NATIONWIDE— Tylik Thomas, a young African American inmate serving time at Rikers Island, stood proudly as valedictorian among 63 high school graduates at the East River Academy inside the prison facilities. This graduation marks a rare moment of hope and achievement behind the prison’s walls.
“In some of the harshest and roughest living conditions known to man, we found light in a place where darkness and negativity reign supreme,” Thomas told ABC 7 New York.
Rikers Island has long been known for its harsh conditions and troubled history. But this graduation showed that even here, education can lead to change. They wear their caps and gowns as a symbol that their futures are not over, despite the challenges ahead.
Principal Tonya Threadgill said the theme for the graduating class was “resilience.” She explained that coming to jail isn’t the end — it’s a chance to start over and build a better life. The East River Academy works with New York Public Schools and the Department of Corrections to help inmates earn their diplomas.
Glenda Esperance, Superintendent of District 79, pointed out that many incarcerated youth struggle with reading and literacy. Improving these skills is a key step to giving them a real chance when they return to their communities. According to research, up to 75% of people in U.S. prisons have low literacy skills.
At the ceremony, families gathered to celebrate. Thomas’s uncle said he saw a reflection of himself in his nephew. As the graduates held their diplomas, Thomas urged others not to waste their time or freedom.
“I should have done it way earlier. This is a long time coming its finally came … don’t waste your time, wasting your freedom,” he said.
Thomas is set to leave Rikers in November. He’ll cross the same bridge that once brought him there, now looking ahead with purpose and a diploma in hand.
