President Joe Biden on Thursday pardoned 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes in the largest one-day clemency act in modern U.S. history. One of those pardoned lives in the district.

Norman Brown, 56, served 20 years in prison at age 22 for a nonviolent drug conviction. In 2015, President Barack Obama granted him clemency. He filled out paperwork to receive a full pardon, but told WTOP that he understood it was a long road and that he was “praying for the outcome.”

When he learned he was one of the select few to receive a full pardon, Brown said it felt “great.”

“I am a free citizen again and can come and go as I please,” Brown said. “That means the world to me.”

According to the White House, Brown would have received a shorter sentence if he had been convicted based on applicable laws and standards. Since his release in 2015, Brown has worked with several nonprofit organizations that he says are committed to helping children stay out of trouble and helping those who have served time in prison transition back into society.

“We have a lot of men and women trying to stop young people from making mistakes that they might regret,” said Brown, who currently works as a program manager for the Division of Youth and Rehabilitation Services.

Brown was one of three people from the D.C. area pardoned by Biden.

Arthur Byrd, 58, of Clinton, Maryland, pleaded guilty to nonviolent crimes at age 23 and now works as an equipment operator. Brandon Sergio Castroflay, 49, of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty to drug charges at age 21 and now volunteers with several charities that support Gold Star families and wounded service members.

After receiving the call, Brown shared the news with his immediate family. While he tried to maintain a “balanced” composure, Brown told WTOP it took him a while to realize “that I’m completely free.”

However, he wants others to know that salvation is real.

“We have to make the necessary changes in our lives and then we have to rely on a power greater than ourselves, whatever you want to call it, to tell you that it is real and it works,” Brown said. “I am a living example of that.”

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