C.L.I.C.K. Services, NFP 

I am a living testimony. God is real. 

The Second Chance Act of 2007 ("The Act") is a  modest, commonsense response to the increasing number of people who return to their communities from prison and jail. There are currently 2.2 million people serving time in our federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycling through local jails every year. "The Act" will help ensure the transition people make from prison or jail to the community is safe and successful.

C.L.I.C.K. is "The Second Chance Act of 2007." 

At the age of 42, I did not have a G.E.D when I entered Chicago’s Cook County jail on January 16, 1992. I received my G.E.D. before I was transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) in April of 1992. In July of 1992, I received a 6 and 7-year sentence, which I had to complete 3 ½ years, a 42-month experience.

I continued my “higher learning” aspiration in Vandalia Correctional Center taking courses at Kaskaskia College, seeking my Associate degree. I was transferred to Centralia Correctional Center where I continued college at Lake Land College, seeking my Associate degree. I decided I did not want an Associate degree, but rather, a Bachelor degree.

While at Centralia, I began attending Roosevelt University, seeking a Bachelor degree. I was transferred to Graham Correctional Center where I continued my educational experience with Roosevelt University. I was released from IDOC on or about December 20, 1994, which was a 35-month experience.

I continued my “higher learning” experience at Roosevelt University Chicago’s Downtown Campus. I received my Bachelor degree in General Studies focusing on Social Science in May of 1997. I enrolled in Roosevelt University’s Master degree program in May of 1997. While awaiting approval, I attended Roosevelt University’s Paralegal program during their summer session. In this summer session I received “honorable” mention in my litigation class, which is on my official transcripts.

In August of 1997 I was approved to attend the Master degree program at Roosevelt University. I had to make a decision, whether to continue pursuing a degree in the legal field or to pursue a Master degree in Community Counseling. I chose the Master degree because I did not want to “compromise” my “newly” acquired ethical standings with some law firm who did not care about people but rather, cared about how much money they could make.

In August of 1997 I entered my Master Degree program in Community Counseling. I received my Master degree in Community Counseling from Roosevelt University in September of 1999. I was working for the Human Resource Development Institute, Inc. (HRDI) when I decided to attend a distance learning program, attempting to acquire a PhD.

I began studying at Walden University for this PhD in December of 1999. The discipline I chose to acquire my PhD in is Human Services, with a focus on Social Policy Analysis and Planning. I chose this field of study because I wanted to lobby in the Senate, the House of Representatives and throughout this country for justice and equality.

C.L.I.C.K.'s President & CEO, Fred Nance Jr., is "The Second Chance Act of 2007."

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I discovered a Christian writing in Chicago’s Cook County Jail, while awaiting sentencing to go to prison. It was written by an African who was martyred for his Christian faith in God. This writing has inspired me toward my “new” goals of abstinence forever and justice and equality for all people. Surprisingly, it took away all my fears of “really” living life to the fullest.

The African’s writing read:

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I will not look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secured. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way is rough. My companions are few. My guide is reliable. My mission is clear. I will not give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and prayed up, for the cause of Jesus Christ.

I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until everyone knows, work until He stops me and when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner will have been clear.

With this kind of resolve we will, with God’s help, have the strength to survive against our cultural stream, or perhaps even reverse it. Of course, we are a minority, but armed with the promises of God we can have a spiritual impact that is greater than our numbers might suggest. It may come down to a simple question: Are we willing to pay the price?

I chose to pay the price. This is my rehabiliation.

From early childhood to the age of 42, I was socially challenged with my distorted thinking. It appears once incarcerated I regained the sanity I lost. I have been going to school for the past 16 years. My highest academic achievement is being at the end of my PhD program. My highest achievement of employment was with the Gateway Foundation (Gateway) and then with WestCare Foundation, Inc. working in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

This academic achievement allowed me to understand society and its social norms. Society is a complex system of integrated liberal and conservative values. The pluralism tears at the very fabric of our nation. I thought my highest achievement in employment with Gateway, then WestCare at Sheridan Correctional Center presented an avenue toward clemency for my convictions and past criminal thinking and behaving. In addition, as a clinical therapist I thought I could assist others in adjusting to a value system of our ancestors, possibly aiding in the reduction of recidivism.

I have had many hurdles, obstacles and issues to overcome. Many of which were self-inflicted. My social, physical and emotional rehabilitation did not come from my family’s belief system. I had to re-create new ideologies. Ideologies based on new values, morals and ethics. With the help of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I created ideologies to overcome the deficits of my past. I rehabilitated myself, through Christ, making use of the resources and tools available to all living in the United States of America; even though I had to fight our “powers that be” to get them.

It is my hope the reader of this bio realizes academic, social and emotional achievements far outweigh the gloom and obscurity of a life of torment and destruction due to the choices of a disenfranchised and disadvantaged individual. There may never be justice or equality for all us, but we do not have to let it tear at the fabric of our existence.

On July 5, 1993, my wife of 16 years Judy Nance was murdered on the Southside of Chicago while I was incarcerated. The details of her murder and a picture of her body was displayed in the major Chicago newspapers for that 4^th of July weekend.

My 9-year-old daughter, Randi, and her friends found the body. Randi’s friends told her to go wake up her mother who was lying in the alley behind their house. When I was released from IDOC, I became a single parent. I did not resist this assignment. I instilled in Randi everything I had learned from my experiences in life.

In May of 2008, Randi received her Bachelor degree in the Administration of Justice (Criminal Justice). Randi presently works for the Human Resource Development Institute, Inc. (HRDI) in their mental health and disability program.

This is an account of my journey and transformation through life achieving success in some areas and defeat in others. This is a short biography of my personal history leading to incarceration in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), which fostered regeneration in academic achievements and the development of C.L.I.C.K. Services, NFP, a non-profit organization within the meaning of 501c3, addressing social injustices and inequalities for the disenfranchised and disadvantaged.

Congressman Danny Davis’ “Second Chance Act of 2007” gives me the possibility to achieve my dreams and aspirations for others to “know” they can have a “Second Chance” at life.