When he was released from prison six years ago, Leonard Flippen was looking for success stories — not just people who beat the state's 70% recidivism rate, but true role models. Leonard was looking for people who had left the prison mindset behind, bettered themselves, and contributed to their communities.
He couldn't find any. But in the process of looking, he kept healing. Now he helps others "get out of the box." Leonard is a certified Addictions Treatment Counselor employed by the Good Samaritan Shelter in Santa Maria.
He works with people coming out of prison or jail, teaching them he says, about becoming culturally competent. "They need to learn what it means to be a 'normal' person," he says.
It's a two-way street that requires effort from the community too, he maintains. "People need to learn what happens to people who have been incarcerated." Fear, hate, and anger permeate institutions, he says. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common health problem for people who have spent time in institutions. And not just the incarcerated, but the people who work there too.
Leonard Flippen
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Leonard recalls his release just a few days before Christmas in 2007. He had no money, no clothes, no job. When he arrived in Santa Maria, he went to a sober living home and received clothes from the Salvation Army. He attended 12-step meetings regularly, and got a part-time job from his 12-step sponsor.
Eventually Leonard became manager of the sober living home, a position he held for four years. He began attending Allan Hancock College and will graduate next spring with an A.A. in Human Services. After that, he will enroll in a Bachelor's degree program.
In addition to his work and studies, Leonard has appeared in three Poetic Justice Project productions: Blue Train, Off The Hook, and most recently, The Exonerated. He's a frequent motivational speaker on recovery from drugs, alcohol, and incarceration.
But how did he do it? "I had to be willing to humble myself and let the process work," he says. "Humility is as vital to recovery as food and water are to life.
"Ex-cons want to fight the system. A college graduate wants to use the system to his advantage. Ex-cons need to surrender, to see that their strategies are self-defeating. Actions build healthy self-esteem." I asked him if he meant "fake it 'til you make it" and he said yes. Eventually doing the right thing will change one's thinking.
But the first step is being willing to accept help. Leonard has done that, and now he can offer that to others. He's become the change he was searching for.
