Ex-offender turned author discusses importance of reentry

Albany, GA — Angela Stanton is a best-selling author, a publisher, a mother of four and the creator of Reclaim It Albany.

It's a program she started to try to give returning citizens the support they need when getting back on their feet.

She knows the importance of that support all too well.

"When I was released from prison in 2005, I was given $25 and a bus ticket and I was told here go start your life over," said Stanton.

Over the years, Stanton spent time in Georgia prisons for things like felony embezzlement, theft and fraud.

She said she was molested by a family member at the age of 5 and the anger she harbored from her abuse led her to make some poor life choices.

She delivered one of her children handcuffed to a prison bed and suffered the loss of her mother and grandmother during one of her sentences.

Since her release in 2005, she hasn't been in any more criminal trouble. But the road to redemption wasn't easy.

"I didn't see the light and I didn't think that I was going to make it. I had contemplated suicide," said Stanton. "I'm not going to say it was an easy road."

But it was a road she followed through the battles.

Stanton used her story to help inspire others.

Her first book, called Life Beyond These Walls, tells the stories of women who she interviewed while in prison, what they would have done differently, advice to young people and more.

Her second book, which she wrote in 2010, called Lies of a Real Housewife is her memoir.

It tells her story from childhood and through her last conviction in which she was involved in, among other crimes, a theft and insurance frauds schemes.

One of Stanton's co-defendants was Apollo Nida, husband of Phaedara Parks of the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Stanton credits her mentor, Dr. Alveda King, and her aunt for helping her to make a turn around.

She said returning citizens need mentors but they also need the community's support.

"Reentry effects everybody in the community. it's not like there's some type of band on keeping them from returning. They're coming and it's at an alarming rate, and so we need to come together in order to support these people so that in a way it'll help us actually support ourselves and our communities," said Stanton.

The Georgia Department of Community Supervision recognizes July as reentry month.

DCS says nearly 18,000 people were released from Georgia prisons last year.

"Who hasn't made a mistake at some point in their life?," asked Stanton. "If someone's willing to train [returning citizens] maybe it's to paint houses or to do some type of construction or to fix cars, we just need for our community to get involved and be willing to give these people the second chance they deserve and need."

Reclaim It Albany is located at 1624 East Oglethorpe Boulevard.

The organization also runs a hardware store next door that they use some of the proceeds from to be able to provide food, clothes and other items for returning citizens.

Reclaim It Albany also works with a mentoring program called I Choose Support to help returning citizens find mentors.

If you are interested in mentoring, donating or need assistance call (229) 233-9432.