Latest / Nightmare Success In and Out / From Leavenworth Prison- to Mayor of Leavenworth- incredible! Jermaine Wilson

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From Leavenworth Prison- to Mayor of Leavenworth- incredible! Jermaine Wilson · Nightmare Success In and Out

0:01
What happens when your worst fear becomes your reality?
0:04
Hi. I'm Brian Cassidy.
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Welcome to the nightmare success.
0:07
And Now podcast where we explore a, how to overcome your fears
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and Nightmares is set yourself free.
0:13
We're going to be exploring this topic with guys that was in
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Leavenworth with and others who survived their own nightmare.
0:20
These stories can be inspiring. Sometimes sad, there's some
0:24
humor but hopefully you can come away with a nugget of something
0:27
that will help you knock down some of the prisons.
0:29
You It up in your own mind. All right.
0:34
Now Mara success listeners. We are back and, you know, we
0:39
always talk about on this show. What happens when your worst
0:42
fear becomes your reality? How do you adapt?
0:44
How do you survive? Do I have a treat for you guys?
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It's a first for me. This is a story about someone
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who, you know, had a life. You know, it was on the streets,
0:57
its drug-dealing. He went to Juvenile for four
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years. Went to prison and Leavenworth
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for three years grew up in Leavenworth.
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And now, Jermaine Wilson is the mayor of Leavenworth.
1:12
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Okay, folks, here we are Jermaine Wilson, welcome my man.
2:12
Hey, how you doing sir? I'm doing good.
2:15
So I want to get a shout out to Jim Clark because Jim Clark
2:17
actually connected us all up. So Jim and Jim was my first
2:22
guest on nightmare success over a year ago.
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So it's all full circles. So Jermaine man, what a story,
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you know, No, to be able and we talked about, you know, when you
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go through your worst fear, how you handle it, how you survive,
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how you adapt? But what you've been able to do,
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after you've gotten through all that is, is really incredible.
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And I want to go back a little bit so people can understand
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where you came from. What was life?
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Because you grew up in Leavenworth.
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Am I correct about that correct? Yes, sir.
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So what was life for you? Like growing up in Leavenworth?
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Kansas as a kid So yes we're just kind of going back to the
3:02
beginning. I was actually born in a small
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town called Kenneth Missouri. The hometown of Sheryl Crow this
3:08
it is and went to miss you. Yeah.
3:12
Yep. It's so you know my dad was in
3:15
and out of prison. You know our neighborhood was
3:18
drug-infested and my mother. She was 20 years old with four
3:21
children. I was the, the youngest child.
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And so she just looked around and one day.
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She just said she needed something different.
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I've had Uncle who served in the Army in Leavenworth, Kansas and
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he hadn't. For my mom about Leavenworth is
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so she just wanted something new.
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And so, when she packed up all of her belongings and her
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children, she moved us to Leavenworth.
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She didn't realize the apartment complex that we were moving into
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was the ghetto. You know, has low government
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housing area, but, you know, that's, that's one part of it.
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And once you live in that Community, you realize like the
3:57
crime that drugs. The Beti.
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It was really having a huge impact on so many people's
4:04
lives. And as kids growing up, we were
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exposed to this and my mom was working two jobs, you know,
4:10
trying to make ends meet but every time she would leave, you
4:13
know, my brother. And I, you know, We snuck around
4:16
the neighborhood and that was the time that we got exposed to
4:20
what drugs were gunshots violence.
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And so, we were accustomed to that and it became our Norm
4:26
every single day Jermaine. How old would you have been in
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that time period? When you were just kind of
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sneaking out going around the neighborhood when seeing those
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type of things but I was five years old.
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Oh my gosh man that's a lot for a five-year-old to see.
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Yeah my brother was seven years old and so I was like the Young
4:44
Buck on the Block and so you know everyone's like hey let me
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go ahead and turn him on to this and thinking it was cool but not
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realizing how detrimental was and how much of an impact was
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going to have with my life? Well and I'm sure you know,
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going into To a new place. Not knowing very many people.
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And then that being what's going on in the streets?
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I'm sure it felt like they were, you know, kind of taking you in.
5:09
You were becoming part of something.
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It probably didn't feel that strange.
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You were you're getting connected to the neighborhood.
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So Jame, tell me, like, when things start, as you start
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getting older and, like, what was school like for you, were
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you involved in school? Was it, it was it an escape for
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you? What, how did that world play in
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for you when you were growing? Yes.
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Oh, so growing up. I was short and I always had
5:36
this insecurity about myself just because I never could fit
5:39
into the popular group and so, therefore I would always, you
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know, try to be a Class Clown ended up getting kicked out of
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school. Cool.
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Just because I wanted to seek that attention in the approval
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amongst my peers, but it was always difficult for me to adapt
5:54
to school because every single year we had to move just because
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my mom couldn't afford the rent or the owner of the house
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refused to, you know, renew the lease.
