Woman who was sentenced to jail at 17 returns to the same prison 13 years later for inspiring reason

Life is bound to have twists and turns, and we are bound to make mistakes. What makes people successful is the determination to do better after those mistakes. A woman named Afrika Owes is a prime inspiration for how you can turn your life around with determination and effort. Owes was 17 when she was sent to Rikers, a correction facility in New York, per Good Morning America. She was taken into a program after being charged guilty of a gang-related conspiracy. She remained in the facility for six long months, which completely changed her outlook on life. 

"I felt like my life was over. I was scared and I was powerless. I was so hopeless. And I mean, prison is just a very gray and dark place. And it was depressing,” Owes, who is now a single mother, recalled. Sharing a post on her Instagram page, Owes mentioned that she made a written bet back in 2011 that she would never again visit that place. In a diary given to her when she was in jail, along with her bet, she had listed several other goals she was confident about at the time. She had written, “I will never go back to Riker. I bet $100 that in 5 years, I will be a college graduate and go to law school. I will have 5 degrees before I am 30.” However, after a decade and a half, Owes lost part of her bet in the most delightful way.

The woman worked hard and relentlessly to cover part of the bet and graduate on her first try. Sharing her memorable moment on TikTok, her story went viral. While she already had people vouching for her for her hard-earned happiness, the woman had more plans. While Owes seemed to be winning the bet, she lost in the most unexpected part of the deal. The New York City Department of Correction invited the woman to speak with young teenagers looking for direction just as she did. 

“I was overcome with emotion. Even walking the hallways, I remember when I was an inmate, I had to walk along inside the line. So I felt naturally inclined to walk in the line, but I didn't have to," she exclaimed. The overwhelming meeting was where she wholesomely lost her bet but gained many hearts. The department shared a post about their time with Owes and how she guided the young people through their questions, as someone who was once like them but had turned her life around. “The last time I left Rikers I was a prisoner. This time I’ve returned as a lawyer. The tears, the laughs, and the connections I shared with these young women were beyond words,” Owes wrote in her post.

She added that she too, got journals for the teenagers just like she received. “I brought the girls their journals so they too could author their stories, manifest their visions, and track spades games like I did,” she said. “Once you choose hope, you're unstoppable,” she exclaimed. The department even thanked her saying, “Her story underscored that their current struggles are just moments in their lives, not their whole existence,” the post read. Owes concluded by saying, “From inmate to inspiration, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to transform my pain into a powerful purpose.”