After 27 years, 3 months and 2 days, today I received my freedom.

I have “expired,” which is the Department of Corrections term for no longer being on parole. Its funny, the term for no longer being property of the State of Minnesota sounds like I have died, when I finally get to live.

No more living in fear of a minor thing sending me back to prison.

When driving 65 on Hwy 285 could have easily killed me, (ATLiens get it) now I can drive with the speed of traffic, without fear of getting a speeding ticket and possibly violating my parole.

No more monthly payments, my freedom saves me almost $2,000 a year.

No more phone calls, UAs, surprise 5 AM house calls, searches or random fines.

No more FEAR.

It’s a strange feeling, at 43 years old, I am my own person for the first time in my life.

I no longer have to ask permission to go visit my family or to cross state lines.

I no longer have to ask permission to live my life.

As I write this, to my left is my Passport Application, I have so many places I want to visit.

But, this day is not all butterflies and roses.

I am still part of the most discriminated against sector of the workforce.

Surviving 17 1/2 years of prison, successfully completed 9 years of parole, owning three houses, becoming a landlord, paying my taxes, managing dozens of employees, still does not allow me to work in positions that give me the time, and money, to live the life I want or the job satisfaction I crave.

For over two years now I’ve been a GM, and I am damn good at it, but there’s nowhere for me to go. No more money for me to make, no more PTO for me to earn. For the last four months, I have averaged 6 days off a month, and on almost everyone of those days off, I have gotten a work-related email, a phone call or had to go to a meeting.

Restaurants are really the only place for people with a criminal background and because they are always understaffed and “felons,” need a job. So, the hospitality industry hires us, over works and under pays us, because they know we have nowhere else to go.

The formerly incarcerated workforce is the easiest to exploit, because there’s no one to support us. No laws preventing discrimination against us, if anything labor laws are written so we may be fired at any time, for any reason.

I am smart, and I am a good person, not a great one, but I am a good one.

I want more, I want to do something meaningful in my professional life and community. However, unless you know someone, this is just a dream for the formerly incarcerated community.

I have served my prison sentence, completed my parole, jumped through all the hoops, peed in all the cups, paid all the fines.

Today, I am free, but as long as Google and background checks exist, I will never be allowed the same opportunities as those around me.

Today is bittersweet.