Chris Willars was incarcerated for 16 years and 11 months. He now serves as principal of a cosmetology school in Tucker.
He told the Atlanta News First in a 2023 interview, “I was 19. Prior to that, I had good grades. I was active duty United States Air Force. I was the driver in a robbery.”
After serving his term, Willars married April Willars and founded Lasting Layers of Beauty Institute, a cosmetology school.
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To maximize every student’s educational experience, the pair brings in financial experts and other resources to the beauty institute.
Some of his students told the publication that Willars’ backstory inspired them, making them believe they could face whatever they were going through outside of class and not let it define them.
Willars stated, “There are a bunch of us who didn’t let the system change us. There are countless individuals who have been incarcerated who are counseling, mentoring who are coming home, who are husbands, fathers, business owners. We just don’t get talked about enough.”
He now utilizes his platform to inspire people with his tale, saying, “If I can come back from that, so can you.”
A proud founder of @thelifeunit, Willars offers pre-entry, re-entry, and direct intervention work to those in need, per BOTWC.