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And so with that at all the children, I was the one that
6:08
always had to switch schools every single year and this
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happened all the way into middle school and by the time I was in
6:14
Middle School, that's when I got introduced to.
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Doing drugs and also committing crimes.
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So when that started to happen and and I can't imagine that
6:24
would have been really difficult to move as a kid at that age
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just because from school district to school district and
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get it to a new school when you because I think if I am I right?
6:35
That when you got caught as a kid, I don't know how old you
6:39
were, but you went through like three or four years of being in
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that system. Yeah, correct.
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The first up, my committed, a broken a house at the age of 12
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Years. Sold.
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I was given version and then I continued their life of crime
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just because of the tension I received from my peers at
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school, they embrace me, I got a chance to start hanging around
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the older kids, they thought it was cool.
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And I continued that life of crime in at the age of 15, I
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committed a robbery charge was sentenced to two years in
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juvenile Corrections. Then, you know, I started
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thinking about the movie Escape from Alcatraz.
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I thought it was a good idea to try to escape.
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I tried to escape failed in the attempt and It just to an
7:20
additional two years. So from 15th at 19 years old, I
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gave up my entire juvenile teenage years just because I
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wanted to fit in and be part of the the popular group I lost
7:34
myself trying to be like everybody else and during my
7:37
time but the car is racing to do what I Corrections.
7:39
You know, I adapted to my environment, I got involved,
7:42
I'll come to the Gang Lifestyle. Yeah.
7:44
So I'm curious if 15 years old, 19 years old age.
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I mean, it's such an impressionable age in your
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You're what were you thinking being in that environment?
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How are you getting by being in an environment like that?
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I don't even think people, I don't even think most people
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know what juvenile? Detentions, even like.
8:03
Yeah, and so just imagine you got a bunch of teenagers, you
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know, testosterones through the roof.
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Yeah, everybody got a chip on their shoulder and for me, just
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because I knew that I was going to have a hard time just
8:14
because, you know, I'm still short immediately, I learned how
8:18
to fight and so my fears, Lead to aggression and anytime that I
8:22
was faced with, in the opposition or anyone tried to,
8:25
as we would use the term, check me immediately, I will fight.
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And so, with me being the first one always ready to fight my
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reputation started to grow. And as my reputation, grew that
8:37
respect, for my name, started to increase his well, and that's
8:41
when you not start making a name for myself, even though it was
8:43
negative. But I use it as a way to protect
8:46
myself, and I think that's something that's a good point
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too, is that That leadership can be bad and good.
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I mean but your what you have inside you people will follow
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and and it kind of leads to where you are today because you
9:00
know that you you flip the script and started using those
9:05
leadership qualities in a way that really benefitted the good.
9:07
So you get out, how does this affect your mom?
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And that whole world was with the family as it is, she how are
9:17
you still connected to all that it?
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How's that? Kane.
9:21
Yes. Oh, so my mom would still come
9:23
up and visit me, whenever I wasn't in segregation and I kid,
9:27
you not this. I know.
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God is real. Every time one of her children,
9:30
got locked up, my mom had another baby.
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Oh my God. Yeah, my sister got locked up.
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My brother, got locked up when I was locked up and during those
9:37
four years, my mother had three different children and I
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realized you know, just so the babies came so she wouldn't have
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to be depressed and always thinking about us.
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Yeah, I truly believe that but she He never gave up on us.
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She continued to pray for us. She continued to provide for us
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whenever we were in need. She gave us resources.
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So that love and connection was there.
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My dad had came back into the picture as well and, you know,
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he visited it was just always tough in my mom knew that I was
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a good child just because you know, she knows the children.
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Yeah. But she knew that I was always
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trying to fit in and that's what made it difficult and
10:18
challenging for me in my life. But she kept saying, son, I'm
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not going to give up and give up on you.
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Yeah, no, she didn't. And so when that time came for
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me to get released from Duty, she was there to pick me up her
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and my father was and they took me back to Leavenworth.
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So Jermaine, when you got out of that world, how long did you
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last in the outside world? Before you got into your own
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nightmare? Again may I was only at 18
10:46
months, man. When I came home, I had made up
10:53
in my mind that I was going to become one of the biggest drug
10:56
dealers because I felt like that time that was given to me in
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juvenile. Those four years.
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I felt like my time was robbed from me.
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Yeah, I felt like I didn't deserve it and so I had made up
11:08
in my mind that I was going to make up the lost time.
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Not realizing it was going to cost me more time.
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And so I went back to my old neighborhood by this time,
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you're not gonna live alone, I'm 19 years old.
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I know when the word about the stay with my mom and dad.
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And so I went back to that same environment that environment
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that taught me, life of crime is okay.
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Being disrespectful to your parents is okay.
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And the individuals who didn't write me with input, no money on
11:36
my book. I considered these individuals
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still to be my friends. Yeah.
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Because they showed me what I thought was true love, but it
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was really fake love. They turned me on to the crack
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cocaine game and, you know, I think so.
