Lets Just Talk About It Podcast with Chuck

(Ep.103) Determined to Succeed: with Timothy Wayne Carr

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Ever wondered how someone can turn their life around while behind bars? Meet Timothy Wayne Carr, who is currently incarcerated at the Dillwyn Correctional Facility in Virginia. Timothy is not just another inmate; he's a beacon of hope and transformation. Having completed an AutoCAD course and participated in the prison’s first-ever TED Talk event—where he even met a potential millionaire business partner—Timothy is setting the stage for a remarkable comeback. Tune in to hear his plans for establishing a corporation and a nonprofit aimed at providing job opportunities and mentorship for inner-city youth and learn what fuels his unwavering determination to make a positive impact.

Struggling to maintain relationships while facing the hurdles of rebuilding credit and accessing educational resources? Timothy's journey offers a raw, inspirational look at these challenges and more. We'll discuss the emotional toll of maintaining family bonds from a distance and explore the critical role of community support in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles. Timothy’s disciplined approach to reintegration, his focus on strong family values, and his blueprint for future success serve as a guiding light for anyone facing similar adversities. Join us as we unpack the complexities of life during and after incarceration and discover how education and mentorship can pave the way to financial stability and personal growth.

Chuck:

Hey, welcome back to another episode of let' Just Talk About it podcast. I'm your host, chuck, and if you're here for the first time, this platform was created to give genuine people just like you an opportunity to share a portion of your life's journey. So, with that being said, I have returning guest Timothy Wayne Carr on with me today, who's currently incarcerated at the Dill and Correctional Facility here in Virginia, and on this episode, we have a conversation about his exit strategy once he's released from prison. So, hey, you definitely don't want to miss this amazing dialogue today. As a matter of fact, do me a favor Go and grab your husband, your wife, your children, or even call a friend and gather around to listen to my conversation with Timothy Carr on let's Just Talk About it podcast. Hey, let's jump right in. What's up Nothing much man, I'm hanging in there. Yes, sir man, how you doing. What's up, tim? Nothing much man, I'm hanging in there.

Timothy Carr:

Yes, sir, man, how you doing? I'm hanging in there. Just switched to another from a level three to a level two man, it's dormitory man, it's okay, it's all right, right now.

Chuck:

Got you, Got you man. So people don't. The only problem is Huh.

Timothy Carr:

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. The only problem is they don't let you know. Before you get here, you got to buy everything T-shirt, underwear, socks, right right Washcloth.

Chuck:

Wow, Go ahead. People don't know about that journey, that bus ride man. They don't know.

Timothy Carr:

No, no, no, no. I'm going to write a book about that.

Chuck:

Yeah, yeah, hey.

Timothy Carr:

Something going on.

Chuck:

Yeah, man, Good to hear your voice. Man. What have you been up to since the last time we had an interview, man?

Timothy Carr:

Well, I finished up AutoCAD.

Chuck:

Right.

Timothy Carr:

Computer Autograph in class.

Chuck:

Okay.

Timothy Carr:

Got my certificate in that I did TEDx. It's called TED Talk. That's a real big thing going on in the prison. It's called Ted Talk. That's a real big thing going on in the prison. They look highly, they highly favor that it was the first one in Virginia.

Chuck:

Right.

Timothy Carr:

Where I played the keyboard for a couple of guys rapping and whatnot. And then we did an original song with the band Green Machine Band Okay, with Brother Ross, who's a part of my service in United Church of Christ in the prison. So after that you know they had a hold on me because there was an administration move and now I'm at Dillwyn.

Chuck:

Okay.

Timothy Carr:

D-I-L-L-W-Y-N facility in level two. You know, now I'm here, man, and just trying to get in the kitchen and trying to get in class and trying to do everything I can do to. You know, get my process rolling for this partner.

Chuck:

Man, that's tough for process, man. People don't understand. You know the things you got to go through and the feeling of being away from your family and moments like that.

Timothy Carr:

So yeah, the biggest moment is having to call your family when you got a job and then, when you don't have a job, telling them you need some funds and they struggling out there right along with you. You know what I mean. Yeah, man, things are hard. Yeah mean, yeah, man, things are hard.

Chuck:

Yeah, things are hard, man, it's like real hard. People, you know, got their own stuff, and that's one of the things I had to learn when I was away. I had to realize that, you know, people got their own responsibilities, man. You know what I mean? Yeah, no doubt. Yeah, they got their own. But, like you said, that's why I try not to order.

Timothy Carr:

That's right. That's why I try not to bother anybody. You know, try to get a job in here. Yeah, Do what I can do to provide it for myself.

