Who we are

“We Are One”

-Beverly Christian-Jordan

What we do

Continue to Hold Up The Light

HUTL’s mission is to provide temporary housing, education, mentoring, life skill, work readiness training personal development to formerly incarcerated men to recidivism rates in our state.

Help Our Community

Through our activities and programs, we promote developing the whole person. We instill the importance of education, self-respect, accountability and giving back to the community we reside in.

Meet our Board of Directors

My name is Tifney Williams, the founder and Executive Director of Hold Up the Light (H.U.T.L). I was born and raised in the great city of Opelika, AL. I graduated from Opelika High School (Go Dawgs!!!) in 1994. Afterward, I furthered my education at Auburn University (War Eagle) were I received a degree in Exercise Science in 2000. Upon graduating, I moved to Birmingham, Al. Although I loved every minute of living in Birmingham, home was calling so I moved back to Opelika and have been employed by the State of Alabama since 2006. My most valuable accolades are that I am a mother, daughter, sister, friend, and a child of the Most-High God.

H.U.T.L was born from an urge that I had deep down in my spirit for several months. After speaking with God I knew he wanted me to trust and obey. Whatever was being done in my life would be for my good and that of my family. After continuous prayer, God led me to a conference where a member of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole spoke on the need for more educational and work readiness programs for those incarcerated and for those who were recently released. It was THAT moment I knew. I knew exactly what I was supposed to do. The rest is history!

My name is Ronald Lindsey Christian, but most people just call me Ronnie. I am a native of Opelika, Alabama. At 54 years old, I am now married, gainfully employed at an industrial plant, and self-employed at Christian Grasseries Lawn care. Also under my belt are the trades of brick masonry, basic electricity, light automobile and small engine repair. I am a 1987 graduate of Opelika High School but my post-secondary education and/or therapies came by way of the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC).

Shortly after graduating, my life was shaken by the divorce of my parents. Feeling lost, hurt, and betrayed I turned to drugs and alcohol which were the catalysts to my crime. To supply my habits, I committed robbery in 1989 and was convicted in 1990. Drugs did not remain throughout the years, but alcohol did. Alcohol, its effects, and DUIs were the main contributors to my recidivism. There was only one felony conviction but I re-entered the system several times over 23 years.

While in the custody of ADOC, I was able to attend J.F. Ingram State Technical College, The Changing Tides Therapeutic Community, Substance Abuse Programs (SAP), personal development courses as well as work release and aftercare programs.

Without the Almighty, my life would still be in shambles. After many years God has brought me full circle and said, “Here you go – now use it.” I am convinced that the decline in parental guidance after high school graduation led up to my poor judgment. As the Co-Founder of Hold Up The Light (H.U.T.L.), my first hand experiences and knowledge of cause and effect will allow me to start new programs and implement insight into living a productive life after incarceration. My desire is to provide spiritual, mental, and emotional guidance and to lead by example while Holding Up The Light.

Hello, my name is Diamond Lane Furniss. I was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama where I graduated from Saint Jude Educational Institute in 2008. In 2019 I graduated from Auburn University Montgomery with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a minor in Psychology. I am a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. My favorite people call me mother, wife, and daughter. My husband, Amos, and I have been married since 2017, and in 2022 we welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Amina. My hobbies include traveling, listening to music, and watching my favorite TV show, Grey’s Anatomy.

My passion for H.U.T.L. stems from a personal life experience. Dwayne, my brother, and my only siblings spent many years, and multiple sentences in New Jersey prisons throughout my life. I wish there was a H.U.T.L. in New Jersey when Dwayne finished his first sentence at the age of 19. I feel that a program like H.U.T.L. could have given my brother an opportunity to turn his life around at that moment, instead of spending years in prison due to repetitive behaviors. On April 16th, 2022, Dwayne was in a fatal accident that took his life. However, before his accident, he promised me he was getting his life on track. H.U.T.L would have been a great program for Dwayne to get his life on track and possibly could have spent more time with his family before his death. In his memory, I will help others like Dwayne make better life decisions so they may spend more time with their families because I know how precious time can be.