Jonnie Akinruli

What brought you to the Pivot Program?

What drew me to the Pivot Program was just the core of being connected, networking, and having the resources to expand. Everything that it offers in expanding and growing and learning new tools to use in the workforce and in business. And Pivot I believe is the best program for me because it offers the structure and every aspect that I need to just be grounded.

What are your goals moving forward?

I want to be a social worker. I want to open up my own youth center because the youth are being distracted in so many ways by what they see and not understanding what’s going on behind what they see. When I was a teenager, I wasn’t able to understand what really went on behind the scenes of the glitz and the glamor. I believe that if young people have the information about what’s available to them, if they go the other route, then they’ll be more successful.

What motivates you?

When I was incarcerated, I just got tired of being tired and feeling let down. I understood that I kept finding myself in the same situations, doing the same things, and expecting a different result. I understood that I needed God in my life. Change is not comfortable all the time. With His help and my motivation to move forward, anything is possible. I want to make myself proud of where I was and where I’m going. And to just be able to continue receiving the knowledge that I need to succeed.