In June 2017, Calvin Buari stood outside the formidable walls of Green Haven Correctional Facility, where he once served time for crimes he didn't commit.
After proving his innocence, Calvin Buari transformed his wrongful 22-year imprisonment for double homicide into a successful entrepreneurial life, CNN reported.
Once entangled in the violent drug scene of the Bronx during the 1990s, Buari faced conviction for a double homicide he did not commit. His wrongful conviction stemmed from his association with that turbulent drug market, an era he describes as a time of indiscriminate justice, where the mere mention of drugs could seal one's fate.
Buari's early life was marked by necessity and survival, pushing him into drug dealing to provide for his needs that his single mother could not afford. This ultimately led to his wrongful arrest and conviction, placing him behind bars at the young age of 24. His journey through the criminal justice system, filled with myriad challenges, was chronicled in "The Burden: Empire on Blood," a podcast that shed light on his fight for justice.
Behind bars, Buari didn't just serve time; he turned to the law books. Motivated by his wrongful imprisonment, he earned a paralegal certificate and took legal courses, laying the groundwork for his eventual release. “My case gave me an incentive to get in the law books...to find out how I could fight and come home,” Buari recounted on reflecting his transformative years in prison.
During his incarceration, Buari realized the importance of maintaining family ties. This realization inspired him to start Ryderz Van Service after his release, a business aimed at helping families visit their incarcerated loved ones. He viewed this venture as a way to support others facing the isolation he once endured, motivated by the solidarity he felt from the occasional visits and phone calls he was fortunate to receive.
May 8, 2017, marked the end of Buari's undeserved sentence. Walking out of Green Haven for the last time, he was determined to change his life's trajectory. “Every time I pulled up at that prison that I just left, it was a reminder that I need to be on the righteous path,” he stated, describing his frequent returns to facilitate visits for others as a poignant reminder of his past.
Through Ryderz Van Service, Buari became more than an entrepreneur; he became a lifeline for families struggling to maintain connections with their incarcerated loved ones. He often reflected on the elderly and disabled visitors who could not make the journey without his service, emphasizing the transformative power of connection.
This ride-sharing venture marked the beginning of Buari’s post-incarceration success. With settlements totaling $7.75 million for his wrongful conviction, he expanded his horizons into real estate investments in New York and Texas, demonstrating an astute business sense and an uncanny ability to turn misfortune into opportunity.
His determination and reinvention reflect a broader narrative of redemption and the ability to profoundly reshape one’s destiny despite seemingly insurmountable odds. “I pray that a lot of those people are well and can find it in their hearts to forgive me,” Buari remarked, acknowledging his complicated past and the new path he carved for himself.
The metamorphism from a once convicted felon to a burgeoning entrepreneur and advocate for justice reform stands as a powerful testament to resilience and transformation.
For Buari, the prison was not an end but a new beginning. “Going to prison saved my life...I had to see the potential in myself. That was my cocoon phase. And now that I’m out, I feel like I’m in the butterfly phase,” he eloquently summed up his journey from darkness to enlightenment.
Today, Calvin Buari's life tells a story of change, not only for himself but also for those he continuously strives to help through his entrepreneurial endeavors and advocacy.
He dedicates himself to using his experience to influence positive change and support those who face the adversities of the criminal justice system, making his story one of hope and redemption.
