Bernard King, Director ARC Program:
"At the facility at Kolbe Foundation, we had the graduation of the ARC, RRC, and the trauma of course graduation of 2025. We have all the inmates that graduated, all the interns that graduated, and the graduation was spectacular. ARC consists of continuing thinking, changing your mind, rehabilitating yourself, and making a change for society. RRC is the same component as ARC. We try to get these guys to change their mentality for when they hit society."
Keyren Tzib, ARC Testimony:
"I set high standards for myself, and when I was shocked at having to receive the designation of inmate in prison, I became shattered. I gathered the parts of my life throughout this course, and steps five through eight taught me how to do that. I became responsible for things in and out of my control and accepted powerlessness so that I could work on my inner me. By the time I reached step nine, justice, I felt my personal breakthrough. At night, I prayed to God, my higher power, to help me. The road was filled with hard punishments, but I kept my heart absorbed in Christ while trusting in justice and hoping for deliverance. At step 11 and 12, I began accepting culpability for where I am and who I am. Where I am is not where I want to be. I pray often and have a faithful confidence in God's love for me."
Hilberto Hernandez, ARC Testimony:
"I was so lost in drugs and alcohol addiction that I was unrecognizable to my family, friends, and society. Even after many years in prison, I was still living in denial. Entering ARC, I received vast knowledge a person can get to start a new life. There, I recognized that addiction was not the core problem of my life, but that anger and resentment was. And that is what has me at this situation with 32 years sentence in prison. The ARC program has given me the right tools to a positive and healthier life."
Newell Nicholas, Trauma Course:
"You are free, ladies and gentlemen, to make whatever choice you want, but you are not free from the consequences of the choice."
Lyson Cacho, ARC Testimony:
"With the tools that I pick up, I could go back to society and I could use them to take care of my family. You understand? I got pikni now, you know, I got kids, you know, so now I am a father. So, the different books there where I have been through like authentic manhood. That's one of my favorite books, because I tell about a whole family, understand? Be a genuine man, understand? Teach off to be a better brother, better husband, better father. Teach off to manage your family and things, right? So, that's a big change in myself. You know me, you know me, and I could see the change in myself because I make a lot of steps, I make steps where I don't have nobody to choose me no more."
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries:
"The very powerful testimonials that we heard here this morning from Lyson, from Keyren, from Mr. Hernandez and Mr. Nicholas, those are powerful testimonials. And if you listen carefully to Lyson, he didn't identify himself as an inmate or a prisoner. If you listen carefully, he identified himself as a father. And he said that is the most impactful course that he has had to learn behind these walls, learning to be a parent that is present in the lives of his children."
"When the world tries to define you by who you used to be, remind them and remind yourself, most importantly, that you are moving forward. In the words of the world famous musician, the legendary Bob Marley, "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery." None but..."
"(Audience Responds)"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries:
"That's right. None but ourselves can free our minds, nobody else. That is up to you. To our graduates, your future is yours. Congratulations and thank you."
