From Tragedy to Triumph

From Tragedy to Triumph Brandon Whitting's Story 

Listen to the Interview with Brandon Whitting

Mr. Whitting was born in Crockett, a small town in East Texas. Crockett’s poverty rate is reported to be 39.3 percent, with a median household income of $25,190. Mr. Whitting says that the odds have been stacked against him since the day he was born. At the age of seventeen, just before he could begin his senior year of high school, Mr. Whitting was sentenced as an adult to fifteen years in a state prison.

Mr. Whitting had to learn to adjust quickly to his new environment while simultaneously navigating his own trauma and anger. Ultimately, this frustration would give way to a period of ardent, autodidactic learning and self-exploration. Mr. Whitting admits that even in his high school years he “always secretly loved to read”, but it wasn’t until he was in an environment where reading was “fashionable” that he whole-heartedly embarked on his literary quest. He began to immerse himself in as many novels as he could get his hands on, obsessed with learning more about psychology, his culture and self-improvement.

Mr. Whitting explains that this education was not limited to just books, but “everyone [he] met gave him knowledge, and [he] always took it.” This education enabled Mr. Whitting to envision spaces that he was never before allowed to imagine himself in. He completed his GED from Lee College, and began taking college-level, psychology classes at Prairie View A&M University upon release. As Mr. Whitting continued to tap into his talents, he developed an overwhelming desire within himself to share his experience with kids facing the same challenges.

Upon his release in 2006, Mr. Whitting “didn’t come home bitter” but he does admit “when you leave prison you still have some scars”. Mr. Whitting emphasizes his undying gratitude to his exceptional support system that was instrumental in the success of his reentry journey. However, he’s quick to assert that a lot of people in his position are nowhere near as fortunate.

Mr. Whitting supports the effort to “ban the box”, or to eliminate the practice of forcing former inmates to report their criminal history to their potential employers. This challenge can be somewhat of a shock to those who educated themselves while locked up in hopes of creating a better future. “I have intelligence and drive, but felonies restrict you. You can’t change the past, so when does it end?"

Today Mr. Whitting is chasing his dream of creative storytelling on an impassioned mission to encourage others. Mr. Whitting travels to middle schools, high schools, colleges, and juvenile detention facilities to speak to the youth about the importance of education, the failures of the prison system, and the value of self-esteem. Through candid conversations, Mr. Whitting hopes to fill a deficit by showing compassion, understanding, and encouragement to children in his community.

However, he believes that the ultimate manifestation of his journey is setting an example, to the kids he meets and especially to his ten-year-old daughter. Mr. Whitting describes his relationship with his daughter as open, caring and honest. “When I was growing up, no one ever asked me how my day was, so now I ask my daughter every day.”

A few years ago, Mr. Whitting took a trip to Washington, D.C. with his family. He recounts sitting on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, with his daughter in his lap, looking out at the Washington monument. He thought to himself that ten years ago he was sitting in a jail cell, but today he is never lost in his mission to break the cycle.

Mr. Whitting just completed his first musical project, “The Autobiography of G.R.A.N.”. The album blends his story with his message to deliver an audio recounting of his life, that he hopes will accompany a forthcoming written component. Mr. Whitting is currently working on finishing his written autobiography and hopes to create a visual documentary to complete the trilogy. Mr. Whitting regularly appears on a podcast about love, emotion and community entitled, “Think About It Radio”.