TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The City of Tyler kicked off Juneteenth with an event featuring a Tyler native who turned his life around after being sentenced to prison for being a drug lord.

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The Tyler Legends Homecoming Celebration featured Freeway Ricky Ross who gave a message of redemption.

“I sold drugs to everybody, but I didn’t want anyone to sell to my family, and after I thought about it if you don’t want anyone to sell to your family, why would you sell to theirs?” Ross said.

While living in Los Angeles, Ross was considered one of the biggest drug lords in the country.

However, it was until Ross was 28-years-old and in prison that he learned how to read. Ross then became a jailhouse lawyer, won his appeal and had a reduced sentence.

“He studied law and he was really the force behind him getting his conviction overturned and him being released and not serving a life sentence,” Virlinda Stanton, with Overcomer’s For Life Corporation, said.

Ross has been a free man now for nearly 20 years, partnering with local organizations to tell his story of perseverance and promote education.

“I did read over 300 books. Once I read those books, I understood that I had the potential that anybody alive had all I had to do was apply myself,” Ross said.

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Ross uses his testimony to adults and especially young children that the streets is not the path to take.

“They have to become critical thinkers. They have to be able to think for themselves, figure out what it is in life and what they want to accomplish and plan on going. If we follow the street code that so many of us have followed, it will led you to the grave or penitentiary and the penitentiary is the best side,” Ross said.

Tyler Mayor Don Warren signed a proclamation that declared June 13 as “Freeway Ricky Ross Day.” Ross was also given the Key to the City.

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