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Many times on here Jemaine, we've had stories like this you
11:53
know it's people places and things you know if and and if
11:56
you don't change your people places and things that then it's
12:00
so easy to stay it's almost like handcuffs that bring you back.
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You can't go set yourself free cuz you're you're in a, you're
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in an environment that's comfortable.
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It's something that, you know, changing people places and
12:11
things is the thing that's really hard because you have to
12:13
step out of that comfort zone. All right?
12:16
So when you, you got back into this and these people feel Your
12:20
friends, but they're not really your friends but it feels like a
12:22
family. Walk me through the nightmare of
12:26
getting caught again after 18 months and what's going through
12:29
your mind? So, God blessed me with the sun
12:33
and, you know, during the time that I'm hustling, I was with my
12:36
childhood girlfriend. I got a baby now and in my mind,
12:41
you know, thinking like, man, I don't want my son to live this
12:44
life that I'm living. So what am I going to do?
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Well, I have to hustle hard. I got to make more.
12:50
More money. I got to make sure that he don't
12:52
live a life of crime and poverty.
12:54
So therefore, you know, I'm going to continue to do what I'm
12:57
doing on a higher scale, but it was just the wrongful thinking,
13:01
because my girl was telling me to stop your son needs your time
13:04
not to money. Yeah.
13:06
But I didn't think he'd do that and because I wasn't mature
13:09
enough to understand where she was coming from.
13:12
You know, I just started focusing on, you know,
13:16
trafficking you know, it's that because it got too hot for me
13:19
and Leavenworth star. Want to different states.
13:21
But man, deep down when I would go to sleep at night and I cry,
13:27
just because I was feeling empty inside.
13:29
I'm just like, man. Like I really want to quit, but
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I don't know how to quit and I kid you not.
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I knew that I was going to get locked up and it was just a
13:39
matter of time, you feel it, when you look at that time to
13:43
come, just so I could quit because I feel like if I would
13:47
have quit, I would have been letting everybody down.
13:50
Down. It was connected to me that I
13:52
was supporting and I felt like they needed me.
13:54
Yep. So you so when you get hit is it
13:58
is it is it a knock down the door?
14:01
We've got you, or is it an investigation that goes on and
14:04
you just feel it's going on in some day.
14:06
They just tell you to come down and they take you.
14:09
Yeah. Miss.
14:09
What was the best location that was going on?
14:11
And I never figured the day when I was leaving the apartment
14:14
complex. My girl was saying like a your
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son 12, he's crying on the floor, wanted me to pick him up.
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She said, don't leave, I said this is my last time and honest
14:25
I'm just run run. When I left, man, didn't realize
14:30
the cops were waiting on me. They see me.
14:33
They were actually in a call. They had a group of officers at
14:36
this. One particular house.
14:37
They see my vehicle. And they just knew that I had
14:41
everything on me and they follow me a couple of blocks down the
14:45
street, and never forget the day, they hit, they sirens and
14:49
pulled me over. I found everything in the
14:51
vehicle. Wow.
14:52
So what's going through your mind, your man?
14:54
Cause, you know, this is big. This is, you know, that that
14:57
doesn't happen every day. So like, man, this is it, they
15:01
got me. And, you know, when they lock me
15:04
up and and my mind I'm like me and I gotta, I gotta get out.
15:08
I got to move this, I got to move that.
15:09
So yeah, I bond out. My girlfriend comes and binds me
15:13
out and I go back to doing the same.
15:15
Oh, no, but not realizing this case is pending.
15:20
Yeah. Now this case is pending and I
15:23
only did that for a few more months baby before I ended up
15:26
getting busted in a different state with more drugs and they
15:30
should be back to Leavenworth. And that's when I knew that it
15:33
was over. Yeah.
15:35
So when you get into this, do you have, what kind of
15:38
representation do you have? You have a public defender?
15:40
Do you have? Like, no, I had a little bit of
15:44
money. Say, okay.
15:45
All right, all right. Did I save?
15:47
You know, you realize like me and like all this is for
15:49
nothing. Cuz I got to use all this.
15:51
He's yeah for defense. Exactly.
15:53
Yeah. And so, you know why I got a
15:56
lawyer, you know, he was representing me.
15:58
The problem was, it was just too much against me.
16:03
Yeah. You know what I mean?
16:04
And now, I get busted in a different state and now I'm
16:07
trying to, you know, go for drug rehabilitation, trying to use
16:11
excuses if I got a drug problem, but that was not the case.
16:15
And when I realized, like if I did not take the plea and I try
16:18
to go to trial, You know, I'll be spending more time.
16:23
You know then then actually what I would have, you know, if I
16:26
want to just turn that, I think I'm part of the play.
16:29
Yeah, Germain. I think that's one of those
16:31
things where people don't even really understand that process
16:35
of becoming a trips with the police.
16:37
Because I was just talking to a guy there, the day and he's been
16:39
out, he's on probation, but he got into another situation that
16:43
he was been fighting and he really wanted to fight it but
16:47
when it came down to it, he really was scared about going
16:50
back. Into that courtroom.
