From Incarceration to Inspiration: Kenroy Young’s Journey to Freedom

This month, we’re shining a light on stories of second chances, and few are as inspiring as Kenroy Young’s. At just nineteen, his life took a turn that landed him behind bars. Fast forward to today, and Kenroy is leading the charge as National Youth Director for Restore Small Groups Belize, helping others heal, rebuild trust, and start fresh. I sat down with him to hear how he turned his life around and why he believes no mistake has to define your future. Here’s this week’s look On the Bright Side.

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

Seventeen years ago, Kenroy Young’s name was making headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. At just nineteen, a young man with a bright future found himself in a courtroom, convicted of forgery and burglary. That decision would cost him more than a decade of his life behind bars.

 

Kenroy Young, National Youth Director, Restore Small Groups Belize

“By the time the police vehicle hit the curve. And the ville boom road junction by the speed bump. I was like, well, this is it. I really messed up now. There’s no help here now. Like this is the brick wall I’ve run into and everything that people used to tell me came back flashing to me in quick succession.”

Prison can break a man; it can strip away hope and crush the spirit. But for Kenroy, the silence of confinement became a classroom. In the hardest of places, the journey toward a new beginning truly began. But every fresh start has a beginning; and for Kenroy, it started with the choices that landed him behind bars. He shares what pushed him down that path.

 

Kenroy Young

“I will say plain and simple. I was somebody who couldn’t be satisfied with enough that I had, and I always wanted to live above my means. I wanted to please my friends and have people look at me thinking that’s the rich kid, and he has money. It was like I’m looking for some kind of acceptance or some kind of love from them.”
 

But this story isn’t really about the mistakes, it’s about what Kenroy calls his journey to true freedom. Today, Young’s name is back in the news but this time, for a different reason. He now serves as the National Youth Director for Restore Small Groups Belize, a program that creates safe spaces for men and women to process pain, confront cycles of anger, and choose a different path forward.

 

Andrew Dawson, Acting Director, Leadership Intervention Unit

“Sometimes it’s a bit challenging to do the work that we do because we often work with individuals who at some point, some individuals will say are written off.”

Andrew Dawson, Acting Director of the Leadership Intervention Unit, first met Kenroy as a young man and later worked with him at the LIU after his release. The unit focuses on rehabilitation and mediation, supporting individuals like Kenroy as they rebuild their lives and reintegrate positively into society.

 

Andrew Dawson

“I know his story isn’t one of a bed of roses. There were challenges, obstacles, and setbacks. But he was persistent, adamant that he wanted change, that he wanted something better for his life, and that he wanted to contribute positively to society. That in itself is honorable, to keep fighting and to embrace the rehabilitation process.”
 

The Journey to Freedom program helps people heal and get their lives back on track. Kenroy Young went through it himself in 2015 while incarcerated, and now as National Youth Director, he’s helping others work through things like grief, loss, addiction, and self-esteem, proving that real change is possible.

 

Kenroy Young

“It was like a full circle because I used to tell prisoners in the program, I told them, you know, how good it would be if these programs such as these Journey to Freedom could be in schools to get to our young people. It would make a tremendous difference in the way that they think and the way that they behave in society.”

 

Andrew Dawson

“I can say that the participants were very receptive not only to the program, but to Mr. Young’s story and how he conquered his adversities. They saw how he continues to work on being a better person and can measure the growth he has made over the years.”

Kenroy’s story isn’t just about second chances. It’s about the work it takes to rebuild a life and restore trust. His mother, Aura Young, has watched him take those steps, letting faith guide him as he works to make a difference in the lives of others.

 

Aura Young, Mother

“I really feel good that he’s making a stance to help others. When it comes to what you did to people, it may be hard for them to trust you, but you shouldn’t try to prove yourself to them. Just do it for God. If you do it for God, you’re on the right path.”

 

Kenroy Young

“ I always say that God had a purpose, but it had to take time for me to realize what I wanted and it everything that came about now and. All the fruits that I’m seeing now in my life comes from his work, his glory, and I guess I know for sure I don’t guess his love for me.”

 

From life behind bars to leading others on a journey of healing, Kenroy Young is living proof that with faith, purpose, and persistence, real transformation is possible. Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.