Learn more >

Learn more >

One of the many phrases I find myself repeating about PEP is that miracles happen so often that we start to think of them as regular occurrences, when in fact, they really are miracles.  This is where families are reunited, men become dads, and dreams produce a salary.  PEP is where transformation begins with an individual and ripples through a community.  It is where second chances create cultural shifts in our communities as we recognize the dignity of experiences that give rise to a better version of one’s self.

My great honor is that I am asked to share the stories of those whose voices are diminished by their incarceration.  I am asked to bear witness to their hard work, motivated quite often, by their families and the desire to make the suffering they have caused right.  I get to walk alongside volunteers whose world view is radically shifted by the transformations they help bring about.

What we do really works.

Chris

Outside Event

Provide quality feedback on participants’ business models that will encourage participants to improve and continually develop ideas; to serve as a business coach to further develop business ideas; Networking with participants and other attendees.

Round 1: Lychner Summer 2026 Business Plan Competition

Judge individual participants on new business ideas from the lens of a consumer (i.e. Is the idea innovative? Is there a market?) Teams will be formed to move forward with the top ideas.

Outside Event

Join us for an evening of connection and collaboration at the PEP Business Mixer.

Meet entrepreneurs, mentors, and community leaders, explore funding opportunities with Entre Capital, and learn how PEP is helping returning citizens build strong businesses. It’s a simple way to plug into real impact.

Outside Event

Celebrate the completion of the eSchool program and honor the volunteers who made it possible; recognize participants’ hard work, growth, and achievement; connect with fellow volunteers, staff, and supporters while strengthening community around second chances.

Round 1: Estes Summer 2026 Business Plan Competition

Judge individual participants on new business ideas from the lens of a consumer (i.e. Is the idea innovative? Is there a market?) Teams will be formed to move forward with the top ideas.

Outside Event

Provide quality feedback on participants’ business models that will encourage participants to improve and continually develop ideas; to serve as a business coach to further develop business ideas; Networking with participants and other attendees.

“The future is bright because the future is orange.”

It’s funny when I see that phrase. Being English and of a certain age, I immediately think of the movie Monty Python’s Life of Brian. A group of freedom fighters are asking the question, “What have the Romans done for us?” The whole skit lists all the good Rome did in their empire, while in the background things taken for granted – such as roads, law and order, and sewers – go by unseen.

We all know about the accountability process as members of PEP and how we are held to the 10 Driving Values. If we mess up, we can get homework. Or, in extreme cases, we can be separated from all the benefits that PEP provides for us. But what about the process that goes on in the background, molding us into better men? Maybe, just like those freedom fighters in the movie, we don’t see it.

The first step we take toward change is when we receive our fun names and really learn to own them. For myself, it broke down my English reserve. It helped me dance and start to see class as somewhere we can learn and also have fun. Barriers started to break down, and the brotherhood started to appear just by the addition of a silly name. My fun name is “The Stork” from Looney Tunes and everyone in PEP asks me, “Who are you?” just to see how I own it.

In my humble opinion, the brotherhood is one of the best parts of PEP. We know our brothers inside and outside of TDCJ will be a part of our community for many years to come. Yes, some of our brothers have disagreements over things outside of PEP. But, what families don’t argue over politics and sports? The important thing to remember is that no matter what, we are now PEP, and together we support each other in all that we do.

The next thing I focused on during my journey with PEP was my vision of a small business. I had recently thought about how much I resented working all day for people who didn’t appreciate the work I was doing. I was discussing with my wife what I would be doing upon my release. I had felt for a long time that all the bad experiences I had with the companies I worked for were just related to me. But in speaking with many other truck drivers, either on the road or through social media, I realized it wasn’t just me! I decided that if I ever started my own trucking company, I would strive to be a better leader for my drivers and avoid all the mistakes I had witnessed during my 30 years of working for others. PEP helps us all take our dreams and aspirations and forge them into complete business plans. The support we receive during class and from the business plan team takes our rough gems and polishes them so we can continue to plan our new futures.

These positive habits build strong character. Unfortunately, there are also habits that can quietly work against us. Reacting instead of taking responsibility, living without a plan, putting unimportant things first, competing instead of collaborating, talking before listening, refusing to cooperate, and avoiding growth all lead to negative outcomes over time.

Many of us struggle with these negative habits at different points in our lives. When we do, it is no surprise that life can feel frustrating or stagnant. Growth begins when we become aware of our habits and choose to replace the negative ones with positive, intentional actions.

Learning to speak to large groups through Toastmasters and then using that to improve our business pitches will enable us to sell our dreams to investors in order to gain the financial support we need. It also gives us extra confidence and encourages us to come out of our comfort zones, dropping our past streetwise mannerisms and becoming more professional in both our speech and body language.

The next thing I focused on during my journey with PEP was my vision of a small business. I had recently thought about how much I resented working all day for people who didn’t appreciate the work I was doing. I was discussing with my wife what I would be doing upon my release. I had felt for a long time that all the bad experiences I had with the companies I worked for were just related to me. But in speaking with many other truck drivers, either on the road or through social media, I realized it wasn’t just me! I decided that if I ever started my own trucking company, I would strive to be a better leader for my drivers and avoid all the mistakes I had witnessed during my 30 years of working for others. PEP helps us all take our dreams and aspirations and forge them into complete business plans. The support we receive during class and from the business plan team takes our rough gems and polishes them so we can continue to plan our new futures.

With the classes we receive in finance and entrepreneurship, we are molded into future businessmen. We now know, thanks to Living in a Village, how to better organize our personal finances. With our Entrepreneurship class, we learned how to organize our professional lives. We examined our skills and backgrounds to identify the type of businesses we should pursue. We learned the processes we need to follow to exit the business if everything goes wrong, or with a huge profit if we want to move on to our next venture. We were taught how to look at our business and recognize and repair any financial issues.

For those of us who have graduated and become Servant-Leaders, the journey to our destination doesn’t stop. We are constantly challenged to improve our leadership skills and give back to the current class. We can pass our knowledge on to the next class and try to stop them from making the same mistakes we made when we were in class. We know the definition of Servant-Leader Mentality by heart: “We will lead by example with humility at the sacrifice of personal glory.”

Once we are released, the support we receive from PEP doesn’t end. We have access to transitional housing in both Dallas and Houston, with house managers and Life Caddies available to give us even more support. With e-School classes every Tuesday (also available online), our learning and growth will continue.

The future is bright because the future is orange.

— Michael C.