16:51
And so he took a lesser plea, he's going to be on probation
16:55
and he'll get, but I think the scariness of of looking at
16:59
additional time or going back to prison.
17:00
That's why you see so many, you know, you know, 95% of the cases
17:07
that plea out because you were at the scary.
17:10
You know, scary look of it and especially if you've been to
17:12
prison, you know, you can survive prison, but you
17:14
certainly don't want to go back. Correct, correct.
17:17
And especially if you knew your guilty.
17:19
So yeah, my I want to waste time trying to fight this case in
17:23
knowing that I'm going to go in there and yell take a right,
17:25
right. The Plea knowing that I'm guilty
17:27
because you know I told myself you know to mean there was no
17:31
one else involved in my case so this all falls on me.
17:33
So this is this is kind of interesting though because you
17:36
you end up going to prison basically in your hometown.
17:41
Yeah. What's that like I mean did you
17:44
when you when you walk through those Gates, did you know and
17:48
connect with people that you knew from the streets?
17:51
Yeah. So so I don't know how familiar
17:54
you are with the state prison. So when I first got locked up, I
17:56
was in Artie. You and El Dorado.
17:58
Then they shipped me to Norton, which was five hours away from
18:02
Kevin works. And he said, the only way you're
18:03
going to get out of Norton is through fighting or programming
18:07
and I heard about the program prison fellowship.
18:10
And that's when I was It's like me and you know, that's a legacy
18:13
and so I can get closer to home. Yeah, so I signed up for the
18:16
program. I was in order for three weeks.
18:18
When I went to back to Lansing, man, I knew everybody the Arts.
18:24
I went to school with, you know, I was well-known in my community
18:28
my nickname too short as I mean with so many welcome here, but
18:32
the program is in the max facility.
18:34
And so I'm just like, this is like, what in the world's going
18:38
on, but I met my hometown. So immediately Those negative
18:41
thoughts. Start sure.
18:42
Well, muck and I could do this, I could do this.
18:45
I know everybody here. And so, you know, it took a
18:49
couple of months back for me to calm down and not not pursue
18:52
those. Those negative thoughts that was
18:54
running through my Well Jermaine.
18:56
That had to be a conscious effort on your part though
18:58
because it would have been easy for you to fall into that.
19:01
What was the strategy and your - said no I'm not going that way
19:05
me one. I was sober minded to I realized
19:10
while I was sitting In my cell one day.
19:12
If I don't change my life, my son's going to follow in the
19:16
same footsteps. The Legacy that's been handed
19:19
down from generation to generation, within my family.
19:22
There's always been crime, drugs and incarceration, and so I'm
19:27
sitting in my cell and I'm just crying.
19:30
And I'm like, God, like if you really like coming to my life, I
19:34
want something different. I'm tired of being a loser.
19:36
I'm tired of being a failure. I don't want to be a mistake and
19:40
I don't want my Son to follow in the same footsteps that that
19:45
I've already laid. What am I going to do different?
19:48
And that's when I realize that I have to change my life because
19:51
kids not going to do what you tell them to do.
19:53
They're going to do exactly what they see.
19:55
So if I can be that example that positive example for my son and
20:00
I start walking out the right path and he's going to see
20:03
exactly what it takes to do the right thing because it's Dad is
20:06
leading the way and I just had to start with myself.
20:09
Wow, that is so powerful. Awful.
20:11
And, you know, it's so it's always so interesting to me how
20:16
a moment will land you in that moment.
20:20
I'm sure is vivid to you, how you just explained it.
20:23
It's almost like that Rock. Bottom moment almost takes you
20:26
down to your soul that this is. This is the time.
20:29
This is where I break the mold. This is you know what, how you
20:33
explained that Jermaine so powerful because you had to
20:37
completely break away from everything that had always been
20:41
Yeah, and step into nothing that had been her and that became
20:45
your new world. So, as you change your mindset
20:49
in prison, how did that change your world in prison?
20:53
Like, did you start hanging out with different people?
20:55
Did you start doing different things?
20:57
Well, how did that work? Yeah, so I really started
21:00
hanging out with the older individuals saying, a lot of we
21:03
were lifers. You know, they're never going to
21:05
get a chance to see daylight again, and they feel like they
21:08
missed the opportunity with their own.
21:10
Children. Yes.
21:11
And they said, brother, man. You remind me so much of my son,
21:15
you're around their age, all this information, and wisdom,
21:18
and knowledge that I have inside of me that I'm not able to give
21:21
to them. I'm going to give to you.
21:23
And at that moment, I just didn't listen to the knowledge.
21:26
I begin to apply it. And that's when the wisdom
21:29
started to take place in my life, you know, wisdom is
21:32
knowledge, being a plier. So I started stopped using
21:35
profanity. You know, I started going to
21:37
church and started really study my Bible.
21:40
I Audited reading, reading self-help books.
21:42
I just became discipline in my thinking started to change.
