Sacramento Man Using Second Chance To Inspire Change In Oak Park
SACRAMENTO (CBS13)- From the suit and tie to founder of the Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Center, it's hard to believe Dr. Caroll Cooks did 27 years of hard time.
"I had a kidnap robbery," he said.
Cooks also says it's not who you were, but it's what you can become.
"When I was in prison I did not use the pencil lead, I used the pencil eraser," he said.
And he did. Turned his life around, received an honorary doctorate in 2012 and last October opened the "No Youth Left Behind Foundation of America."
"Motivation. That's just the word he kept saying. Motivation is the key," said Tiara Levine, who volunteers.
Cooks now inspiring young women like Levine to change their own lives.
"I was one of the kids that like to run the streets and hang out with the bad kids smoking and drinking. I wanted to do something better," she said.
Levine is one of dozens of volunteers at the MLK youth center making a difference.
"We have all the resources for you and we want you off the streets," said Andrea Truong who is also a volunteer.
Cooks says the crime in Oak Park needs to stop, and through educating children, it will. This facility has a computer lab, group activities, and most important, it gives young people a place to go.
"If we can get them to come in here and we can show them how much self-worth that they have inside them, if we can just show them that, that is changing the community," Truong said.
As living proof anyone can change and make a difference, Dr. Cooks hopes the foundation will grow and get the support from the community.
"Let us rise to meet the challenge," said cooks.
The center is in Oak Park on MLK and 15th.
Dr. Cooks said they are always looking for volunteers to help tutor, mentor, and supervise the more than 40 kids they have involved, and they only hope to grow.