My name is Zachary T. Fennell, I was born and raised in Compton, Ca. Where gang activity, selling drugs, prostitution, and a number of other criminal activities seemed like the normal way of life. My Mom did her best trying to raise my brother and I as a single parent. But unfortunately, the streets of Compton got a hold of me at a young age. Without a father figure in the house or a positive male role model to look up to and guide me into manhood the right way, I looked elsewhere for it. To a young boy growing up in the City of Compton the street life was very influential. My only role models were gang-bangers, dope dealers, pimps, and other criminals. They had the nice clothes, the flashy jewelry, the nice cars, and the beautiful women. As a youngster, I didn’t know any better, that’s what success looked like to me. So, in my young distorted mind, I thought the path to success was to mimic the people in my neighborhood who I thought were successful. It’s sad to say that I’ve been on that faulty path to success ever since. Which is how I ended up here, in a Federal Correctional Institution, serving a 23-year sentence for a drug conspiracy charge. My distorted thinking is what got me here. I can clearly see that now. So, my road to rehabilitation started with me changing the way I think, and the way I perceive the environment around me. No longer will I be a product of my environment. I refuse to leave here with the same mindset that brought me here, I refuse to waste my time in here complaining about things I have no control over, and I also refuse to subject myself to the frivolous activities that goes on in prison. I plan on leaving here with several accomplishments that I can utilize and incorporate into my new path to success. Music has always been a passion of mine. Before I caught this case I was a local aspiring music producer. So, to keep myself musically inclined, one of my goals was to learn how to play the guitar. Not only have I taught myself how to play the guitar, I’ve also taught myself how to read and write music notations. I have a deep understanding of music theory now, too. Another goal of mine was to learn a trade that I can make a good living off of. That goal has been accomplished, too, with the knowledge and skills that I acquired while I was at FCI Victorville. I worked there as an electrician for 3 1/2 years before I arrived here. There are not really a lot of job openings for electricians here, but as soon as one becomes available I will be applying for it. Until then, I’m gonna keep reading and studying my electrician handbooks. I am very proud of being an electrician, and I’m looking forward to applying my knowledge and skills out there in the real world.
