with some friends from my hood. The driver had no license and I had drugs on me. We ran into a road block and decided to turn back. Well, of course, that was a “red flag” to the cops and they gave chase. We ran for about six miles and ended up running into a pole, knocking out a transformer. We were all taken in since I was the oldest, I was booked; the others were picked up by parents. I was later released. Not long after that I was incarcerated for selling drugs.

AFTER GOING TO JAIL THE VERY FIRST TIME, DID IT NOT SCARE YOU ENOUGH SO THAT YOU NEVER WANTED TO RETURN? No because I wasn’t there long. At the time going to jail was like a badge of honor. In my neighborhood, it was like, that made me a man because I had been to jail. It made me feel untouchable. My mindset was “I’m going to do what I want to do.” I had no respect for rules or authority and no fear of consequences. I felt like I could handle myself and that it would never be me ending up in prison for a long period of time. I enjoyed living life on the edge.

WERE THERE ANY EVENTS THAT SHOOK YOU UP AT ALL?  WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU SAW CONCERNING VIOLENCE THAT INFLUENCED YOUR ACTIONS? There were a few occasions that made me realize I was going down the wrong path. The first incident was being in the midst of a shoot out. I was at a club with some of my fellow gang members and we were forewarned that our rival gang was in the club and they were “cocked and loaded” ready for an altercation. We decided to leave, go get our weapons, and return to the club. Just as we were about to get in the car and leave they opened fire on us. Some of my friends were already inside the car so they dove into the floor boards. I was outside of the car so I ran and jumped behind a bush. Several bullets went past my head and I could hear bullets hitting the ground all around me. They unloaded for about three to five minutes but it felt like forever. There had to be at least five or six guys all firing at the same time. When it was over the car, was smoking and had been completely shot up. We thought all my friends inside were dead. Miraculously none of them had been hit. The next day we saw the guys who had shot at us again. We wanted “get back” but we were out-numbered so we decided to leave the scene; however one of my homeboys decided to stick around. Needless to say he was jumped by that crew. Once he got back to the neighborhood he told us about it. We were preparing to go fight with them when we realized they had followed him to the neighborhood and they opened fire on us again. And again we all escaped unharmed. The worst part of this story is that as a result of the dispute we had with that rival gang a dearly beloved elderly lady of our neighborhood was killed during a later random shooting. She ended up dead behind our foolish actions.

WHAT WAS THE MAJOR TURNING POINT IN YOUR LIFE? The major turning point in my life began when one of my homeboys was killed, after a simple altercation between him and a rival gang member. An argument took place and a guy pulled out a gun. I was told that, he just started shooting. He shot one of my friends in the stomach and one in the back and foot as he ran away. My very close friend was fearlessly sitting on a car when he was approached by the shooter. They exchanged words and my friend was shot in the head and killed. When I heard about that, I realized I had to do something different with my life. Shortly after that I was arrested for possession with intent to distribute and sentenced to eight years. I served four months in boot camp; and when released, I continued to do the same things as before, only this time instead of just selling drugs, I became a user. I began not caring about my life. I ended up back in a detention center and it was there that I started reading the Bible. I began seeking God to help me make the changes I knew I needed. I started attending church in the detention center.  The next time I was released, I have to admit, I returned to my old ways and bad habits. I was living from house to house because my mother, who loved me very much, was fed up with me. Though I was doing the same old things as before, this time I had the knowledge of Christ in the back of my mind. Finally, my father, who was a minister by that time, called me and told me that I should move to Carrollton with him because he had a job for me. I knew that was the Lord calling me away from the life I was living. When I moved to Carrollton, I began working and making money the right way. It felt good to have money in my pocket that was mine and not have to worry about being pulled over because I had something illegal in the car. I started attending church with my father at A Place of Refuge Church and I gave my life totally to the Lord. That was ten years ago and the Lord hasn’t stopped blessing me since. I am now a home owner with a wife and two daughters. I have a full-time job and I am pursing my passion of becoming a well-known comedian and actor for Christ.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR AMBITIONS NOW AND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN LIFE. All my life I have been considered “funny.” As a young child I was the class clown always entertaining my mother and her friends. I would imitate characters I saw on TV from Eddie Murphy to Ms. Piggy. I got into trouble in school for that a lot. But after I gave my life to the Lord at APOR, I became a part of the Drama Ministry and there I found my true passion for acting and comedy. I realized the gift God had placed in my life for entertaining was something I loved and desired to use as a ministry tool, to bring joy and clean comedy to the masses. I also realized that performing arts can be used to spread the Word of God to people of all ages and genders. I have been in several productions at my church and in the cities of Carrollton, Bowdon, and my hometown of Newnan. My favorite role was playing “Walter Lee Younger” in “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Carrollton Cultural Arts Center under the direction of Mr. Gerald Byrd.  Most recently I did my first comedy show “Fall Out Laughing” with a friend and partner Will Stegall at the WPA building in Carrollton, GA; and I feel it was a success. I look forward to gaining more exposure in the industry.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUNG MEN OUT THERE WHO ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE SAME THINGS YOU WERE? I would say “Don’t do it,” regardless of peer pressure or whatever. Don’t let your environment dictate to you who you are or cause you to make poor decisions. Find your talents and use them as a way to get out of a meaningless lifestyle. There are a lot of kids out there with talents who could be using them to better themselves instead of getting caught up in gangs, drug activity, and being unproductive. Make a sound decision; choose Christ and let Him use you. I was in my twenties when I finally started letting the Lord use me and I really wish I had started earlier. Take the opportunity now, and use your talents for the Lord while you still have time because tomorrow is not promised to you. (Ref. James 4:14-15) THINK ABOUT IT!