Chucky grew up in the streets of Chicago where committing crimes was a means of survival. Chucky joined a gang at 12 years old, and by 13, he’d been shot and locked up in a juvenile detention center.

Raised in “the system,” Chucky experienced the best and worst correctional facilities in his home state of IL and knows firsthand what makes a jail safe or dangerous. After 20 years as a career criminal and a near death experience while dealing drugs, Chucky now strives to be part of the solution rather than the problem.

Today, Chucky is a certified machinist, a happily engaged father of two and was recently honored by the state of Illinois with an Individual Achievement Award for assisting other formerly incarcerated people with gainful employment opportunities. He uses his social media platforms to prevent others from going down the same path as him.

Chucky is participating in this program to prove to other inmates that he is the perfect example of how people can change. He hopes to caution those heading down a wrong path that losing time in jail is simply not worth it, and convince younger inmates—particularly gang-related—that their self-righteous gangster code of the streets is nothing to glorify, nor is there anything credible about the time they’ve done. Encouraging them to partake in any vocational programs and GED courses is his top priority.