Photo credit: Rob Liggins
Clinton just celebrated his 45th birthday, and it has him thinking about life.
“I want the world to change. I want attention to financial institutions, health care institutions and justice institutions, because there is institutional racism. I am also a big believer in making sure there is fairness and that everyone gets opportunity,” Clinton said.
Since completing the PA program in 2018, Clinton has found himself working all the time as a first-hire for many production teams. Still, as busy as he is, he makes it a priority to return to ManifestWorks to mentor participants following in his footsteps.
The chance to work in a career with upward mobility that ManifestWorks provides is one reason Clinton stays close. He was the speaker at ManifestWorks’ last graduation.
“By taking brothers and sisters and giving them a chance, that’s a big thing. There’s a lot that can’t happen when you are working. The opportunity of ManifestWorks is a blessing.”
Gratitude is a big part of Clinton’s life, but he doesn’t want to sacrifice his ambition.
“Everybody can do more. The way I want to protest is I want to be a better example,” Clinton said. “For young people who saw me tearing down the community, now they see me showing up in a different way.”
For Clinton, he joined justice protests between the jobs he found when COVID-19 halted production.
“This stuff we are talking about now has been going on. It is hard, but living life is hard,” Clinton said. “The way I see it is that It would be a good thing if I came through all I have been through with success.
“Ultimately, I have to play the cards I was dealt. I know people who have a worse hand than me. And I don’t want a victim mentality,” he said. “It was rough when I was coming up, but my mom instilled in me that I could do whatever I wanted to be. I still believe that. I am working two jobs, trying to be a role model.”
”I don’t have time to worry about what I am not. I am getting a late start, but I have faith. If others can do it, I can do it.”
Clinton took his birthday to reflect on what he wants, which is to build a career in the Grips and Electric department on set.
“I want a success story for myself,” he said.
Photo credit: Rob Liggins
One-hundred percent of the individuals who come through ManifestWorks program have been impacted by homelessness, incarceration or foster care.
Those coming to ManifestWorks face enormous barriers to success: 25% of foster care youth end up incarcerated within two years of turning 18, and unemployment impacts the formerly incarcerated at a rate 12x higher than the national average.
ManifestWorks aims to change lives. Upward career mobility, living wages and long-term wealth acquisition is our answer to problems of generational poverty and system involvement.
Our commitment is deep: ongoing and mid-career job training, counseling, and personal and professional support are available to alumni for life.
