Dantae’s Success Story
Getting a job wasn’t the main challenge Dantae faced upon being released from prison – it was finding the right job. After 16 years of incarceration, and no past work experience, he found himself with limited options for jobs that weren’t the right fit. He worked at two restaurants but struggled to connect and communicate with his managers and coworkers.
“I don’t know if I’ve always been like this, but I might have. But the person prison made me, people can’t talk to me a certain way. I don’t see authority – we breathe the same air, made of the same blood, so I’m going to talk to everybody the same way.”
As a “last resort,” Dantae went to Triad Goodwill’s Career Center and learned about the Careers On The Outside program (COTO) and a few open positions, but the timing wasn’t right, and he wasn’t prepared for either of those options. He spoke to his mother, and she said, “You got to have a job. You can’t sit around with no job.’ I knew if I didn’t start working, I would go back to the streets. She told me, ‘Try Goodwill again.’ So, I did.”
Dantae stopped by Triad Goodwill’s warehouse on Burlington Road and met Wayne Lawton.
“I liked his demeanor. He was laid back, and when I told him why I went to prison, he just said ‘alright.’ Most people have a bigger reaction, but he didn’t care about my past. He told me he 16 years was long enough, and he was going to get me in here (Goodwill). And the rest is history.”
Dantae worked in a temporary production position for several months until a part-time position opened and he transferred to a retail store. He worked as a Donation Attendant for several months but continued to struggle finding his place in the new work environment. “I was ready to walk out, I said I was going to quit, but Lashaunda (Triad Goodwill’s Human Resources Generalist) told me not to quit – I had come too far.”
Lashaunda connected with Wayne, and they were able to transfer Dantae back to the warehouse, but with a new position and new project. “That’s when Wayne told me about the tumbling glass – it was me and another guy because no one else wanted to do it. He explained it and I wasn’t sure, but I was on the clock anyway, so I said, ‘alright.’”
As the glass tumbling program grew and expanded, Dantae found himself leading the process and implementing new ways to improve the program. He’s made connections with community members to help expand the initiative and improved his people skills. “My people skills have grown, because, I’ve got issues too, but a lot of people that work here have deeper issues than me. My people skills have changed, because now I’ve learned how to be more patient. Goodwill made me understand that people is people.”
In the fall of 2024 Dantae was promoted to a full-time Material Handler.
Looking forward, Dantae shared this; “I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m working on climbing that ladder. I want to be self-reliant. I spent 16 years depending on people, and now I don’t have to depend on anyone but me. At one time I said I would never work, never get a job, ‘cause I was making money the easy way. But now, it feels good to know my paycheck is coming, and know when I’m getting paid and to work for it. I’m not looking around; I’m not worried about someone coming to try and take it from me. It just feels good to work for it and get it.”
