The prison system did not wait for Darris to get older. At 16, he was living in the adult inmate population. It was the highest level of vulnerability, according to Darris, and he was angry.
After participating in spurts of violence, he was sent to Oak Park Heights, the highest-security prison in the state.
It was an unlikely place to find signs of hope.
While there, he met people who encouraged and challenged him to learn. He filled an emptiness inside him, he said, with education.
First, he obtained his GED. When it came to him in the mail, he ran his fingers across it. "It probably saved my life because it helped me see my intrinsic value," said Darris.
It was the first public recognition of him that was not in a negative light.
In prison, according to Darris, college classes are not easy to enroll in. There can be periods of time where classes are not offered, he said, and restrictions may be placed on who can take the courses.
But Darris found a way. He fought for his education, he said, and he found people willing to give him the chance.
After participating in spurts of violence, he was sent to Oak Park Heights, the highest-security prison in the state.
It was an unlikely place to find signs of hope.
While there, he met people who encouraged and challenged him to learn. He filled an emptiness inside him, he said, with education.
First, he obtained his GED. When it came to him in the mail, he ran his fingers across it. "It probably saved my life because it helped me see my intrinsic value," said Darris.
It was the first public recognition of him that was not in a negative light.
In prison, according to Darris, college classes are not easy to enroll in. There can be periods of time where classes are not offered, he said, and restrictions may be placed on who can take the courses.
But Darris found a way. He fought for his education, he said, and he found people willing to give him the chance.
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