GRID GLA Volunteer Marc Spohn wrote to us to share his experience with the GRID family. With his permission, we have excerpted a portion here.
Second Chances Really Do Matter
On May 02, 2013, I was a life prisoner who had no reasonable expectation of regaining a spot in the real world. I lived in the world of prisoners and had for a long time. On May 03, 2013, I was released into the world. I believed I would not be released. I needed to make amends to the people I betrayed; to myself and to society & the universe.
After a year of trying to readjust and understand the reality of freedom, I was introduced to Homeboy Industries, and felt at home for the first time since walking out of Soledad's R&R gate. They offered me an opportunity to attend the East LA Skills Center PV course, and I accepted. I began training there in August of 2014, and after about a month Adewale & Isabel came in to give the volunteer orientation for GRID Alternatives. It was suggested that we get out with GRID & do installs with them for the hands on experience that would set us ahead and apart of other entry level prospects in this field. The course at ELASC is a four month, full time endeavor, and finding spare time to do installs would be close to impossible, so after PV 1, I took several months off to do installs. I completed dozens of them & hundreds of hours, and I met some more fantastic people at GRID who I was honored to work with.
The more I worked, the more I fell in love with this field. I felt like I was giving something back, and I was welcomed to the GRID organization with open arms. They opened their mid-Atlantic office early in 2015, and Salvador Torres the Supervisor who had taken me under his wing in Greater Los Angeles, was offered a job there. He came out to DC & I returned to ELASC to finish my training & take my NABCEP entry exam.
While finishing the course, I was offered a job with GRID in their Mid-Atlantic office. I can't tell you how it felt to have these folks take a chance on me like that. I can't express it, even though you can see I can talk a lot. I applied myself more than ever and completed the course. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty certain that I came in top of the class. I scored a 93% on the NABCEP, and trust me, if I can do it, anybody can.
I finished the course on June 6, and on June 9th I was on a plane to Washington DC to start my career in solar. I don't know how many years I have left running up & down ladders, and over roofs, and in attics, and under houses, but I'm loving every minute of this, and I swear I'm gonna make this company, and Mr. C & Prof. Ruiz proud of me, and glad they took the chance they took on me. I swear I'm gonna keep working, giving back, and learning until I drop. I heard that we should live like we're gonna die tomorrow, and keep learning like we're gonna live forever. I'll do that, and I'll keep taking the opportunities seriously. I'll take life seriously, and maybe not take myself so much so.
Okay I'll shut up now. Thanks for taking the time to read all this. I hope you all see this work & this field as more than just a job. I hope your lives are fulfilled & fantastic, and you see someone you love when you look in the mirror. My life is beyond belief. Every day is Christmas... I don't know what the future holds, but I won't waste a bit of it. I will be here, and if there's anything I can do please tell me. That is important to me too, and I will try.
My best wishes,
Marc