A aron Hicks is a reentry coordinator for the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development. He started with the center in 2012 and works with men and women returning from prison. He is a certified life coach and does individual mentoring. Before joining Nehemiah, Hicks was a part of EXPO, formerly known as Voices Beyond Bars. He says these organizations are working to provide visible change within the correctional system and support those working to live productive lives once leaving prison. “With a lot of programs, people get certificates after completing them,” he said. “But from my personal experience, I know that’s often not sufficient enough. People need skill sets, things that will make them more productive in their communities.” Hicks was incarcerated from 1998 to 2010. While he was in prison, he knew he wanted to go back and in some way help people still who were incarcerated once he was released. “I knew I wanted to do something different. I just didn’t know what that would look like at the time.” In 2006, he was in the process of taking his case back to court. He met an attorney during that time who saw the potential in Hicks’ vision. In 2010, Hicks was released from prison and reconnected with the attorney, who introduced him to Jerome Dillard, the co-founder of EXPO. “I was in a halfway house. He came and visited. We talked and prayed, and from that time until now we’ve been working together.” In his current position, Hicks works to create programs that are situated around providing people who are currently incarcerated with the opportunity to hear from people who were once in
similar situations. “Many programs I was in were curriculum-based, which wasn’t a bad thing. But it didn’t give me the perspective of a lived experience. So it just made sense that we have individuals who can share that real-world experience of making that transition to prepare them for what they’ll need.” He says the ability to provide that perspective by working at a Nehemiah was a “game changer” and is ultimately what drew him to the organization. “It’s rare that you get a chance to see not just one or two, but a multitude of individuals who have come out of the prison system and done some amazing things since then.” Hicks wants to create a platform that gathers and shares lived experiences and the testimonies that have risen from them. “For me, I’ve been in group homes, foster homes, and detention centers. My goal is to be able to touch and communicate with those who have once been told the likelihood of them succeeding is close to none.” In planning for the center’s growth, Hicks wants to increase the depth of some of its programs, like expanding financial courses to include money management, buying houses, and maximizing income. He also plans to help further the center’s connections with outside resources, such as doctors, attorneys, and business owners who can provide expert advice on these topics. “We need people who can speak to those things, teach them, and help bring it to fruition.” He says with these programs and mentors willing to share their experiences and journeys, those coming to the center for assistance will be in positions better aligned for success.
- Aaron Hicks My goal is to be able to touch and communicate with those who have once been told the likelihood of them succeeding is close to none.”
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