The Caffeine Experience (TCE) is a home for ex-offenders. A home where we are accepted despite our past. We are loved for who we are. TCE is not a cafe location, but a spirit of acceptance. We are imperfect beings. We were the fallen ones. We made mistakes and we had paid the hefty price (Prison Sentence) known to all. Ex-offenders have a hard time restarting. Like most people, we make efforts to reboot. We continue to put our best foot forward even though it may not be the society’s perceived “best”, but we try.
The society subconsciously creates a second prison, not intentionally, but out of fear of the unknown. This in turn manifests into self-doubt and we continue to mentally imprison ourselves. Many ex-offenders resign from the post as though fate had already decided their entire future. Some others would make effort to try again, and some would return to their past habits of failure. I understand the complexity of wanting to start again and experiencing the fear of reality at the same time.
We must be brave to surmount the hill of misapprehensions and alter the public’s misperceptions. The paths for ex-offenders are filled with obstacles, and I understand the difficulties because I am one of them.
My name is Matthew Poh, and I am an ex-offender.
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