South Florida Sun Sentinel Feature: “As a teen, I got a second chance after being locked up for a crime. Others deserve the same.”

This article originally appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Kids do not belong in adult prison. This month, a 17-year-old, Sonny David Rugani, was found hanging in his cell at the Broward County Jail — a jail built for adults.

For so many young people, the gravity of what lies ahead after a crime has been committed does not sink in until they receive a direct file to an adult facility — an emotional burden often too much to comprehend for someone underage.

We should all be concerned that more and more youth like Sonny believe that dying by suicide is the only way out of their situation. While there are likely many causes of this all-too-common line of thinking, we are seeing more deaths by suicide among youth in need in large part because there is a tremendous lack of mental health resources available.

Sonny’s story — and this issue — is personal to me. At the age of 15, I committed an armed robbery not knowing the consequences I would face even after I served my time. In reflection, one thing I know saved me was access to counseling and entrepreneurial courses while I served time. These services helped ensure that I returned to society healed and whole, giving me the tools I needed to be a productive member of the community around me.

Back then, I was young and impressionable, growing up in a prison-like housing project in Pine Hills in Orlando. I deeply regret the crime I committed, and I have served my time, yet I still suffer from the decision that a much younger, easily-influenced version of myself made.

Being branded a felon left me facing discrimination with my jobs and housing, and I am unable to volunteer at my children’s school. Even though I turned my life around, I faced challenges at every turn.

The state of Florida sends more kids to adult prison than any other state, and allows state attorneys to send youth to adult court without a judge’s approval or hearing. This must change.

The people making and enforcing these laws don’t know what children growing up in neighborhoods like mine go through; they don’t understand how it affects us and disrupts our growth.

We need love, support, guidance and most importantly, second chances. I got that second chance. Sadly, at 17, Sonny David Rugani didn’t. He’d barely even seen his first chance at life.

Instead of trying to find solutions to help these children heal and evolve into the best versions of themselves, the system throws them into jail. All people deserve second chances — especially children. I often reflect on my time in prison, and when I remember the other young black men around me, I realize I am the only one of them alive or not in prison for the rest of my life.

This is why I felt a calling to make a difference, to lobby, and to be an organizer, to represent those who have lost their voice and can’t find it. I want to be a resource for returning citizens who are transitioning back home. I’ve developed a passion for helping at-risk youth make the right decisions and becoming great role models in their communities.

After my release, I started attending Valencia College, where I became a member of the “No Place For A Child Coalition.” I now share my story with lawmakers and families across Florida, hoping to change laws that send juveniles to adult prison.

I am also the Central Florida regional organizer for Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. One of my biggest accomplishments is becoming a small business owner. I am the owner of The Dirt Master, a residential, commercial, and construction cleaning company. This phase of my life is my second chance and I’m thankful for every moment of it.

Through lessons along the way, I now know that I need to give back to our youth who are under-resourced. Starting soon, I’ll lead an 8-week entrepreneurship course at the Orange County Juvenile Detention Center so I can give young men the second chance that someone gave me.

When Amendment 4 passed last fall, and all the hard work I had done with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) paid off, I felt relieved and proud of what we accomplished. But we still have a long way to go to prevent young people from ever touching the criminal justice system, and to ensure that those who do have run-ins with the law have the support they need to reduce recidivism and make our communities safer and more just.

We should never have to confront another headline that tells us a boy died by suicide in an adult prison. We should all be ashamed of this loss of life. I hope those with the power to create change do. Youth in Florida deserve better.

Marquis McKenzie is central Florida regional organizer for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.