Jason Wang
FreeWorld
San Jose, CA USA
"When we learn how to forgive not only others but ourselves, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities."
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Jason's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
My father internalized a lot of his struggles as an immigrant and took it out on me through physical and emotional abuse. I didn't have a true family with my father, so I found a family through a gang. That led to my incarceration but it was probably the best thing for me. I was able to do criminal justice reform work and take a look at myself. I've built myself up and now I'm helping other formerly incarcerated people do the same.
Here's the path I took:
Bachelor's Degree
Global Business
The University of Texas at Dallas
Graduate Degree
International Business/Trade/Commerce
The University of Texas at Dallas
Graduate Degree
Accounting and Finance
The University of Texas at Dallas
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
My parents were immigrants and we really struggled financially—my father internalized those struggles and took it out through abuse on me.
2.
My parents divorced and I moved with my mom to Texas and ended up joining a gang—this led to me being arrested at 15 years old and sent to a maximum security juvenile prison on a 12 year sentence.
3.
While incarcerated, I testified in front of the State Senate on criminal justice reform, which springboarded me into a national conversation—I essentially became the face of juvenile justice in Texas.
4.
When I was released, I got a full-ride scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas, where I earned my bachelor’s degree and a double master’s degree.
5.
Despite my degrees, I found that my criminal record still barred me from finding a job—people still saw me as the worst mistake I had made rather than the person that I was.
6.
Through help from mentors, I was able to find some jobs in things like management consulting, but I found it very difficult to adapt to the corporate world.
7.
I realized that there were probably others like me facing the same struggles, so I started doing research to find ways to connect formerly incarcerated people to career opportunities.
8.
In 2018, I founded FreeWorld, a nonprofit organization with a mission to end generational poverty and recidivism by helping formerly incarcerated people into high-wage jobs.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
You're worthless. You'll never amount to anything.
How I responded:
My father internalized a lot of his struggles as an immigrant and took it out on me through physical and emotional abuse. I didn't have a true family with my father, so I found a family through a gang. That led to my incarceration but it was probably the best thing for me. I was able to do criminal justice reform work and take a look at myself. I've built myself up and now I'm helping other formerly incarcerated people do the same.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
My parents were both immigrants and really struggled financially. My father internalized those struggles and would take it out through emotional and physical abuse on me.
Growing up as one of the only people of color in my town in Iowa, I experienced a lot of teasing, bullying, and discrimination from my peers.
I had faced so much strife and bullying already that when I moved with my mother to Texas, the only place I found home was with a gang. I joined the gang when I was 13. It eventually led to my incarceration.