21:45
Once my thinking begin to change, my Outlook began to
21:49
change and when my Outlook change, when I started having
21:51
different outcomes of life, I no longer entertain the negative
21:55
conversations. I literally started talking
21:58
about things that I was going to do.
21:59
Once I got out, not the things that I used to do.
22:02
And so, you know, life and death is in a pair of the tongue, I
22:05
started speaking, you know, positive things into my life and
22:08
that's when it really started to happen.
22:10
Transform my life. The more my girlfriend.
22:13
Seeing the difference in my life?
22:14
She came back in my life. My son came back as my
22:17
everything started going good. Yeah.
22:20
And so I'm like man, I'm doing the right thing, you know, I'm
22:23
serving God, I'm being a positive role model in prison.
22:27
They let me keep this up because this still feels like yours
22:31
better. Okay.
22:33
Yeah. And it does feel good and that
22:35
feeling that's inside of you, you know, it becomes contagious
22:39
and when people really Started to gravitate to you because of
22:42
the positive energy inside. Yeah, you realize like man I can
22:46
lead people to do positive things instead of negative
22:49
things. Yeah.
22:49
And see you would always LED. It was just that you applied
22:53
this new, you and start leading towards the good, make a
22:57
difference in. And this is a story, you know,
22:59
Jemaine. I didn't say this in the
23:00
beginning, but you know, this has been, you've been on Good
23:02
Morning America. You've been on CBS Morning Show.
23:04
There's a reason why though their people love to see.
23:09
Because I think it's because They hope it in themselves and
23:13
or you your story inspires hope that you came from and you had
23:19
love from your parents. You had left from your mom but
23:21
the streets and where you were getting accepted and what you
23:25
were going to do with your life, that became your life and to
23:28
break. But the inspiring thing about
23:30
it, I think what people really like about a story like yours is
23:33
that you had that moment? You knew you didn't want that.
23:38
You took wisdom you took mentorship And you just broke
23:42
away. And what you've done with your
23:43
life since then is what people hope for, you know, that's that.
23:47
And I think that's why your story is it resonates so well,
23:50
with all the people, you go out and speak with you.
23:54
When I hear your story, I am inspired and and the fact that
23:57
you're able to use that and get people to get there, you know,
24:03
so many things in our world right now are all the bad stuff,
24:07
you know, it's Eternal, the TV everything's bad.
24:09
All the world's going. You know to hell in a
24:11
handbasket. People are looking for stories
24:14
like yours because they want to be inspired by the hope of
24:16
change. So Jemaine tell me this.
24:19
So all this starts happening good you living a different life
24:22
in prison you start getting in close to the door knowing that
24:26
you're going to get out. What's going through your mind
24:28
in that world, in your mind thinking I'm getting close to
24:31
getting out. Man I really started to get
24:34
excited. I wasn't anxious.
24:37
I was in afraid. I was a worried man.
24:39
I was excited because I'm like man I'm really going to make a
24:42
positive impact on my community and and I just started to tap
24:46
off into my gift. I have the ability to
24:48
communicate, the ability to connect to people and make
24:51
people feel good. So when those prison doors
24:53
opened up, you know, man, I literally everything that I had
24:57
planned and prepared. I started to implement the first
25:00
day that I was out. I love I started to work my Act.
25:03
Action plan. It wasn't like, hey, take me
25:05
home, we've got to celebrate, no take me to my PO, take me to the
25:08
Workforce Development of Partners.
25:10
I get these from Food Stamps, all the resources that was
25:13
available and free to me. I made sure that I did that and
25:16
then this went home and chilled and relax with my son and with
25:21
my son's mother day two. Hey started looking for jobs.
25:25
I knew that I had no time to waste because, you know, I do
25:30
times the Devil's Playground and I have made up of Mind that mean
25:34
I'm preparing for Success. So therefore I need to take
25:37
these steps that's going to lead me to the direction in The Ghost
25:40
and I'm trying to achieve and it took me three weeks to find
25:43
employment but I worked it every single day you know, even when I
25:47
heard individuals tell me, no I realized no doesn't mean I'm not
25:51
qualified is simply means next opportunity.
25:54
Yes. And so when I found the right, I
25:56
love that. I don't want to I don't want to
25:58
gloss over what you just said. No means next opportunity.
26:02
I love that. Aye sir.
26:03
Yes, should be a t-shirt. Yeah and literally it just, you
26:08
know, once I got that right opportunity, it opened the door
26:11
to many more opportunity. Maximized it to the point where
26:16
it was time for me to step up and do something different.
26:19
So the more that I see and I begin to serve and give back to
26:22
my community and I didn't. Wait, I started to share my
26:25
story that Juvenile Facility escape from, I tried to escape
26:29
from what about went back and became a positive role model in
26:32
their example to those kids just by sharing my story and letting
26:36
them know, you don't want to go to prison.
26:38
Because this is the truth. This is the truth.
