Talib Shakir
MEET TALIB:
A natural polyglot, Talib began learning languages as a way to connect with others during his incarceration. After he mastered Arabic, he began teaching English as a second language. One day, Talib made a bet with a student from Honduras that if the student learned English, Talib would learn Spanish. He soon became certified to teach Spanish as a second language and to teach the Spanish GED. With the proven ability to translate and interpret effectively between Spanish, English, and Arabic, Talib has used his skills to work on freelance translation projects. He hopes that the skills he develops as part of the Pivot Program will make his language abilities even more valuable, and he hopes to find work in an organization with a global presence. While in prison, Talib also became a certified life coach, and he took the initiative to write to the Global Coaching Village to design and implement a course that would give others in prison the same opportunity. The prison allowed the course, and the recidivism rate of those who have taken the class is zero.
Since his release less than a year ago, Talib has taken advantage of every moment he’s had to travel and explore. He’s a member of WorldWideBlack Ski DC, he’s skied White Face Mountain in New York, and he’s run half-marathons in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Maryland.