I’ve linked content for context throughout this post. I can’t shut up & love people. Like that. If you’re new here, Hi I’m Jackie! This blog revolves around unheard stories, like Mady, Anthony & Rob, that all have a common theme of (in)justice. It’s been a rough, dark storm. I’m hopeful for sunshine sooner than later. These unheard stories are those rays of sunshine that keep me dancing in the rain. For now, I’m embracing my gray.
It’s been two weeks since I’ve posted, not because I don’t have anything to say. Spend 5 minutes with me and you’d know that.
Since the last post, life has been busy and it feels like I’m living in bizarro world. Not in the “bad” sense of that made up term.
Serendipitous, more so. Whoever’s in charge upstairs is sending me signs to keep on this path of finding me.
I’ve been treating this “blog” adventure like a journal. The 63 draft posts I work on when motivated made me realize that life is like reading a non-fiction chapter book.
Some chapters are rainbows & unicorns; others are like dark storms. Some chapters are longer; others last only a few pages.
Some characters hang around for a few chapters; others make a quick, long lasting impression to never come back again. Some characters are villains; others are heroes. Some characters grow from villain to hero; others are their own worst enemy.
As one chapter ends, another begins…..
Until you turn to the last page and see: The End….. or Death.
Some endings are predictable, maybe even overdue; others end far too soon. Like Mady’s book.
We don’t necessarily get to choose what the cover of our book looks like. Sometimes our past guides what our future “cover” looks like; others challenge the norm & work hard to choose a cover on their own terms.
The incredible main character featured in this post knows all too well how it feels to be judged for his “cover.” Jaron also knows how hard it is to republish his book with a different cover, no matter the good work he puts in.
Like the other unheard stories on this blog, he walks around today with the permanent… invisible… “cover” of a criminal case number. Hinders the availability of options Jaron has to choose from when deciding how to move forward….
Not because he necessarily has a choice to change the narrative of his past. It’s the law.
If mainstream media has labeled him a “community leader”, I think it’s safe to say he’s changed the public’s perception.
As you’ll see, my friend Jaron Nabors’s present day actions clearly show he chooses to leave his past where it belongs: in the past. Like we should.
Jaron is changing the chapters and pages of his book for the better daily by choosing love over hate.
Glad I don’t tie my identity to societal wealth anymore and listened to my former gang member friend who reminds me daily to stop being such an angry elf. Thank you for being you.
MEET 18CFXXX — sealed federal case
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JARON NABORS, SR
If you combine Jaron’s time within four walls of lockup, he has spent over 16 of his 44 years of life behind bars. About the same amount of time I’ve been practicing law. Keyword practicing 🤭
Vastly different life experiences with so much to learn from each other. So much in common too.
I first heard about Jaron from Rob & Ant about a year ago, when Jaron got hired to lead a local violence prevention project. Making positive moves in the community less than a year out of Federal Prison? **Jaron fact checked me here because I had Illinois Dept of Corrections. Federal Prison is way cooler**
Shocked me.
In 2022, Jaron was released from the pen (I can say that now with the fact check) on Mandatory Supervised Release……..aka parole, after serving hard time for dealing drugs. You won’t hear a bad word about the government from Jaron though. I should take notes 😳🤣
Being able to leave prison wanting to make POSITIVE change when the current state of our (in)justice system set him up to be a better “criminal” ….. is only a testament as to who Jaron is innately as a human being.
Prison didn’t rehabilitate Jaron. As the numbers clearly show, it does not rehabilitate the vast majority of individuals sent there.
Jaron made the conscious decision to choose Love over Hate. Honesty over Harmony. Community over Gang Life. Peace over Violence.
He challenges the norm every day by choosing to live his life filled with love & community versus choosing to live in his past. It’s the hard choice given his “wrongs” and current societal judgment over pasts.
I ran into Jaron a few months back when I was in Joliet at a board meeting for my “free time” passion project.
Recovery Community Center of Joliet. Click the name to like RCCJ on facebook and follow along for grand opening news.
We exchanged numbers and became fast friends over shared values, which included love and justice for ALL, especially for Anthony. Jaron grew up with Anthony on the streets, albeit different generations.
Jaron & I’s friendship is a modern day example of what We the People stands for.
Shows the beauty of community when we make the conscious choice to collaborate together regardless of what’s in our past or what we do for a living. We also have to choose to be a POSITIVE PART of our community.
Can’t just talk the talk come election season.
So…… I may have promised Jaron there would be no negativity in this post. I’m biting my angry tongue as I’m a woman of my word. Jaron’s angelic positivity on the phone this morning reminded me to keep my heart full from his event:
Being part of the community at Healing the Hood, hosted by Jaron and his not for profit 2morrow Startz 2Day, gave me big feelings….. Of every variety.
I laughed. I cried. I laughed until I cried.
Free haircuts, barbecue by Black Police Officer’s Association with Officers from Joliet Police Department manning the grills, extra food donated by local businesses like Taste of Soul, snacks and drinks galore, bounce houses, music, dancing, heartfelt speeches, resource tables, people making connections, and most important, support for the village mentality. That sometimes includes hearing the hard message of victims of violence.
A few of the people who helped Jaron out:
I saw elected officials, judges & former defendants I haven’t seen since working in Old County. I met so many new friends full of life and hope.
I saw what Jaron promised when he invited me: a village mentality in practice, not just false promises at election time.
