From Convict To College: A New Lease On Life
In 1997, R. Dwayne Betts was a smart high school junior, pegged as the first in his family to go to college. At age 16, his entire life changed. He participated in a carjacking in Northern Virginia, leading to him being sentenced to 9 years and prison. His hopes for a college education and a bright future seemed all but crushed.
Until now.
A year in prison can break a person down; a decade in prison might derail one’s aspirations. The future looked bleak for R. Dwayne. However, he was introduced to creative writing by his GED teacher. Afterwards, he spent the majority of his time in jail writing and reading, embracing his newly developed love of poetry. This new outlook on life shaped the person he would become: “I’ve got to be more than just a kid that went to the penitentiary,” he said, “As a writer, I want to do something lasting.”
During his time in prison, he kept journals and pushed himself to succeed. He wrote his memoirs, entitled A Question of Freedom, which will be released later this year. Once pegged as a kid in the pen with no hope, he will be attending Warren Wilson College to get his Masters in Fine Arts next year.
His story gives hope to all of those who are locked up in their own cells: physical or otherwise. He reminds us that with passion, anything can be achieved.
