A Work & Reentry EXPERIENCE Storyteller

Tracy Patton struggled with a lifetime of addiction. Her experiences battling addiction and returning from incarceration fuel her commitment to community and to other women struggling with addiction. Tracy went through Towards Employment in 2012 and started a career pathway in hospitality. After five years, she found her way to providing direct assistance to women addressing mental health and dependency. She is currently a Substance Use Disorder Counselor, a Quality Mental Health Specialist, a Smoking Cessation Specialist and the founder of Survived To Live For Women In Recovery.

LaTonya Cliff is a Case Manager at Towards Employment working with young men and women, hoping that they can learn from their experiences and find the strength and connections needed to build a career. She knows firsthand how trauma, violence and abuse can lead to bad decisions and chaos, and as she listens to the younger participants and graduates of Towards Employment, her life and career journey provide a foundation she uses to provide council, understanding and inspiration.

Ronnie Cannon is a respected member of the Cleveland community. He is a father, a colleague, sits on non-profit boards and serves on citywide initiatives. He is committed to making sure fellow Clevelanders know they are greater than their worst action. As a young person, Ronnie made a decision that influenced the trajectory of his life, and this experience continues to shape his actions, to the benefit of many. He came to Towards Employment in 2012 and advanced steadily – he is currently a member of the leadership Towards Employment team, serving as the Senior Manager of Community Engagement.

You got to face it to fix it.
I come from generational incarceration. My father, my cousins, my sister, my brother. I was mentally incarcerated at 4 years old. I have a master’s degree in counselling, I could talk to people about their issues, but the person I needed to taIk to was myself. After I got out of prison I became a general contractor and fashion designer. I did over 900 clothing sketches in prison. I had a prayer: “Father, let there be reconciliation.” My daughters visited me in 2008 when I was incarcerated for the last time. My oldest daughter interrupted me and said, “Dad, we are in prison too. – When there is a father/daughter dance, when you are not there for all the things a child needs a father for because you are in here, then we are in prison too.” My daughters and I have a program – Dad We Are In Prison Too. We give children a chance to talk about family scars and the hurt. This gives children of incarceration an opportunity for healing and reconciliation. That’s a missing piece.

Everybody has a story to tell.
And we don’t often look like what we’ve been through. When I was young, I dreamed of being a teacher – but that’s not me. I started off as a Housekeeper at University Hospitals, and I knew I wanted to grow. I got turned down 60 times for other opportunities. But I got turned down for a reason. When I got accepted as a community health worker – I knew this was the reason. I enjoy helping people, still teaching – but adults. You have to commit to your career growth. You have to be tenacious.

I am living proof that you can come from nothing and be something.
I am a product of the foster care system, and I raised my children as a single Mom. I faced obstacles and I found resources. Now I get to tell how I did it. My life experience proves that things can get better, that you have choices. After 10 years in one career, I left on my own terms, in good standing. I wanted to find something different for the next phase in my life. And I did. I remember back to my time at Towards Employment. It was not always easy- I had to learn to be disciplined. I remember some things so well – a staff member always said, “Dress for the job ahead.” And I always have.

Lived experience matters.
When I first came home, I worked in a shelter. I knew shelters exited. I had heard about them. But that is not experience. During my time in the shelter, I learned a lot about being homeless and about nonprofits in Cleveland. This has given me a special connection to people and a knowledge of when and where resources are needed – I do know what people go through, because I went through it. Everybody can feel that they go through things by themselves. That no one knows what they are facing. That is where experience comes in – and why stories matter. When we see ourselves in each other, no one is alone.