Chuck:

Yeah, yeah, man, I get it, I get it. So, so, talk about, man, your plans, man, when you, when you what we call, come home man, when you, when you um, what we?

Timothy Carr:

call come home, come, come on land. What's your plans? Yeah, what's my plan? Yeah, oh, my exit, what I call, that's what I call my exit strategy, exit strategy that's the name of this episode exit strategy. Let's talk about it yeah, yeah, that's what I call my exit strategy. Yeah, well, my exit strategy is to uh have my own corporation, investment development company.

Chuck:

Okay.

Timothy Carr:

And nonprofit to help inner city youth, dealing with a whole bunch of different things and also giving them access to have job opportunities so that they don't feel like you know, saying they got to go out and do the wrong thing to make money yeah. You know, but give them that sort of insight on things that they could do to help better themselves.

Chuck:

Right.

Timothy Carr:

And why in high school, junior high and high school coming up, you know. Show them a different direction.

Chuck:

Yeah.

Timothy Carr:

Because it's kids out there raising kids pretty much Wow, and that's it, you know. Showed them a different direction.

Chuck:

you know, because it's kids out there raising kids pretty much Wow, and that's it.

Timothy Carr:

You know, I'm going to flip houses, I'm going to do a whole bunch of things, man, I just can't even name them all. While I was at TED Talk, I met one of the guys. He's a big time, he's pretty much a millionaire. But I told him I time he's pretty much a millionaire, but I told him I said you're going to be my partner. Shook his hand and said you're going to be my partner when I come home. I said I got some things that you're going to benefit from.

Timothy Carr:

We're both going to benefit from. He said well, when are you getting out? I said as soon as I get this party. Other than that, I got a little bit of time. So long long story short. He was like well, I need to hear this man. I said I can't tell you now because I can't have you run off with my idea.

Chuck:

Yeah, what kind of millionaire is he man? What does he do? Who, what does he do? What kind of millionaire? You say he's a millionaire, what does he do?

Timothy Carr:

Oh, yeah, he's a Chatham. He owns a power company.

Chuck:

He's an owner, wow, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. Black millionaire. Huh, he's a black millionaire.

Timothy Carr:

No, no, no, this is a white man. Yeah, yeah, yeah, older dude, real cool. Met a lot of people A young lady named Rhea Cousins from Richmond who was a delegate in Richmond, virginia, and she's got aspirations to do some big things. I can't put out there exactly what she's going to do next from the delegate, but she came with and do some big things I can't put out there exactly what she's going to do next from the delegate.

Timothy Carr:

Okay, but you know, yeah, no, I shook hands with a lot of good people. A lot of good people Wow Didn't see me as an inmate, but saw me as a man, as a man, so they came in and talked to you all about some things. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely that Okay Shared their story, we shared some of our stories with them and people are ready for us to come home with great ideas and do some big things, which I have planned to do.

Chuck:

I always say, man, it's a different energy when people come home from prison, man, After working for 23 cents, 30 cents, and to realize you can make money hourly and get paid or you know, start your own.

Timothy Carr:

That's right. You know what I mean.

Chuck:

It's a different energy when you hit the ground running man.

Timothy Carr:

Yeah, and I spoke to a lot of guys in here. You know I don't really do too much talking. If you come to me, we're going to build and talk about how we can make ourselves millionaires just by overnight.

Chuck:

Yeah.

Timothy Carr:

That's the goal. It's to go millionaires overnight.

Chuck:

Communication.

Timothy Carr:

That's communication. Working together.

Chuck:

Yeah.

Timothy Carr:

A lot of guys in here are not estranged of the hard work. Like you said, I work 15 hours a day, pretty much five, six days a week for 45 cents. You do the math. What do you think I'm going to do when I get out there? You?

Chuck:

ain't top paid 45 cents.

Timothy Carr:

That's right. What do you think I'm going to do when I get out there? You?

Chuck:

don't get it. It's a different energy man.

Timothy Carr:

Business minded folks think alike. You know what I'm saying. You know get that credit right. Keep that credit right and build from there.

Chuck:

Yeah, you know it's a crazy thing, man. You know, if a person do like seven years or whatever, away their credit like it goes back to like you never used it.

Timothy Carr:

Right, right, right, yeah, right. Well, I was. You know I'm talking to these guys and talking about, you know, building myself up you know talking to myself about, you know, not only personal credit, but business credit as well Stocks as well.

