Hey everyone! Attached is my story written and published by Madison Holcomb a Grad student with the University of Illinois. I dedicated many hours and days doing interviews with Ms. Holcomb and she definitely put this excerpt in the best perspective I can ask for!
The goal remains to raise as much awareness as possible to my case, especially the outrageous restitution fine of 1.6 million! Continue to share and donate to the GoFundMe; every donation matters.
Shamar Betts was finally released from Federal prison this week - over three years after his initial arrest at age 19 for his Facebook post which incited an uprising after George Floyd's murder. Now 22, Shamar finally has a chance to start his life over again. He is still in Federal custody, currently at a halfway house in Peoria, IL, and eventually on home confinement and then supervised release.
This is the beginning of a new long road ahead, with Shamar looking for work and stability, friends and allies. He is still focused on the Black Lives Matter movement, yet he also now considers prison reform to be a major issue that needs attention. His story is both, and we need your help sharing it.
By Shamar Betts
Speaking from his cell in Hazelton Federal Correctional Inst. in Bruceton Mills, WV (March 2023), Shamar will be released to halfway house in June.
Remember as kids we were always told that “you can be anything you want when you grow up”? I believe there’s some truth to that statement, but in actuality - it only applies to a select few. The majority of us are forced to become what our circumstances allow us to be.
I have developed this mindset during my incarceration, as I wonder how life will be for me once I’m released. Like who’d actually want to hire me after doing a background check and seeing “inciting a riot” come across the screen? And once I do finally obtain a job, how can I possibly support myself, reach my goals of success, while paying 50% of my disposable income a month - until 1.6 million dollars is paid off? This is coming from someone who's already had to work twice as hard to make up for the loss of my mother’s support and lack of my father’s guidance.
There’s no excuses for my mistakes - but do I truly deserve to be in such a harsh environment which is a constant fight for survival, on top of a potential life sentence of restitution? Regardless of how unfairly the government has treated me, my hope remains everlasting and my ambition to recover only grows the more I suffer; yet I’m still concerned that I may have lost my chance to become… anything I want to be.
Publisher's Note: Shamar's mother passed away ten years ago, in April 2013, when he was only 12 years ago. Shamar thought this might be a fitting piece to release on Mothers Day as he prepares to leave prison next month.
Happy Mothers Day to all of you out there who choose to help and love others, whether they were born from you or not. This world needs all the love and compassion we can get.