Portraits of a New Beginning: Cory Cortés

«You can screw up your life completely, come out of it and change. You just have to want that second chance and fight not to lose it.»

After nearly 11 years in prison — or 126 months, as he clarifies — Cory Cortés has regained his freedom and says he has been transformed. “Change starts with you. You have to want it. If you don’t want to change, you’re not going to change. And no one is going to do it for you,” he asserts. “I went through so much as a kid that when I went to prison, I adapted quickly. And when I got out, I adjusted quickly. The hardest part was reconnecting with people.” His family, girlfriend and friends were key, he says. Meditation, positive thinking and connecting with his inner self also helped him adapt. “I changed my mentality, the way I treat other people; I learned to respect and give love,” he says. “Now I don’t think much about the future — I enjoy life. I appreciate the little things.” Cory works as a personal trainer, a job he enjoys because, he says, it allows him to teach people how to be healthier. “That’s life: helping others,” he says.

^{* The testimonies in "Portraits of a New Beginning" were collected and edited by Ana María Carrano, María Gabriela Méndez, Olivia Liendo and Tamoa Calzadilla, under the coordination of Olivia Liendo and Ana María Carrano.}

Go to the homepage of the book “Portraits of a New Beginning.”