Timothy Carr:

I've already asked these people here. Since I got here I know they're sick of me already I've turned in about 15, 20 pieces of request forms for all different types of things. They have sheet metal, they have welding, they have computer courses on business. I told them I needed a college course on business. I told them I needed a college course on business. So they said they had that, but everything is a waiting list.

Timothy Carr:

You know, what I mean. Everything is a waiting list. You could be on a waiting list for a year, two years. You know what I mean. Wow, so I got to keep pushing, keep reading books.

Chuck:

Educate yourself.

Timothy Carr:

So for people who don't know what is a request form, oh, request form is things that you have to request to the administration, that whatever you want to do and you got to make sure you give it, present it to have it, attention to the right person or person in order to get it, or they'll send it back to you. I don't like to waste ink or paper right yeah, no to get it or they'll send it back to you.

Chuck:

I don't like to waste ink or paper. No, for real, make sure it makes sense. You never know.

Timothy Carr:

That's what I say about writing letters and letting letters home in the same way. What do you say? I can write a letter all day long.

Timothy Carr:

It's very personal, but at the end of the day it's no different than the kiosk. That's why you know I like people that I can't contact. You know, get on the kiosk, I'll shoot you an email. You know I don't mind buying some stamps to shoot you an email to say, hey, you know buying stamps and then you know buying paper. You know I can't hustle backwards, I got to hustle forward. I like that. You're right, you can't hustle backwards.

Timothy Carr:

Yeah, I can't hustle backwards in here. I mean, I got to spend $5 on some sheets of paper, almost $1 on stamps, $50 on a stamp or $0.75, whatever they charge it now. Then I got to get the envelopes, all that that came up. You know, that's one stamp on the kiosk, yeah, and I can send you almost a book on the kiosk. Wow.

Chuck:

Kind of switching lanes man you never know, who's listening. You never know who's listening. And you have children. You have a son and you have a daughter. How is that Two?

Timothy Carr:

daughters Two daughters.

Chuck:

I'm sorry, I stand corrected. Two daughters, how does that feel? You know what I'm saying being away from them, not being able to communicate with them like you really desire to communicate.

Timothy Carr:

Yeah, you know, just like you know, all my yeah, you know, just like you know, all my kids, you know, I have one that's a daddy's girl and that's the youngest one.

Chuck:

She's a daddy's girl.

Timothy Carr:

You know she lost her mother in 2018, december, but she's always been a daddy's girl. My oldest daughter, denisha, she's independent. She's very independent and have two grandkids, drew and Elena.

Chuck:

Okay.

Timothy Carr:

And they're beautiful, you know what I'm saying with my son-in-law and then my son, younger son, timothy.

Chuck:

Okay.

Timothy Carr:

My mini-me. My mini-mini-me, you know, he's a merchant seaman. He discussed with me he didn't want to go to college and he wanted to go make money right now. And uh, and you know, we sat on the phone and when I was in here and I, you know, I said that's what you truly desire to do. And then you gotta, you gotta go for it, and he's gone for it. And uh, he's been on the tour already got back and he's going on the second one.

Chuck:

Loving it.

Timothy Carr:

Promotes you? Yeah, and I'm missing all of them. Yeah, no question. But that's why it's important for me to have the community help me out with writing letters so that I can get this part pushed forward as quick as possible.

Chuck:

Got you.

Timothy Carr:

Yeah.

Chuck:

Got you, yep.

Timothy Carr:

And miss the moms and the pops. You know what I'm saying.

Chuck:

Right.

Timothy Carr:

And aunts and uncles and all y'all. You know, I miss everybody out there really. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Chuck:

Reason why I brought it up, man, because you know a lot of younger people. Whoever man, feel like you know they can play Russian roulette. Throw rocks at the prison walls, man, and feel like you know nothing's going to happen, man, but when that cage is locked behind you, man, nobody can you know help you. Yeah, you're on your own.

Timothy Carr:

That's right.

Chuck:

Yeah, that's right. You hurt a lot of people. You just don't affect yourself. You affect a lot of people. Yeah, so that's why I wanted to bring that up.

Timothy Carr:

You don't. You don't want this life. This is not the life you want um it. You know, the fast life is not good life out there. You know I'm saying this we got to get the men back out.

Timothy Carr:

You got to get the return of the disciplined man must be that's dope filled in the house of of african americans and um, and we gotta stay out of this place. I got in here late, didn't want to ever be in here, didn't think I would ever be in here. But you know these kids, like I was telling you before, kids raising kids nowadays and just doing what they want to do. My former coach has a mentor program at one of the schools in the Virginia Beach Public Schools, high schools so he informed me that they're doing some good things there, and then some other former coaches talking to these young kids about staying out of trouble and what they can do to better themselves. So you know I want to be a part of that and you know, take my skill as far as music is concerned.

