From behind bars to managing one ...

SHEILA KENNEDY

Walking across the floor of a very crowded restaurant, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was putting together an event for tweens a few weeks from that Saturday afternoon and was looking for one more speaker to address the group of young impressionable kids. A friend that I used to teach with suggested that I go to see the manager at the local eatery. He was young and had an inspiring story to share. She didn’t really give me more details, but I pursued meeting him.

Jason Smith was not who I was expecting. Handling himself in front of a crowd of almost-teenagers didn’t “look” like it would be a problem. Towering over me, with a thick Southern drawl, he was clean cut and as polite as could be; although I do think he was perplexed at what I was asking him to do. He steered me back across the restaurant where we sat down to talk and so I could explain the situation.

I remember his eyes lighting up, but then he very plainly told me what he thought I needed to know something before I committed to asking him to speak to a group of kids. Jason shared that he was convicted of felony drug trafficking, was a former drug dealer, and had served time in jail. He had been out of jail for a few years, was sober, and trying to make something of himself. His job opportunities were limited because of his conviction, and it was hard working in a bar. He was willing to do whatever it took to make a better life for himself; the bar was just a stepping stone to something greater.

Whoa! Could I really ask him to come and speak at this event? What would the parents say when they found out? Maybe it was a rash decision, but I believed he was exactly who these kids needed to hear. Jason had a presence. His potential dripped from every pore. His desire to share his story with those kids and his faith in what I was trying to accomplish were all I needed to know. Jason would be the final speaker at the event, and I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be fantastic. I was 100% ready to take on anyone that thought otherwise.

The night of the event, Jason stood in front of those tweens, and to say he was riveting, is an understatement. I have seen plenty of speakers in my life and I will say hands down, Jason Smith is one of the best I have had the honor of listening to. The kids hung on his every word and after he was finished, they flocked to him to ask even more questions. It was magical to watch, and you could see Jason standing even taller, throwing his shoulders back with pride. Not that it was my place to be proud of him, but that is exactly what I was.

He tells me that the event with those kids helped give him the courage to pursue getting expungement laws passed and to get his right to vote reinstated. Jason worked diligently on that for the next ten years. To say he was met with crazy opposition is not an exaggeration. No one should have had to be treated the way that he was. His answer to the opposition was always to “bring it on” because it fueled his fire and in no way deterred him. In those ten years, he did receive a pardon, and he did get his right to vote reinstated. Most people would have stopped there and let the bill that still wasn’t passed become someone else’s problem. That isn’t who Jason Smith is though.

Jason continued to fight and was instrumental in getting that expungement bill passed. He said the first time he showed up at the Kentucky Capitol Building he turned around and couldn’t go in. The mental gymnastics he overcame to find the courage to go back and fight for what he believed was right, was not for the faint of heart. The bill finally passed, and he continues to help other convicts who have rehabbed, get their records expunged and their right to vote reinstated.

Knowing he was made for more; Jason took his real state exam and became a licensed real estate agent. Lazy could never be descriptor for Jason who has worked multiple jobs at any given time to provide for his family. Real estate is still a mainstay of his income, but understanding what diverse income streams can do for a person’s bottom line, Jason has successfully invested in several opportunities that enhance his life and that of his community.

The economic downturn has left many in real estate scrambling for work. Not Jason. He shared with me that he attracts people that would be first time home buyers that may not have the financial means or credit scores to purchase a home. He works with them and teaches them how to improve their financial situation and continues to have a steady stream of super loyal customers. That’s Jason though – finding a way to make a difficult, seemingly impossible situation, turn into something that is accomplishable. Sharing valuable skills with his potential clients speaks to his character.

A judge at Jason’s sentencing told him that “he was a high-powered rifle pointed in the wrong direction.” Jason took those words to heart and decided that he would not destroy himself for one more minute. He has worked tirelessly to make the world a better place and seize the positive opportunities available to him. Not too long ago, Jason was in his car marveling at how far he had come in life and how good life was. Moments later he was in a car accident that almost killed him and destroyed his brand-new car. There was no doubt in his mind that he would recover, and he has. He also shared with me that he could lose everything today, but it wouldn’t matter. He would build it all again. He has the strength, skills, resilience, and generosity of heart to make anything happen.

I never once was sorry that I asked Jason to speak at that event. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. My life is better because Jason is in it and now that you know him, yours can be too.