Cortez said when he got out, he knew “I had to change my life immediately.” 

Thankfully, Cortez was connected to people eager to help him do just that—and he was determined to take the help they offered. Cortez’s cousin works for an organization called Big Homies of America, supported by the Shane Shepherd Foundation, and from there, he learned about the BY program.  

“Big Homies helps any male that is finding it hard, who needs a mentor, a place of safety,” said Cortez. “People turn around their lives.”  

Daniel Perryman, who is connected with Big Homies and a navigator/instructor for BY, helped Cortez see how the construction field could be a pathway to success.   

“Honestly, I was not the type of dude to be outside all day doing hard labor, but when we worked in someone’s home it turned around for me,” Cortez said.  

At a job fair near the end of the BY program, Cortez met people in the carpenters’ union. “They pulled me through,” he said. 

He now works as a carpenter for Langston and Associates on the new IU Health hospital in Indianapolis, one of the biggest construction projects in North America. He said BY taught him everything about working in construction as well as how to hold down a job.  

“The program taught me to read a tape measure, use equipment—power tools, circular saws, Sawzall. They taught me how to do a resume—I never had a resume a day in my life,” he said. “They were mentally prepping us for getting out into the work field.” 

Cortez especially appreciated BY’s Joel Babcock for being patient, “even when I felt like it was crazy,” he said. “I’m usually anxious around a big group after being in prison, but this was a real comfortable environment.”  

Cortez made lasting relationships, too. “A lot of the guys I was in the class with I still talk to this day. It was like a brotherhood or a fraternity,” he said.  

Now, Cortez plans to complete his apprenticeship, eventually become a foreman, and someday own his own general construction company. “I want to hire guys like me,” he said.  

His advice for anyone considering BY? “Be open-minded, because at first things feel weird, you’ll feel out of place. But it’s good mentally and physically,” he said. “This is the first door to go through if you want something out of your life.” 

Stories like Cortez’s wouldn’t be possible without support from Lilly Endowment – Thank you!