During his 10 years of incarceration, David Baldwin realized it was time to reinvent himself as an entrepreneur. With that mindset, he went from being a former inmate in a state penitentiary to a U.S. patent holder. He’s designed a wearable pouch that can hold tools or other items.
In February, Baldwin visited Henrico County’s Jail East and Jail West to share with inmates how incarceration shaped his journey to becoming a fashion designer. “I didn’t just do time, I used time while I was in there,” he said. His visit was organized in partnership with Project Give Back to Community.
“When you’ve been incarcerated, rarely do you think about your skill set. Rarely do you dream,” said Clovia Lawrence, co-founder of Project Give Back to Community. “We want to give all persons an opportunity to dream again.”
Sheriff Alisa Gregory said she welcomes opportunities to bring in speakers to share powerful and inspiring messages with inmates. “All hope is not lost. You can turn it around,” she said.
For more information about the Henrico Sheriff’s Office, visit their webpage.