I Am More Than My Criminal Record

I Am Driven

“It felt like most of the foster parents just kept us around for money. In grade school I wanted to

I Am Whole

"As a kid, I harboured a lot of hatred for my old man. He started doing drugs and was extremely

I Am Mindful

“Growing up on a rez in B.C., all my best friends were Native. They cared about me and helped me

I Am Hard-Working

“I come from a storybook of bad things. It was pretty rough — lots of drugs, crime. My mother had

I Am Committed

“When I was growing up, my parents never shared their feelings. They went to residential school, where they were taught

I Am a Student to Be

“I’m gonna get right down to it — I am an alcoholic. Alcohol has ruled my life since I was

I Am Self-Sufficient

“I was born and raised in a small town in the Okanagan. I had a normal upbringing, but got involved

I Am A Proud First Nations

“My twin brother and I were taken out of our mom’s care frequently. At the age of 6, I became

I Am Relentless

“My father died when I was five years old and my mother was violent and abusive. I don’t blame her

I Am Focused

“It is said that it takes a village to raise a child. I would challenge that it takes the same

I Am Disciplined

“Drinking was my downfall, my gateway drug to crime. I was never afraid of going to jail because I was

I Am Caring

“Last time I was in jail I was completely broken. When I was eight years old, I got aseptic meningitis

I Am Victorious

“There were so many years that I could not look at myself in the mirror for the things I had

I Am Honest

“I came from a dysfunctional family. My mom was an alcoholic and there wasn’t a lot of food in our

I Am A Dad

“When I was six years old, my mother sat me down and said, ‘We are moving and dad is not

I Am Creative

“I grew up in a small town in BC and left home when I was 14. I fell in love

I Am Thankful

“My dad lived in the fast lane. He was a womanizer who used to smoke and drink. My mom is

I Am A Mom

“The last time I went to jail, I knew it was going to break me or make me. I had

I Am A Grandma

“I never thought I would see the inside of a jail. I was in a bad relationship with a man

I Am Resilient

“‘I Had a Good Get Go.’ That’s what my dad would have said. I was adopted, but I couldn’t have

I Am A Volunteer

“Not many people know about my bad boy days. I was charged with ‘Conspiracy to Traffic’ and received a six-year

I Am A Heavy Equipment Operator

“My life has taken one hell of a detour. Four years ago, I was at a bar with my coworker,

I Am Determined

“I was in an abusive relationship and I felt like I had nowhere to go. Some days he chose to

I Am A Believer

“I was addicted to drugs and living on lower East Hastings, Vancouver. Four years ago, I was in a treatment

I Am A Tradesman

"I worked for eight years installing everything from steel metal doors to bathroom stall partitions. I can’t work in a

I Am Positive

“I was born and raised in a small town in Ontario. I grew up with a mother who was abusive

I Am An Eleven

“Five years ago, I found out that my partner of 24 years had been cheating on me – hours after