After the workweek, Ernest slows down to enjoy the simple delights of spending time with his family and playing with his growing grandchildren. It’s an ordinary day but one that felt out of reach just a year ago.
Ernest came home in the summer of 2024 after being incarcerated for 30 years. The path that led him there was rife with gang involvement and heavy substance use. Recalling his younger years, Ernest says he didn’t know what he wanted out of life and or have the guidance to change direction.
“I didn’t seek the help that I should’ve received, and I’ve got no one to blame but myself. Now I tell others: ‘Don’t be ashamed to ask for help because the help’s there—you’ve just got to ask.’ I just never did, but when I got out of prison, I was asking.”
His asking led him straight to Chrysalis’ doors.
While living in a transitional home after his release, Ernest was curious about where his roommate had found work. His roommate shared about Chrysalis’ programs and services. In no time, Ernest enrolled in Chrysalis’ job preparation courses and began developing a career plan with his employment specialist.
Eager to rebuild his life, Ernest made the most of the array of learning experiences, on-the-job training, and resources available at Chrysalis. He was hired onto two social enterprise crews, Roads and Works, where he excelled in freeway and street maintenance. Both his supervisors and his community noticed how much heart he put into his work—earning professional recommendations from bosses and gratitude from unhoused neighbors for keeping the streets clean and safe.
“I’ve always taken pride in whatever type of work that I do. Not only that, you’ve got to take pride that you’re helping out the community,” Ernest said of his street maintenance work in Skid Row and the thanks he received from locals.
Committed to pursuing a long-term career beyond transitional jobs at Chrysalis, Ernest jumped at the opportunity to enroll in OSHA and HAZWOPER training. Newly offered by Chrysalis in 2025, these trainings upskill individuals like Ernest as they seek jobs in environmental work, construction, and disaster recovery.
Soon after getting certified, Ernest secured a full-time job—just one year after coming home from prison. He now works as a Channel Maintenance Technician for 24HRC, where he leverages his training to manage debris removal and maintenance in the Los Angeles River.
“What helped me get this job is my experience with Roads and Works,” Ernest said of both the technical and people skills he gained at Chrysalis. “When you’re in the LA River, you have to know how to communicate with [people experiencing homelessness] because there are a lot of encampments in the river. You also have to do landscaping: cutting the trees, weeding out the embankment. All of that, we had to do at Chrysalis. When 24HRC interviewed me, I was the first one they hired, and I give thanks to Chrysalis for that.”
Once Ernest found a job, he thought Chrysalis’ support would also end. He was grateful it didn’t. Dedicated to making sure Ernest had not only the resources to get but also keep the job, his support team continued to check in—securing a laptop for company trainings, cash cards for gas and food, and appropriate clothing for work.
Today, Ernest feels like he has a new lease on life. He relishes in the peace of mind afforded by his new job. With the security of a full-time schedule and a five-year contract, Ernest now has the breathing room to focus on what’s most important: his family.
Having left for prison when his daughter was just 12 years old, Ernest now spends his weekends catching up on lost time: “I’m having fun meeting and knowing [my daughter and her children]. I just gotta know them better. I just gotta let them know who their granddad is, who their dad is. That’s something I have to do for the rest of my life.”
Ernest’s journey is a testament to the truly transformative power of a job. It’s not just about a paycheck; it’s about the life someone is able to confidently build. For Ernest, that’s a life marked by a strong sense of self-worth, deep relational repair with his family, and the courage to turn a helping hand into a meaningful path forward.