A picture speaks a thousand words…. So does a screenshot. Warning, there is a lot of love in the pictures below.
As Jaron posted last night “Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more.”
I’m so thankful for being welcomed with open arms to see what village mentality looks like in practice. Thank you Jaron and the community members & elected officials that came out. I’m grateful to know you and be part of the solution in this community.
My heart is so incredibly full.
”Why are you here?”
Chatting with Jaron this morning emphasized the need of why it is important to highlight the different reasons of why I was asked the above question.
Over the course of 8 hours, almost every person I spoke with asked me “Why are you here?”
Simple, yet loaded when you think about it, question.
I ran into an Old County Judge running for office that I greatly respect and admire. That Judge asked me the question three separate times.
The first two times they asked, I aloofly responded with “being part of my community.”
The third time… I paused, cocked my head, smiled and firmly stated, “I meant it when I said being part of my community. Jaron is my friend and I support him……….Why are you here?”
Without saying it, we both knew the answer.
It’s the same reason that my new friends I met at Healing the Hood were asking me that question….
People that look like me at these community events generally have an underlying purpose.
Like an upcoming election to secure votes for and sadly for them, never to be seen at community events like Healing the Hood again.
Before Healing the Hood officially started, I got the opportunity to speak with the Pastor at the church graciously hosting the event. It was a hot day & Jesus cooled my internal temperature in the basement of the church.
The Pastor used to spread the word of the lord down south and I asked him if he felt “we” were more progressive up north. I’m still processing his response, “That depends. Would you rather deal with racism out in the open or hidden behind fakeness?”
Jaron has incredible, unique ideas to combat the violence in Will County. Many people who have the resources and ability to materialize those amazing ideas, shy away from actually hearing him because of the societal “cover” of his past. He’s done the work to republish the cover of his book.
We’ve been conditioned to judge, divide, shame, guilt and blame people until their resentment from not being heard eventually puts people back in a jail cell.
We can challenge the norm & embrace GRAYce with support, unity, rallying together, celebrating each other and bringing back that village mentality we desperately need right now.
Show compassion to change our generational narrative or “cover” from black OR white to black AND white.
Unify together in the future, rather than divide as we currently stand. Make a commitment to be a POSITIVE part of your community each day.
Not part of the problem like angry elf Jackie is trying each day to do better at changing.
Instead, take a chapter from Jaron’s book. An umbrella idea versus ultimate goal. A safer, more peaceful unified community for our families.
Jaron, thank you for making the choice to do better for yourself & your family every single day. Your past does not dictate your future. You are so incredibly valuable. Society has put 16 years of accountability on you. You are one of those rays of sunshine in this stormy world.
Give yourself the same love you give to your community, like I saw yesterday at Healing the Hood.
Thanks for always reminding me to effect change with love not hate.
Jaron chose his family and more important, himself. Jaron is the first to admit, in his past life, he was the problem. He can’t hide from his truth given the less privilege, more accountability side of the tracks he falls on in life.
As much as he’s done the work to heal from his own trauma, he wears another permanent, invisible stamp of blame. Who does he blame? Himself. Just ask him.
I’ve seen some of the new positive chapters in Jaron’s book and heard some of the not so great ones.
He has truly moved mountains & will continue to do so. I’m excited to see what he will do in this world….
What’s next for Jaron?
Jaron recently left the local violence prevention project to spread his message of love and hope with new ideas through his not for profit that haven’t been tried and tested yet.
One of Jaron’s dreams is to get the funding necessary for neighborhood centers to support the youth of our community. It’s not an us versus them mentality.
Regardless of what side of the fence you fall on politically, as this isn’t a political post….
The children of America are OUR babies.
Babies are born innately “good”. We, directly or indirectly, nurture babies to be “bad”. Also depends on what side of the spectrum of accountability you’re born into.
As I said in Communi-tea: Empathy is feeling; Compassion is action.
Talk the talk AND walk the walk. Embrace GRAYce.
Donate money to support and show your compassion for Jaron & his non-profit via Zelle to j2morrowstartz2day@yahoo.com so he can put on events to support the village mentality WEEKLY.
Special shout out to Joliet Mayor D’Arcy for exuding the value of community with compassion, hard work and financial support. I see you acknowledging problems and making decisions to do better every day. I admire that you know how to work hard, live well, while actually being part of your community. Thank you for continuing to be part of the solution.
Check out this article “Joliet community leaders look to provide A Day of Healing from violence on Saturday” promoting Healing the Hood and Jaron:
More pictures from Healing the Hood yesterday:
https://www.shawlocal.com/gallery/2024/06/30/photos-joliet-healing-the-hood-2024/
Second shout out to Felix Sarver & Gary Middendorf from the Joliet Herald News for being part of the solution by using their respected voices in media to highlight the news that should be showcased. I admire people like you who don’t only publish the societal “good stuff” and shed light on actual issues that deserve AWARENESS. Regardless of past. Loyal subscriber since 2018 😉
Jaron has always been a natural born leader. Gang or Community. If you don’t believe lil ol’ angry elf me, believe the Herald News.
Be the change you wish to see in the world by changing the current divisive narrative of Black OR White to:
United States of America AND Jaron Nabors
Choose to keep the pages of your book filled bright with love. Even when the chapters seem dark with hate.
Even if it doesn’t feel like it, you always have a choice.
You only have control over your actions and feelings after all; not societal norms or judgment….
Embrace GRAYce 
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