MY NAME IS MARIO LORENZO ALLEN,I WAS BORN ON DEC.22,1981 TO BARBARA BAKER & THE LATE TYRONE OWENS IN THE CITY OF PETERSBURG,VA. AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW & EVEN EXPERIENCE TODAY,GROWING UP IN PETERSBURG WAS VERY CHALLENGING(ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS)DUE TO MOSTLY LOW INCOME FAMILIES & LACK OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WASN'T THE GREATEST & I CHOSE TO LET THE STREETS BE MY TEACHERS.ON AUG.28TH 2001 I WAS A 19YRS OLD BOY WHEN I BECAME INCARCERATED BUT TODAY I'M A 38 YR OLD MAN.I MADE MANY MISTAKES IN MY PAST BUT THE MOST LIFE CHANGING ONE WAS BEING LOYAL TO PEOPLE THAT WAS DISLOYAL TO ME.I TRUSTED PEOPLE WHO WENT BEFORE THE COURTS & MADE ME LOOK AS IF I WAS A BAD PERSON.THEY TOLD LIES ON ME & DEFAMED MY CHARACTER JUST TO REDUCED THEIR SENTENCES FOR THE CRIMES THEY COMMITTED .I'VE MADE MISTAKES & I'VE MADE BAD DECISIONS BUT EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES IN LIFE,THE DECISIONS I MADE BACK THEN I'M PAYING FOR THEM NOW WITH A LIFE SENTENCE OF WHICH I HAVE SERVED 20YRS OF.I'M NOT CONDONING MY BEHAVIOR THEN NOR AM I MAKING EXCUSES FOR IT BUT I DO BELIEVE I DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE.INSTEAD OF BELIEVING IN MY FAMILY THAT LOVED ME I BELIEVED IN THE STREETS & MY SO CALLED FRIENDS.YES I WENT DOWN THE WRONG PATH & CAUSED PAIN,HURT & HEARTACHE BUT TODAY I'M NO LONGER THAT PERSON.I HAVE GROWN INTO A MAN THAT TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MY BAD CHOICES & ACTIONS.TODAY I WOULD LIKE THE CHANCE TO RE-ENTER SOCIETY & MAYBE BE A ROLE MODEL TO THE YOUTH OF PETERSBURG SINCE THEY'RE FACING THE SAME STRUGGLES I DID GROWING UP.I'M ASKING YOU TO FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO SIGN THIS PETITION & MAYBE GIVE ME A CHANCE AT A LIFE OUTSIDE OF THESES WALLS.IM ASKING YOU TO HELP ME TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MAN & MAYBE ONE DAY HAVE A FAMILY OF MY OWN.OVER THE 20YRS I'VE BEEN INCARCERATED I'VE MISSED THE BIRTHS OF MANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS & ALSO THE DEATHS OF MANY PEOPLE VERY DEAR TO MY HEART INCLUDING MY FATHER, GRANDMOTHERS,UNCLES,& MANY COUSINS & FRIENDS.I WASN'T ABLE TO SAY MY FINAL GOODBYES OR ATTEND ANY OF THEIR FUNERALS DUE TO MY INCARCERATION.IN THE PAST 20YRS I'VE COMPLETED NUMEROUS PROGRAMS TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION & GROWTH.I ACHIEVED MY G.E.D.,COMPLETED A VICTIM IMPACT PROGRAM,AAA,A DRUG PROGRAM & CHALLENGE PROGRAM.CURRENTLY I'M PARTICIPATING IN A PROGRAM CALLED GO FURTHER WHICH IS HELPING ME TO GROW IN SELF DEVELOPMENTS,CAREER PLANNING & BECOMING A USEFUL CITZEN THAT WILL PRAYERFULLY RETURN INTO SOCIETY.IN 2018 TRUMP SIGNED THE FIRST STEP ACT BILL TO REDUCE SENTENCES FOR CRACK COCAINE OFFENSES.CONGRESS DECIDED THAT THE PENALTIES FOR CRACK COCAINE OFFENSES WERE TO HIGH & PEOPLE WHO WERE SENTENCED BEFORE THE CHANGED LAWS SHOULD RECEIVE A CHANCE TO BENEFIT FROM THE NEW & LOWER PENALTIES THAT BECAME EFFECTIVE IN 2018.I'M REACHING OUT TO YOU....MY COMMUNITY,MY FAMILY & FRIENDS TO SIGN MY PETITION,SHARE MY PETITION & STORY SO THAT ONE DAY I CAN BE A FREE MAN.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS & SPREAD THE WORD.