Former BJCC inmate gives commencement address

The 63 members of the April 28Bill Johnson Correctional Center (BJCC) graduating class heard an eye-opening statement from their commencement speaker Friday afternoon. After the family members of the graduates were welcomed by Warden Becky Guffy, she was followed by Educational Site Supervisor Greg Lyon.

Lyon introduced former inmate Daryl Legg as a three-time convicted felon who has risen to the position of Director of Economic Development and Reentry Programs for the Cherokee Nation. His honors have continued to mount as the governor has asked him to be on a task force for the de-population of Oklahoma prisons, and nationally he has been appointed to the Native American Training Council within the Department of Labor, who reports directly to President Donald Trump.

Legg started off by telling the offenders what an honor it was to return to Bill Johnson Correctional Center as commencement speaker. He wiped away some tears and his voice occasionally cracked as he said, "This place is so special to me. I've been in 13 different prisons. This one here is just a little bit different.

"The first day, when you walk in here, you sense it is different. You are no longer called an inmate, but rather a trainee. If you guys will buy into this approach, you'll start understanding what is going on.

"If I asked how many of you would have gotten your GED had you still been on the outside, how many hands would go up?" With no responses from the graduates, he said, "Maybe this is God's way of saying slow down!"

Legg told about his job with the Cherokee Nation. "I go all over the United States talking about prison re-entry. We (the Cherokee Nation) have one of the best programs in the United States with less than 10 percent recidivism (going back to jail) rate. This was accomplished mainly by removing a couple of barriers: getting their driver's license back and getting them some new clothes. Then we try to move them into housing they can afford and then guide them right into a job."

He said the offenders at BJCC were lucky also. He said that nationwide, the recidivism rate is 67 percent. In 1999, BJCC had the No. 1 program in the United States for the reduction of recidivism. "You are part of a special group. You're not at Granite. You're not at Connors. You're not at Stringtown. You are not fighting for your life every day. It's a different world in here at BJCC."

He said the recidivism rate at BJCC is now about 30 percent, but "the fact you have your GED, you're now in the lower 20 percent for a risk at recidivism." He also told the prisoners that they had just passed the Pearson-Vue GED, which is about ten times harder than the old paper test.

Legg said he did his college papers on the program at BJCC. He said, "I'm not saying this ain't hard. It is hard! Getting right in life is hard! Making change in life is hard!"

As soon as he walked out of BJCC, Legg immediately enrolled at Northeastern State University with a selected major of social work. After he accumulated 18 hours toward that degree, Dr. Beaver, the counselor, called him up to his office and told him he could not become a social worker because he was a convicted felon.

Legg expressed indignation with Beaver's next suggestion that maybe he should try welding as a career.

"You know, this man holds a doctorate. He's a professional. He's the one to go to for guidance. So anyway, I changed my major to psychology and I ended up doing the same thing I would have had I stuck with social work. It still baffles me today. I don't know why he couldn't come up with that solution."

Legg went on to graduate from NSU with a 3.77 GPA with cum laude honors. He said, "I didn't know this was happening until I went to the bookstore to get my cap and gown and they asked me if I wanted to buy honor cords. I was so anxious to get to work and to graduate, that I wasn't paying attention to all of these accomplishments that were adding up."

He said to the BJCC graduates, "Every small success in life leads to bigger successes. If you can remember to delay your gratification, like being a drug addict and wanting everything NOW, the successes you are achieving now can eventually add up to be even greater successes.

"In the state of Oklahoma, one out of every six adult males is a convicted felon. So you're not an island. If I asked the guests in this audience to raise their hands, I guarantee you would see some hands go up."

Weeping a bit, Legg said, "I'm sorry, I'm getting emotional." He said, "Recovery is important to me. It's affected everybody in my family, all my friends. I've got a brother here, and I've got another brother who just got out of here.

"These drugs just destroy lives. You want to be out there ... and you want to be a good daddy for your kids. You want to be the right role model for your kids.

"Man, I hate to tell you this but when you get out, you've got to go to work. There's no way around it and no way of dodging it. If a man works in life and takes care of his kids, it does something for you internally and builds your self-worth that you lost on your own after so many years of drug abuse and letting everybody down."

Legg concluded by talking about the BJCC program. He said, "The good thing about this program is it is a program. I get it. We still have to pay our debt to society, but if you can make anything good happen from what you're going through right here, buy in!

"I wish I had gone to the military right out of school. I didn't. I ended up messing up in life and I regret it. But the whole concept of being regimented ? teaching you to get up every morning, teaching you to go to work. That's just part of real life. I wish there was an easy button to push, but there's not. We've got to pay taxes just like the next man. If you're out selling drugs, you just can't do it."

Big "F" on his forehead

Legg encouraged the graduates when they get out, to stand up and take ownership for the things that they've done. He said, "When I got out, I walked around as if I had a big old 'F' on my forehead and everybody that seen me knew I was a felon just out of prison. Just honestly tell your story. People love a good story. You think the world is against you because you've been in prison. They're not against you; they're against your behavior. Don't ever play the victim. Take responsibility and ownership and move on with your life.

"People are eager to see you come back and do well. People love a good story!"

(The entire speech can be viewed under videos at http://www.AlvaReviewCourier.com