This week on SHLTMM, my guest, author and poet, Anthony McDuffie Jr, shares stories of his childhood struggles beginning after the loss of his father and looking for love and support in the wrong places. His mother, Shottie, had several children to take care of and was distraught as well. She tried to guide her son, but it took fifteen years in prison before she saw her son turn his life around. He now understands that his mother was trying to help him, but he wasn't ready to listen. Now Anthony is speaking with and listening to many young kids in similar situations and offering words of encouragement and advice.
It was an absolute pleasure to have this open conversation with Anthony about where his journey started as a young boy full of sadness, frustration resentment and despair and the miraculous transformation he has made as a young man. He had to learn some really tough lessons but to his credit, he feels that he had to go through everything that he did to become the person that he is today.
Sometimes life has an unexpected way of teaching us lessons and the life of Anthony McDuffie Jr, perhaps took him on a more circuitous and difficult route to finding his true self.
At a young age, he experienced the loss of a loved one and was subject to inner city crime and violence. He went looking for support in the wrong places and eventually got mixed up in crime which led to incarceration. Yet what followed, through studying, hard work and spirituality, was redemption, resilience and forgiveness. After 15 years behind bars, he was released a new man.
While in prison, I know there were tough years for Anthony, wondering "why me" or all the "what -ifs" or "wrong place, wrong time," scenarios OR maybe "I should have listened to my mother" conversations he had with himself.
Today Anthony has written two books, "Grit, Grind & Glory" and "My Life In Poetry." He's written about lessons learned, finding a mentor, igniting the seed of change as well as how to encourage and inspire youth to succeed. He's a motivational speaker and certified mental health First Aider. HIs transformative journey includes graduating form "Give a Beat's"-"On A New Track" Re-entry Mentoring Program in 2021, where he became a performing artist.
Shottie, Anthony's mom, wrote to her son regularly while he was incarcerated. While incarcerated, Anthony desperately longed to see his mother, hold his mother and talk to his mother.
Where do you think he went directly upon release?
Thank you again Anthony. There are many unfortunate kids out there that now will benefit from your experience and your example.
WEBSITE: https://www.gritgrindandglory.com/
INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/gritgrind_glory/
FACEBOOK: ANTHONY MARSHAWN McDUFFIE JR:https://www.facebook.com/Bomani05