My Story: Angelo Pegeuese

My name is Angelo Pegeuese. I was born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC.  I was a troubled teenage boy who was raised by a single mother. I started getting into trouble with the law at the age of 14 and in 2005, when I was 18, I was convicted of multiple offenses and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Those had to be the toughest years of my life. During those years I completed multiple certificates for three different trades, and received my G.E.D. While in prison, I was charged with assault and given two years in the hole. The hole is a one man cell – you get one hour a day out of your cell, if you are lucky. This is when I knew it was time for a change. I started planning and setting goals because my release date was approaching.

In 2011, I got out of the hole and finished my time as a model inmate. Toward the end of my sentence, Project Re-entry was introduced as a pre-release program and thankfully, I qualified. Project Re-entry taught me what to expect and how to prepare for what the world has to offer.

I was released from prison in 2013, and went to Goodwill to meet with the Re-entry team. They helped me set out a plan, connected me to resources, gave me clothing for interviews, and bus transportation. We worked on my resume and I hit the pavement looking for work. In two months I was placed as a temp at Hayward (a local company).

I enrolled in school to study electronics engineering technology. Since then, I have purchased my own car and I have my own apartment. Even more important – my daughter was born. She came four months early and stayed in the NICU for six months. In the mist of juggling school and work full time, I made sure to make time for her. I’m graduating next fall with an associates in electronics and computers.

My daughter has been home for a year, and she is getting big and healthy. By the grace of God, she has no health issues. I’m up for a promotion at Hayward – which would be my third since I was hired – and I’m ready for this next step. With my career and my education, I know there is no limit to what I can do.