Jevon Wooden

So that's why after that visit and she told me she was going to pay for the lawyer and everything, I had to pray. And it was the first time I prayed to God on my own volition where because I grew up Muslim and we prayed five times a day, but I never really meant it. I just was forced to do it. And that was the first time I actually meant it. Because to be frank, I felt like we were left out.

So that's why after that visit and she told me she was going to pay for the lawyer and everything, I had to pray. And it was the first time I prayed to God on my own volition where because I grew up Muslim and we prayed five times a day, but I never really meant it. I just was forced to do it. And that was the first time I actually meant it. Because to be frank, I felt like we were left out.

I'm like, how can we live like this? Why would God do that to anybody? And that was the moment he was like, hey, I'm here for you. I'm here for you. But you got to change, right? You have to look at what you can do, be accountable for your actions and be kind. So that's why now I've... went through this journey of focusing on mindset and all those things.

I'm like, how can we live like this? Why would God do that to anybody? And that was the moment he was like, hey, I'm here for you. I'm here for you. But you got to change, right? You have to look at what you can do, be accountable for your actions and be kind. So that's why now I've... went through this journey of focusing on mindset and all those things.

But I realized that emotional intelligence is really the key because you have the self aspect of emotional intelligence, and then you have the social aspect of emotional intelligence. So I feel like that holistic perspective was really key for me in recovering. I didn't know what it was called back then for my mother and the judge later to be empathetic to me for the judge to say, hey,

But I realized that emotional intelligence is really the key because you have the self aspect of emotional intelligence, and then you have the social aspect of emotional intelligence. So I feel like that holistic perspective was really key for me in recovering. I didn't know what it was called back then for my mother and the judge later to be empathetic to me for the judge to say, hey,

I know this isn't you. I've looked at your record. I looked at the fact that you were a good student. You're one of the top students in your class and all these other things. So I know this isn't you. I'm going to give you this next chance. Right. That was empathy. That judge could have said, yeah, no. Next, you're going in. You're going to serve this time. But he didn't.

I know this isn't you. I've looked at your record. I looked at the fact that you were a good student. You're one of the top students in your class and all these other things. So I know this isn't you. I'm going to give you this next chance. Right. That was empathy. That judge could have said, yeah, no. Next, you're going in. You're going to serve this time. But he didn't.

So that's how it changed me. And then my father wasn't there either. My biological father. And now he's serving life for a triple murder in Rochester, in upstate New York. And all of that stuff, when I look back to it, as I said, sometimes it hits me, like the emotions, the wave of emotions comes to me. But I also realized that's why it's so important for me to tell my story.

So that's how it changed me. And then my father wasn't there either. My biological father. And now he's serving life for a triple murder in Rochester, in upstate New York. And all of that stuff, when I look back to it, as I said, sometimes it hits me, like the emotions, the wave of emotions comes to me. But I also realized that's why it's so important for me to tell my story.

Because I tell my story and I'm vulnerable, it allows other people to open up and share theirs and then step into the power that it is to say, you know what? I'm not going to focus on what the negative people say, but I know that my story, only I can tell it the way I want people to know me for.

Because I tell my story and I'm vulnerable, it allows other people to open up and share theirs and then step into the power that it is to say, you know what? I'm not going to focus on what the negative people say, but I know that my story, only I can tell it the way I want people to know me for.

And then as I tell mine, that pours into someone else and then someone else feels their power in their story. And then they understand that it's not for you to be judged, but it's for you to be able to really step into being authentically you without having to worry about the recourse.

And then as I tell mine, that pours into someone else and then someone else feels their power in their story. And then they understand that it's not for you to be judged, but it's for you to be able to really step into being authentically you without having to worry about the recourse.

Yeah, so the interesting story about how I got to the military is I was working two full-time jobs at the time. And so I was working at a grocery store, doing like the cars, the cashier, all that stuff, cleaning the meat room, doing every job that they needed me to do, stocking shelves, you name it, I did it. And then I also worked at a hospital.

Yeah, so the interesting story about how I got to the military is I was working two full-time jobs at the time. And so I was working at a grocery store, doing like the cars, the cashier, all that stuff, cleaning the meat room, doing every job that they needed me to do, stocking shelves, you name it, I did it. And then I also worked at a hospital.

It's actually the largest employer at the time of this recording, University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital. So I was working there. I was environmental services, a fancy name for gender at first. And then I worked my way to materials processing who cleans the tools and sets up the cases so the doctors have what they need. And then I would work my way into being an anesthesia technician.

It's actually the largest employer at the time of this recording, University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital. So I was working there. I was environmental services, a fancy name for gender at first. And then I worked my way to materials processing who cleans the tools and sets up the cases so the doctors have what they need. And then I would work my way into being an anesthesia technician.

So here I am, an anesthesia technician, and this guy who was there, who was moonlighting, he was actually a recruiter for the Army. So he noticed my transition because he saw me in the hall. He, oh, you got promoted. Congratulations. So you know what? You should come down to the recruiting station on Monday. Now, this was a Saturday because I worked weekends there. And I was like, you know what?

So here I am, an anesthesia technician, and this guy who was there, who was moonlighting, he was actually a recruiter for the Army. So he noticed my transition because he saw me in the hall. He, oh, you got promoted. Congratulations. So you know what? You should come down to the recruiting station on Monday. Now, this was a Saturday because I worked weekends there. And I was like, you know what?