26:40
What goes on behind these prison and I don't remain, I want to go
26:44
into because it's a lot of times the guys because it's hard to
26:47
get out, it's hard to get a job and you have to have a certain
26:51
mindset. What you just said.
26:53
Next opportunity did when you were, when you finally got the
26:57
job. Did they know about you?
27:00
Did they know about yesterday? Was because I think that's one
27:02
of the things that if you can guys that get out, they need to
27:07
get good about telling their story and what happened to them
27:09
and why this, why they're different, why they're better,
27:12
and that they would because of their their story.
27:16
They're going to be good going forward as an employee and loyal
27:20
and whatever. But obviously you got very good
27:22
at that because you got employed but then you started doing the
27:26
speaking and Engaging and I've got the nonprofit organizations
27:34
called unity and the community movement.
27:37
Yeah. How did all that come about?
27:40
So I got released from prison December tonight 2010.
27:45
And so as I'm serving in my community, my church Community
27:49
inside a juvenile, correctional facilities and even went back
27:52
inside of the prison and Lance it became a mentor.
27:55
I was just praying and asking God one day.
27:57
I said, God What's next, what's next?
28:01
For my life. I know you showed me that you're
28:04
going to use me to be a leader in my community and impact, the
28:07
prison system. What's next?
28:10
And when I turn on the news, all I seen was, you know, of racism.
28:15
I see, you know, just the division that was taking place
28:18
in our country all these different organizations from
28:21
black lives to Blue lies. I was just seeing all of these
28:24
things and I'm like, okay, I get the message and what people are.
28:28
Trying to say I said but I don't see anybody becoming unified.
28:33
We're supposed to be the United States of America but during
28:37
this time it seems as if we are the most divided country in the
28:40
entire world. And so and I said God man, I
28:43
want to impact the world and then he showed me in a vision.
28:47
Make you got to start right at home you know the need for
28:50
changes National but we have to start right here at home and I
28:54
said, man, what is it? Unity, we need to be Unified.
28:58
And so, when I realized that I need to work on unify my
29:01
community, I reached out to the chief of police and said, Chief
29:06
I want to meet with you, I've met with them.
29:09
I told him the idea that I had I've shared with them that
29:12
people and I, I said people in our community need to see you
29:15
and I serving together. Yes, people need to see us on
29:18
the front line. They need to see blacks.
29:20
They need to see why they need to see the Police Department
29:22
inside the community, making a positive impact.
29:26
And so, we did the youth versus the police.
29:28
Apartment basket. He did.
29:30
He immediately get it? I mean, was it.
29:33
Oh well, you look back. You sat in that chair like this.
29:39
And so he started to see it and then he already knew my
29:41
reputation back then into the man that I am today.
29:45
That's right. Before him.
29:47
And so, he was like, all right, do you were the right?
29:49
Let's yeah. Let's let's let's let's try it.
29:53
We can't lose by trying but we can lose by not doing nothing.
29:57
I know that's it. I mean, that's a big deal
29:59
because I mean you you just you picked up, the phone wasn't had
30:03
the meeting and and talk to him into something that was a big
30:06
deal. I mean, it was it's turned into
30:09
that. If this could happen all over
30:10
the country, what what a different situation would have
30:13
so? So what all started happening
30:16
with this? Yeah and so the day of the event
30:19
came like you know so the funny thing that led up to a people's
30:22
like me, you are passing out flyers promoting the police.
30:31
We're trying to bring this community together and death,
30:33
the first step. And so, you know what's once I
30:36
was able to drown out all the music, I continue to focus on
30:40
the mission in the go. And when the day came to the
30:42
event, we had two hundred plus people on the North side part of
30:47
Leavenworth, which is the urban part of the community.
30:50
And, you know, we had the police department, fired truck came
30:54
out. You know, we had the homeless
30:56
Community, we had children, we had Rich Folk, Came out church
30:59
leaders. So we see we had everybody that
31:02
came out to this event and you see blacks, you see whites, you
31:06
see brown, you see all types of people in one place.
31:11
No gunshots. No violence.
31:14
No cursing. You know, the basketball game is
31:17
going on, you know, kids are having fun laughing high-five
31:20
and the officers. So it was a positive impact that
31:25
moment right there, people started to see that man.
31:28
This is possible. We all are unified mean.
31:31
This is what Unity supposed to look like this one.
31:34
I kept you supposed to look like, man.
31:36
This is amazing that this is happening right here in our own
31:40
Community, Leavenworth, Kansas and a simple concept to simple.
31:45
Simple bringing people together. You had food ways, cold
31:49
giveaways, you know, anytime you say, promote free barbecue, it
31:53
is going to bring peace. It's so enough.
31:59
That moment that's when individuals begin to ask the
32:04
question man who put this event. Yeah.
32:08
Need this consistently in our community, and have you ever
32:12
thought about getting involved in politics?
32:14
And that's when I was like, you know, yes, that was playground.
32:18
Yeah. And I the things that I read
32:21
about you Jemaine, it wasn't just a natural thing.