Chuck:

Mentoring.

Timothy Carr:

Yeah, studio and all that stuff be a mentor. As far as a coach is concerned, there are many avenues I've had, you know, working in the school system for 18 years, you know, as a coach and everything. You know, talk to a lot of people and dealt with all types of people On Ritalin. No mom, no dad, you know saying something. I have both parents, but you know it's still the same situation.

Chuck:

Right.

Timothy Carr:

You know people are not being guided in the direction that they really could go and be, successful Wow. But there are a few that get through and do what they need to successful Wow. But there are a few that get through and do what they need to do Right, and that's a blessing.

Chuck:

Yeah.

Timothy Carr:

That's a blessing.

Chuck:

I got a question, man. If you could sit all three of your children down right now, what would you say to them from the heart?

Timothy Carr:

Oh man, I would definitely apologize to them for putting them in this situation Mother and all you know, and father and all putting my family and friends in this situation because that I never should have been in. So I definitely would apologize for not being there For the time that I'm gone. There are a lot of things that went on and I know that they need me out there. I know that they need me out there and they want me out there because they need their father and my grandchildren need their grandfather. So I would tell them I would really. You know I love them and that I apologize to them for putting them in this situation. You know, but I can't go backwards, I can only go forward.

Chuck:

I can only go forward and show them.

Timothy Carr:

I can only show them what's next. And by coming home and showing them how to build generational wealth, which you know, that's what sometimes the Lord sits you down and puts your mindset where it's supposed to be, so that you can't build that generational wealth.

Chuck:

I like that Generational, I like it.

Timothy Carr:

Yeah, generational wealth, yeah, generational, I'm not going to be your old age, you know what I'm saying God going to come see me, he going to come take me home at some point in time.

Chuck:

All of us got that appointment At the end of the day.

Timothy Carr:

I want to leave some generational wealth for my kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids and so on. We were not taught that as African-Americans.

Timothy Carr:

Absolutely we were not taught and you know I had to do a lot of self-studying in here to figure out some things and do some things and do a lot of reading. And you know, and I've, I've done that and educated myself. So at the end of the day, I'm going to educate as many people as I can and how to, and how to be partners in business, and, and, and you have to be passionate about something in order to do that?

Timothy Carr:

And being a millionaire doesn't come from one thing, it comes from multiple sources of yeah different streams of income. Multiple sources of income.

Chuck:

Yeah.

Timothy Carr:

And so that's where I'm going. That's my direction. Man, I like it. I'm trying to get out here and do some big things.

Chuck:

You're absolutely right, man. You're absolutely right. We weren't taught that. You know that. You know owning and owning land being an entrepreneur. You know business minded. You know what I'm saying? That's right, yeah.

Timothy Carr:

I would admit a lot of people fell by the wayside. But you know, I'm glad that it's no different than the 300. No different than the 300. You remember the story in the Bible when they went to the river and the Lord told them hey, listen, you can't take everybody with you. No different than the 300. You remember the story in the Bible when they went to the river and the Lord told them hey, listen, you can't take everybody with you. Send them to the water and let them drink.

Chuck:

Okay, you have one minute remaining. Hey, real quick, real quick. What would you say to your younger self if you had the opportunity? What would you say to your younger self if you had the opportunity to?

Timothy Carr:

Oh man, I would you say to your younger self if you had the opportunity to. Oh man. I would learn these things and I'm learning it now. I wish I knew then what I knew then. Yeah, so it would change a lot of things. I would have done a lot of things differently. Yeah, but we got 30 seconds, man. Thank you for having me, man, and I'll definitely give you a shout back some other time. Yes, sir, because you know we're going to do the lockdown thing. Wow.

Chuck:

Yeah, timothy Carr. Thank you so much for being a part of let's Just Talk About it podcast. Man, Anything you want to say before this call hang up?

Timothy Carr:

Hey, listen, y'all spread the love and listen. I need the community to write letters. I don't need your money. I need you to write me a character witness letter. If you know who I am, don't fall by the wayside. Just help me look well. I pray that you.

Chuck:

Thank you for using gtl wow, what an amazing conversation today. I want to thank timothy carr for having this dialogue with me today and for sharing his exit strategy with the world upon his release, and I also want to thank everyone for always tuning in to let's just talk about a podcast. And, hey, if you have any media needs, such as videography and photography, you can reach out to me and my partner Low Mills at M&B Media on Facebook. So, as always, until next time, don't hold it in, but let's just talk about it. Talk to you soon, you.