Journal Entry: Darrah Jean Caprarelli-09/15/2024

Journal Entry

This year finally feels like it’s flying by. For a minute there it was dragging a little. Maybe the excruciating Southern heat that I am NOT used to… I’m not sure. I feel like I am learning a lot about people and tendencies in this prison. I feel like there are days I don’t make the best decisions because I let my heart and feelings get in the way of everything I am trying to accomplish. On a side note, Jack recently made a comment about giving myself a break. Not sure what that means, but I think he meant stop being so critical of myself. That’s hard.

This past week I met Michael Santos at a seminar in FCI Aliceville. Being part of this Peer Mentor group has been an absolute blessing with incredible opportunities! We were all brought to the Chapel to listen to him speak and what an INSPIRATION. This incredible being did 26+ years in federal prison and got out 12 years ago with a purpose to help reform lives, share his incredible story and influence others to make a difference. I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to hear his story, experience his beautiful energy, and be motivated to do MORE.

For some time I’ve been trying to get in to college and I’ve been discouraged because it is HARD getting in touch with people. One of the things he said in his seminar was, “Instead of writing just one letter, try writing and sending ten letters, because with ten you’re ten times more likely to get a response.” That day I came back to the unit and wrote those ten letters to the ASU Prison Education Program about my college application because while I’m here I am getting my Bachelor degree of Arts in Business Administration.

I have dreams of transcending myself and my life and doing big things in the community. I also have to make my grandparents, brother, aunts and uncles proud. I don’t have a solid, set in stone plan YET, but I know I’d love to teach fitness and yoga to people to help them rebuild self-confidence the way I did. I’d like to one day build empowerment centers in less priveleged neighborhoods that teaches teenagers and young adults that they are WORTHY. That they have a PURPOSE. I’d like to show them a new, improved way of living. I’d like to instill hope in their lives for a healthy, positive, productive future.

Another dream of mine is to one day open up a gym with a cafe that hires only felons and previously incarcerated individuals who want to help make a difference in the community and help set better examples for our next generation. There are 101 things I aspire to do and I know it begins with getting an education in here. I am grateful that Michael helped get the wheels in my head turning again because I think I fell off the wagon for a little and became distracted by external circumstances and a pretty hectic prison. Instead of being hard on myself though, I am going to continue on and push forward and strive for greatness. Life is about obstacles and overcoming them. That’s what I’m here to do.