32:24
I mean what was natural was, is that you became a natural leader
32:27
in the community. But you weren't seeking to be
32:30
the mayor, or you weren't seeking to be in politics, but I
32:34
think you're was it, your girlfriend or your wife at the
32:38
time that said, yeah, maybe you should think about that.
32:42
When I look at you, I see, you know Mom?
32:46
Yeah. So it was actually my friend
32:49
Sean printed and, you know, he's the one that actually opened the
32:52
door for me to be able to go back in time to the juvenile
32:55
system and become a mentor. And he said, your And the way
32:59
that you serve in the community one day, you could possibly come
33:02
to Mayor. And I'm like yeah.
33:04
Right. And literally like, and at that
33:07
moment is like God check me like, why not?
33:09
And so I called my wife right after that meeting and I shared
33:13
with her, what? This man had said and she said,
33:16
well, baby possibly, you can. And I'm like, man, like so you
33:20
don't fall for it to. She had me feeling like I was 17
33:24
when she said that and so but it gave me hope.
33:28
And it reminded me, you know, don't don't limit yourself, you
33:32
know what I mean? I what God has for you is for
33:35
you and nobody can take that away.
33:37
And that's when I begin to, you know, prepare myself for what
33:41
was the head. And I knew at that moment that
33:44
God had much more greater things in store for me.
33:47
And I learned this a long time ago, if he served to make a
33:50
difference, the position will come because when that word was
33:54
spoken to me at that time, you know, it wasn't a 22 years.
33:58
Slater until I really started to pursue the political position.
34:02
Yeah, that's really something. And I'm curious, because I've
34:06
never had anybody on here. I mean, I everybody that I have
34:09
on here is had some event with going to prison, but as you ran
34:15
for mayor, did did that become an issue that you, hey, that
34:20
other guy. Hey, that guy went to prison.
34:23
So look, it wasn't an issue in the until the results came out
34:28
during the primary. It was like, eleven people that
34:30
ran in the primary and so when the results came out, you know,
34:34
boom, I'm in first place. And so everybody was like, hey,
34:37
who the heck is this? Yeah, and so, and it was the
34:42
elite group that was asking the question.
34:45
Just, so as they begin to dig into my background, that's when
34:49
it was like, Hey, like this guy, been to prison and all All of
34:53
this, like what's really going on.
34:55
And that's when individual started to write negative
34:59
articles to the newspaper and seeing know is, he's if he
35:04
becomes a leader in our community, you know, he has a
35:07
criminal record. Is he going to be bias?
35:09
Is he going to be able to make the right judgment calls?
35:11
Is he going to support our law enforcement?
35:14
Well, you know, the snow started hurt my feelings.
35:16
Sure, sure. I mean, that's, that's odd.
35:20
Yeah. And then this one individual
35:22
started to speak up on Yeah, and say because he's earned it, I
35:26
mean he doesn't like you just showed up on the scene.
35:28
You had earned that all the way through the youth connected, the
35:31
community and connected the law enforcement, and connect it to
35:34
Unity. So you had that back and you
35:35
just hit that brought it all forward.
35:37
Yeah. And so it is so good that
35:40
individual was speaking up those positive things on my behalf and
35:43
then the newspaper posted an article that I did several years
35:47
before where I shared my journey in my story and they said how
35:52
you going to tell on a man, sir? Being open and honest about
35:54
itself. Yeah.
35:55
Like if you're trying to use this - well, he's already came
35:59
out and said it totally trailer. Right?
36:01
Exactly. Yeah.
36:02
And so they said, we need an honest person in politics,
36:08
something new man. Yeah.
36:11
So the funny thing about it. So when it started like it's
36:14
shifted and, and not start again, support from everywhere
36:17
business owners, I mean, everyone and then all of a
36:20
sudden that's when it was like when they couldn't find mine.
36:23
I'm going to record because they started to do the digging.
36:25
I forgot to mention my criminal record actually got expunged.
36:28
Yeah, it's all that 2015. Yeah, yep.
36:32
And so that's when they started to ask the question, is he just
36:35
making up this pretty store to get a life?
36:42
Nobody, it's so by then, that's when I knew.
36:47
I said, man, you stay focused. Don't allow this to distract?
36:50
You remember what you're doing it for?
36:53
Who You're doing it for and you know when that time came for me
36:56
to get elected, I received the most votes and came in first
36:58
place, the support from the community was there and you know
37:02
it was just amazing a great feeling I got here and it's just
37:06
it's just a great story you know, Jemaine when I and I heard
37:09
this and and Jim told me about, I said, wait a minute what wait,
37:12
wait what happened? And he's the mayor and and then
37:16
when I started looking at it all made sense, I mean every step
37:19
that you made, I can so see how people would get behind you
37:22
because you're a G-Force. And because of everything that
37:26
happened to you before, even makes it more authentic, you
37:29
become. Maybe the most authentic guy in
37:31
the room because you're not hiding anything, everything's
37:33
open. And and because of your
37:37
experience you're uniquely qualified to say, hey, why don't
37:41
you talk to this guy? And this girl talk to this girl
37:44
and everybody come together because it makes more sense
37:46
because you've lived it and then you're at the table you're at
37:50
the table talking and yeah, they are At the table, legs swinging
38:00
biggest man in the room and 52. So Jemaine what do you like
38:07
where do you go from here? Are you is this the thing that
38:10
fills you up and you're going to continue to do more of this?
