Breaking the Mold: How an Unexpected Journey from Law Enforcement to Journalism Became My Superpower

Life has a funny way of taking unexpected turns. Sometimes, those detours lead us exactly where we need to be, even if the path looks nothing like we imagined. We plan, we dream, and then reality steps in and charts a course that we never could have anticipated. This is my story—a journey from enforcing the law in Oakland to telling stories as a journalist, where every twist along the way added a new chapter to my unexpected career.

When I first joined the Oakland Police Department, journalism wasn't even a blip on my radar. I was fresh out of the U.S. Army, grappling with what came next. With a young family of four to support, I took a crack at college, trying to balance lectures with late-night shifts and a mountain of bills. It only took about a year and a half for the demands of reality to catch up. Something had to give, and textbooks lost out to the steady income that wearing a badge could provide. The badge won.

Little did I know that the experience I'd gain patrolling the streets would become far more than just a steady job. It would be the foundation of something completely unexpected.

The Pivot

Fast forward several years, and I found myself on the edge of another life-altering decision—this time about stepping into journalism. I was standing at a fork in the road, wondering if I could truly pull it off. On paper, I was the furthest thing from a traditional candidate for a news reporter:

• No journalism degree

• No formal training or certifications

• Just some local cable access shows under my belt (and trust me, they weren’t winning any Emmys)

To most people, those bullet points might seem like disqualifiers, and honestly, I also believed that for a long time. But sometimes, what looks like a weakness can become your greatest strength.

Finding My Superpower

What I eventually realized was this: Those years walking the beat in Oakland—they weren't just a detour or a placeholder. They were shaping me, preparing me. I didn’t have the classic credentials, but I had something just as valuable if not more:

• A deep, firsthand understanding of community issues

• Real-world experience with law enforcement

• The perspective of someone who’d seen life on the streets up close and personal—in ways that couldn’t be taught in any classroom

I knew the real stories behind the headlines, the kind that made it into the police logs but rarely reached the public eye. I knew the frustration, the hope, the tension that defined so many neighborhoods because I had lived it. And when it came to journalism, I discovered that this lived experience wasn’t just relevant—it was my superpower. It allowed me to tell stories with empathy, accuracy, and a human touch that went beyond statistics or scripted questions.

Finding Your Superpower

I think about some of the most influential figures in recent history—people like Steve Jobs, who revolutionized technology without a college degree; Richard Branson, who built an empire from scratch; Oprah Winfrey, who transformed media despite all the odds stacked against her. None of them followed a traditional path. They leaned into their unique journeys, flaws and all, and that’s exactly why they made an impact.

If you’re trying to find your own way, consider this: what makes you different can be your advantage. Think about your unique experiences and interests. Maybe you’ve worked in a field that has nothing to do with where you want to go, but those skills are transferable in ways you haven’t fully realized. For example, if you’ve worked in customer service, you likely have excellent communication and problem-solving skills—assets that are valuable in almost any career.

Ask yourself what lights you up. What activities make time fly for you? Those passions are clues to your path. It could be something you learned outside the classroom or from a hobby that brings you joy. Embrace that. Volunteer, take on side projects, or look for small ways to build up those skills. You don’t need to fit into someone else’s definition of success.

For me, the realization was profound. I didn’t need to fit the mold of a traditional journalist. I didn't need to feel like an outsider in a room full of people with polished resumes and impressive degrees. I had my own kind of credibility, one that could only come from lived experience. It wasn’t just that I was different; it was that my difference was the value I could bring to the newsroom.

The Real Lesson

Your unique experiences and perspectives aren’t just background noise—they’re your superpower. What might seem like gaps in your resume could actually be the very things that set you apart in your chosen field. When I embraced this, everything changed. I didn’t see my background in law enforcement as a liability but as a rare asset. It gave me an edge, a different voice, and a clearer lens through which I could see the stories unfolding in my community.

Moving Forward

If you’re standing at a crossroads right now, feeling like your non-traditional background is a liability, remember this: Success doesn’t always wear a conventional suit. The things that set you apart are often the very things that make you uniquely qualified to make a difference. It’s your passion for what you do, your determination, and your willingness to grow that ultimately define your success.

Your path may not look like everyone else’s, and that’s exactly what makes it special. Embrace your journey—the twists, the turns, the seemingly unrelated chapters—because they’re not just part of your story; they’re what make your story worth telling. They’re the heart of what makes you, you. And trust me, the world needs more people who embrace their journey, detours, and all.

The Unexpected Journey