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Local News By Arashi Young Of Th e Skanner News F rom his time in pris- on to his life outside the bars struggling to fi nd work and housing, to his life as a student study- ing psychology and put- ting all the pieces together, Brandon Hoggans has lived many lives. Hoggans recent- ly completed his bachelor’s degree from Marylhurst University, and spoke with The Skanner News about his past and his plans to help those who have experienced incarceration. Here are excerpts of the interview, edited for space and clarity. The Skanner News: First off, Congratulations on graduating. Brandon Hoggans: Thank you very much. TSN: What is it like to transition back to society af- ter prison? BH: I would say the toughest aspect of success- fully reintegrating back into society is the barriers that are in place for people who are convicted felons. I experienced barriers in employment, but primarily it was in housing where the reality set in. That made it very, very diffi cult. Nobody would want to rent to me even though I had money. I met all the criteria, but once they found out I had a fel- ony, they automatically dis- qualifi ed me. Employment was tough as well. I would get interviews for jobs because of my skill levels. I was overqualifi ed for most jobs I had applied for and I would get them. At the end of the interview, I had to bring the felony is- sue up, and then everything changed -- they said they wouldn’t be able to hire me. TSN: How did you work around these obstacles? BH: I utilized the resourc- es that I had with my fam- ily and more importantly my self-determination that somebody in this position has to have. I can imagine that the discouragement of having so many barriers in place can be the reason why people choose to get back into a criminal lifestyle. Be- cause, in their best efforts, they aren’t seeing any prog- ress and they still have to PHOTO COURTESY OF MARYLHURST UNIVERSITY Marylhurst Grad Reflects on Background, Future Brandon Hoggans, a 2015 Marylhurst University graduate, was inspired by his troubled past – which includes a stint in prison during the first part of his adulthood – to pursue a major in psychology and a career helping others. provide for themselves and their families. But, for me, it was my family and that self-deter- mination to be successful. TSN: What drew you to getting your bachelors in psychology? BH: With these barriers, I knew that I would need some kind of credentials be- hind my name to open my own doors or to crack some of the doors that are closed. I chose psychology be- cause prison, 75 percent of it is mental -- dealing with the culture in that environment and the misguided concepts of authority and race rela- tions. It takes a deep level of thought and understanding to survive that environment without coming out with debilitating psychological effects. I spent from 18 to 26, my developmental years, incarcerated. I got some of my psychological concepts in that environment. Even though I grew up in there I understood that I made a mistake that got me in there, I no longer wanted to make those mistakes. I studied psychology be- cause I just naturally had a knack for perceiving my environment and perceiving people and understanding the thought patterns and ideas. More importantly, I had to do that as a matter of survival. Over time, it allowed me to create some ideas for how I can help people who have experienced the same things and are coming out of prison and need to understand what kind of psychological issues they may have acquired while incarcerated. TSN: It sounds like you gave yourself a second chance at that developmen- tal time through your edu- cation. BH: In my education, I was my own case study. I used my education to un- derstand some of the things that I did as child and young adult. I know my experience is similar to many Afri- can-American boys growing up in deprived areas with- out a father, living in a sin- gle-parent household. Those circumstances all have the potential to create the same outcomes. TSN: How would you like to take these lessons and ap- ply them? BH: The biggest plan would be looking into at- taining my PhD in Clinical Psychology; I have also ap- plied to get my MSW at the University of Washington. I would like to be a psycho- logical evaluator for ex-cons or convicted felons that are incarcerated and are trying to get back into society. Given my understanding of the operations of prison and having been there and also the academic applica- tions, I think I have a more practical understanding of where a person is at in that environment. If they were to be given a second chance, I know their likelihood of be- ing successful if they were allowed to opportunity to reintegrate into society. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com Make The Skanner part of your daily routine for a better day today and tomorrow. Page 6 July 8, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Grab the headlines from your mobile device. Tap to view local events and announcements. Get a quick update or enjoy an in-depth read on your desktop. Receive breaking news, you won’t fi nd any- where else, in your inbox. Don’t miss anything! Page through the latest print edition online.