38:13
Is this Jermaine Wilson on the on a crusade to continue to
38:17
unite and build or what's kind of the in your mind now.
38:22
So so my goal now is to really touch the hearts of the people
38:28
in the world, and Open the Eyes of the people, in the world to
38:31
let people know. Just because individuals make a
38:34
mistake doesn't mean they don't deserve a second chance we all
38:38
fall short in life. And I tell people instead of
38:41
falling backwards, learn to fall forward, when you fall forward
38:45
to acknowledge your mistakes, you learn from them.
38:47
Grow forward and you move on with your life.
38:49
And so it was really just to test the hearts of people and
38:52
The know, at the end of the day, we are all human.
38:55
We all need each other and we all have to become United in
38:58
order to be able to create the positive.
39:00
Change that is needed throughout our nation.
39:04
And so, with me, sharing my story, I really wanted to test
39:07
the hearts of people and let people know man.
39:09
At the end of the day, we're all human beings were all trying to
39:12
figure it out. We all need each other.
39:15
So true, man. And, and I know that what I was
39:18
reading here that the book from Um, lawbreaker to lawmaker.
39:24
I love the title that. Yeah.
39:27
And Sassy, the wall breaker to lawmaker?
39:31
Is that, is that available on Amazon?
39:34
No not yet. So there will be available by
39:36
the summertime. Okay.
39:38
And that title came from the it was a news anchors.
39:43
She did my story. I was a headline love it and I
39:48
said, ma'am, can I use it for my book?
39:50
She said, please. Breaker to lawmaker.
39:53
I love it. So anyway, Jermaine said that
39:56
book will be out in the summertime.
39:58
Okay? Yes, sir.
39:59
And I notified you soon as they come out and if people want to
40:03
go and learn more about you, where's the best place to go?
40:08
Gosh, you can actually go to YouTube.
40:10
You could type in Jermaine Wilson, mayor, you can actually
40:14
if you want to reach out to me directly, just to have a
40:16
conversation with if you want me to come and speak at any type of
40:19
venue Jay Wilson. Inspiring at gmail.com.
40:24
That's my email or if you want to get involved in unity in the
40:28
community unity and community dot-org.
40:32
And so, you know, we're always trying to be a blessing to give
40:35
back or if you want to go to my social media Facebook page.
40:37
Yeah, I figure. I was checked it all out
40:40
Jemaine. You're everywhere, man.
40:42
Hey to sort in parentheses I love that too.
40:46
Hey, I always ask people this Jermaine because and you kind of
40:49
led into a right before I ask you about the book out of
40:53
everything that you've gone through.
40:55
What do you think's been your biggest takeaway out there to
40:57
tell the listeners of what you've lived to pay it forward?
41:04
Ask that question again. What do you think your biggest
41:06
take away from everything that you've been through out there
41:10
for the listeners to maybe learn something from what you've
41:15
learned? I'm almost sum it up in a quote,
41:18
okay, don't be influenced by the negative things that are around
41:21
you, but be inspired by what's inside of you greatness lies
41:25
within each one of us. But we have to dig from within.
41:29
If we don't come from with them, will go without don't be Afraid
41:33
to be who God has called you to be.
41:36
That is why he is the mayor, right?
41:39
Yeah, I love that. That is a perfect way to sum of
41:45
this interview. I mean I would have been so
41:48
excited. I've been telling everybody I'll
41:49
get it. I'm going to interview the mayor
41:51
Leavenworth and you won't believe his story.
41:52
So we got it out, Jemaine. I love it.
41:55
And for those listening love, the likes, on the social media.
42:00
The comments, if you go to Apple, Eva review.
42:03
That's a big deal. It's also great.
42:06
If you follow, you can go after those three lines there and hit
42:08
the follow on Apple or on Spotify.
42:11
You can hit the Bell to follow. It'll just get that.
42:14
That's makes it easy for the show.
42:15
Just comes up for the new shows. If you want to leave me a
42:18
message broadcast you.com leave a message, I love to go back and
42:21
forth with people on what their thoughts are.
42:24
And let's see and and by the way, I got the shout out to the
42:29
200 prisoners out there. There's 735 tablets and it's not
42:32
a dope. Whoa, shout out to you guys,
42:34
I'll bet you'll love this this this this show right here with
42:38
Jermaine Wilson as I used to say when I was doing my emails from
42:43
Leavenworth, stay strong. I'll do the same Jermaine
42:47
Wilson, thank you so much, man. Thank you, sir.
42:50
I appreciate it, man. God bless you, nightmare success
42:53
in and out.