Curtis was raised in Sacramento and despite a happy childhood, he was constantly getting into trouble. At the young age of 17, Curtis was arrested for robbery and sentenced to 17 years in prison. The news broke his parents, especially Curtis’s father who is a respected and active member of their community. Young Curtis grew up behind bars, and went into survival mode, making a name for himself as the “shot caller.”

When Curtis was released, he attempted to start anew, but slipped back into old habits and was re-arrested. This time around, prison was a wakeup call for Curtis – he felt shame and guilt when he saw the disappointed looks on his old cellmates’ faces, especially the lifers who were envious that Curtis had a shot at freedom, and he squandered it. For the first time in his life, Curtis realized that if he didn’t get his act together, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Today, Curtis is a podcaster and shares prison-related content on his YouTube channel. Curtis vowed never to return to jail… until now. His mission is to change stereotypes about formerly incarcerated people. He believes jail can be rehabilitative and wants to see what programs Pitt County has to offer individuals who are transitioning back to society. Curtis and his fiancé are raising a teenage daughter. Together they run an organization that cares for the most vulnerable people in their community; this includes gang tragedy awareness and helping individuals kickstart new lifestyles. Curtis is close with his parents and is inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps.