Meet Tahvia Merrill of Miles of Freedom in South Dallas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tahvia Merrill.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I don’t feel that my life was extraordinarily difficult. I may have faced more adversity than many, but much less then others. I was a teen mom and was kicked out of the house at 16. It was scary times for me. Wondering where I would live and how I would take care of this little baby. Growing up fast over the years, I did whatever I needed to do to get by. There were many sacrifices made along the way. Unfortunately, so many of them included risking my own wellbeing just to survive. But it all made me resilient and a survivor. I am a better person because of it.

By 2011, I was a single mother to 3 children, working two jobs and going to school. Life was crazy! With 16 hour work days and homework, I rarely had time for anything; my children included. My mother had a terminal illness but had been managing it well. During a routine hospital visit, she was admitted for further treatment. We had been through this several times before and as such, we were not overly concerned. However, her health began to rapidly decline and what was supposed to be a few days stay, eventually turned into weeks of treatment. We would eventually take her home on hospice care with the doctors advising us that she would not live another 48 hours.

I believe there are times in your life that you just inherently know the right thing to do and without calculating any consequences, you just do it. This would be one of those times. I immediately brought my crazy hectic life to a screeching halt so that I could care for my mother. My brother who had lived out of state for several years had returned and was by my side the entire time. Our family rallied and it would change every one of us forever. What was supposed to be days in hospice eventually turned into weeks, and then before I knew it, our family had been sequestered for almost two months! It truly was a powerful time. We rebuilt our family. Old trespasses were forgiven. It had been at least two decades since we had all lived under the same roof together. We got to know each other again. My children got to see our family move in a seamless rhythmic motion all in an effort to mend old wounds and help my mother to die with dignity. My brother and I restored the bond that we once had as children. So close that we almost instinctively knew what the other one was thinking. The volatile relationship that we had with our mother was replaced with an intensely loving and respectful relationship. My mother was young, only in her mid-fifties. Although her life was cut short, when she finally passed away, within our pain there was still a deep feeling of healing.

Death has a way of changing people. During that time with my mother, I listened to her talk about how happy her life was. She told me, “I have lived and loved and laughed more than most people ever will. I have done everything that I ever wanted to do. I am so happy with the life I had!” Once she was gone those words resonated with me. I began to question everything I had ever done. I asked myself, If my life were to end tomorrow can I say that I was happy with the way that I lived? Happy with all that I have done? Have I tried to live the best life possible? My answer was no. At that moment, I committed to myself that I would live a life of supreme happiness. I would take those leaps of faith and be a better steward of the life that had been gifted to me.

I immediately left my corporate job and after spending a good amount of time traveling, resting, relaxing, contemplating, and recuperating I decided on a career change. I knew that I wanted to spend my life pouring into others. I wanted to help people to be resilient and work to find the best version of themselves. I thought back over my life and all of the challenges I had overcome. I began to pursue a degree in social work and never looked back. I committed to myself that I would not quit and the first time in my life that I ever walked across the stage to receive a diploma it would be with my Masters in Social Work and that is exactly what I did.

Today, I work for an incredible organization with people that I care about. I am the Program Director for Miles of Freedom and a Licensed Master Social Worker. I believe in second chances, and third chances, and fourth chances. Because we aren’t perfect. There is strength in our ability to make mistakes, learn from them, and work hard to change the outcome the next time. Miles of Freedom has given me to an opportunity to work with individuals who are trying to do just that. Rebuild and change the outcome. Those individuals are the reason why I love what I do and I get up and go to work every day!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Of course, there are challenges and struggles along the way. Adversity facilitates growth. I have often said, How am I to truly appreciate the view from the mountain top if I have not been in the valley! I have had adversity in my life that has brought me to my knees and while I was there, on my knees, I prayed.

These days, my personal adversity has tapered off and allowed me to focus all of my energy on professional challenges. Working for nonprofits is not for the weak at heart. When organizations choose to provide services to vulnerable populations and individuals at risk, that is a serious responsibility. Individuals are depending on you and looking to you to help them change their life. You couple that with the challenges of day to day operations and funding, working within nonprofits can be overwhelming!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Miles of Freedom story. Tell us more about the business.
Miles of Freedom (MOF) is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2012. The founder, Richard Miles, spent 15 years wrongfully incarcerated and after his full exoneration, established MOF. MOF’s mission is to provide supportive services and assistance to individuals, families, and communities impacted by incarceration with the goal of reducing recidivism while strengthening the family and community. MOF serves Dallas, TX and surrounding areas, focusing primarily on southern Dallas. MOF is located in the Martin Luther King Community Center in the southern sector of Dallas, where the annual median household income is under $26,000. This urban area has the highest concentrations of ex-offenders in the Dallas metroplex.

MOF provides supportive services for formerly incarcerated persons and their families in several areas. The Miles of Freedom job readiness workshops assist individuals returning from prison, or with felony backgrounds, to gain employment and become productive citizens. These workshops incorporate a perspective essential to understanding issues specific to formerly incarcerated individuals. We work to reduce the burden of criminal background and potential recidivism through the work of numerous individuals and organizations offering curriculum-based training on soft skills (professional work ethics), social skillsets, teambuilding, and financial literacy. Individuals receive several benefits, including assistance with employment searches, job interviews, job placement, and individualized case management utilizing the strengths perspective.

Helping families to stay connected with individuals that are incarcerated is so very important. MOF offers a shuttle service that travels to correctional facilities located in Tennessee Colony, TX twice a month. The shuttle is available to anyone for a minimal charge. Lastly, We work hard to stay involved with the community. Miles of Freedom helps to maintain a seedling garden and greenhouse. We have been extremely excited about our participation in the urban gardening initiative that has been led in partnerships with some great organizations. Along those same lines, MOF has a land maintenance program that has been critical in maintaining properties in and around South Dallas to help fight blight. These land maintenance services are also available to provide landscaping and lawn care services for both residential and commercial properties all over the city. Miles of Freedom frequently participates in events in the community including back to school events, health fairs, and criminal justice reform forums.

The work we do would not be possible without an incredible board of directors, staff, interns, and numerous volunteers. I am merely one piece of an organization making a huge positive impact for our clients and our community. Our founder, Richard Miles, has an incredibly compelling story of exoneration, but I know him to be so much more than his story. He is honest and has integrity. He is extremely passionate about the mission of Miles of Freedom. I am extremely proud of the work we do, am happy to work with some great people, and love the work that I do.

Miles of Freedom works to help individuals become Motivating, Inspiring, Law-Abiding, Enthusiastic, Successful Citizens.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. Everything happens for a reason, although it may be beyond our comprehension. I believe that my creator has a plan for my life and it is my job to live it in the best way possible with a giving heart. I don’t try to be perfect, I just try to do the best I can with what I am given. When I fail, I try again.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2922 Martin Luther King Blvd.
  Building A, Suite 118
  Dallas, Tx 75215
• Website: www.milesoffreedom.org
• Phone: 214-290-2337
• Email: tmerrill@milesoffreedom.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milesoffreedomorg/
• Other: http://milesoffreedom.org/donate/

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