Mansfield Frazier on giving yourself and others a second chance
Mansfield Frazier worked at the power company for 10 years until racism drove him to quit in anger and work outside of the system. He went from stealing credit cards to counterfeiting them until he landed in prison, which he calls an “occupational hazard.”
In prison he tutored fellow inmates and wrote the book, "From Behind the Wall.” There he had an awakening that changed his entire life and set him on the course to do the one thing that scared him the most: become a writer.
After giving himself a second chance, he became a writer, winery owner and a community activist who gives others second chances. He uses his voice to transform the lives of others, to lift people out of financial poverty and that poverty of spirit that keeps people in bondage long after they’re released from prison.
My Takeaways:
Don’t be afraid to fail, because you’re going to.
“If I had never went to prison I wouldn’t be a writer because I was too undisciplined.”
“I had to give up who I was and who I was comfortable with to become who I said I wanted to be. “
“Going to prison is an acquired skill.”
Official Bio:
Mansfield Frazier is a native Clevelander and proud graduate of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District who works professionally as a print and radio journalist. He also is the executive director of Neighborhood Solutions, a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of the residents of Ward 7 where he resides with his wife, Brenda.
Additionally, he’s the general manager of Château Hough, a vineyard and winery owned by the non-profit that trains and employs formerly incarcerated individuals. As a 20-year resident of the community he also serves as a consultant to homebuilders seeking to construct new homes on various scattered lots in the Hough community, assisting them in navigating the political landscape in City Hall, while attempting to educate them on the dreams, desires and aspirations of Ward 7 residents.
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