Life is filled with unexpected turns and mistakes. What distinguishes successful people is their willingness to improve after making mistakes. Afrika Owes is a shining example of how determination and hard work can transform your life. Good Morning America reported that Owes arrived at Rikers Island, a correctional prison in New York, at the age of 17. Charges of gang-related conspiracy led to her admission to a program. She stayed in the facility for six months, which completely changed her perspective on life.
“I felt like my life was over. I was scared and I was powerless. I was so hopeless. And I mean, prison is just a very gray and dark place. And it was depressing,” Owes, who is now a single mother, recalled. Sharing a post on her Instagram page, Owes mentioned that she made a written bet back in 2011 that she would never again visit that place. In a diary given to her when she was in jail, along with her bet, she had listed several other goals she was confident about at the time. She had written, “I will never go back to Riker. I bet $100 that in 5 years, I will be a college graduate and go to law school. I will have 5 degrees before I am 30.” However, after a decade and a half, Owes lost part of her bet in the most delightful way.
The woman worked hard and tirelessly to cover a portion of the bet and graduate on her first attempt. Her TikTok tale became viral after she shared a wonderful moment on it. While she already had people praising her for her well-earned happiness, the woman had bigger intentions. Owes appeared to be winning the bet, but she lost in the most surprising section of the agreement. The New York City Department of Correction allowed the woman to talk with young kids who, like her, were looking for guidance.
“I was overcome with emotion. Even walking the hallways, I remember when I was an inmate, I had to walk along inside the line. So I felt naturally inclined to walk in the line, but I didn’t have to,” she exclaimed. The overwhelming meeting was where she wholesomely lost her bet but gained many hearts. The department shared a post about their time with Owes and how she guided the young people through their questions, as someone who was once like them but had turned her life around. “The last time I left Rikers I was a prisoner. This time I’ve returned as a lawyer. The tears, the laughs, and the connections I shared with these young women were beyond words,” Owes wrote in her post.
She also mentioned that, like herself, she received journals for teenagers. “I brought the girls their journals so they too could author their stories, manifest their visions, and track spades games like I did,” she told me. “Once you choose hope, you’re unstoppable,” she said. The department even complimented her, adding, “Her story highlighted that their current struggles are only moments in their lives, not their entire existence,” according to the post. Owes closed with the following statement: “From inmate to inspiration, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to transform my pain into a powerful purpose.”