Cherokee Nation man being recognized as Champion of Change

Friday, June 27, 2014  

The Oklahoma Inter-Tribal Reentry Alliance meets on the Citizen Potawatomi Nation on April 17, 2014. Daryl Legg was chosen as vice chair of the organization at the meeting. Photo from CPN

Daryl Legg, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is being honored by White House Champions for Change initiative.

As director of vocational programs for the Cherokee Nation, Legg helps tribal members who were incarcerated find employment and return to their community. He also serves as the vice chair of the Oklahoma Inter-Tribal Reentry Alliance, a group offering support, instruction, and education training to ex-offenders.

"I was incarcerated three different times, which were all drug related charges. After my third stint in 2000, I knew I wanted to better myself," Legg said at a meeting of the alliance in April, according to a press release from the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. "The Cherokee Nation vocational rehab program helped me when I got out."

"Now I’m able to help individuals getting out of prison just like how people helped me. It’s something I can give back to and the ability to help people stay out of prison, be successful and self-sufficient is my reward," Legg said of his current role.

Legg will be honored at a ceremony at the White House on Monday. It will be webcast at 2pm Eastern time at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

The White House provided the following biographical information about Legg:

Daryl has been employed with the Cherokee Nation since 2006. He started out as a participant in Vocational Rehabilitation, attending college at Northeastern State University, where he earned a degree in Psychology and minor in Social Welfare. After graduation, he worked full-time for the Cherokee Nation to work as a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor. Today, he is the Director of Vocational Programs. Daryl’s passion is helping remove barriers that ex-offenders face. After doing time on three different occasions for non-violent drug charges, Daryl now works diligently assisting Cherokee citizens who have been released from prison. The Cherokee Nation Re-Entry Program is called “Coming Home.”