Chris Young
Buried Alive Project
Nashville, TN USA
"Your mentality equals your reality."
Career Roadmap
Chris's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Start figuring out and pursuing your interests early. I recommend starting on that path in high school. Whatever it is that you're interested in, find ways to start pursuing it while still in school.
Here's the path I took:
GED
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I’m from Clarksville, Tennessee.
2.
My childhood was difficult because of my mom’s drug addiction.
3.
I eventually went into foster care and was taken in by a family friend.
4.
I started selling drugs as a teenager—my anger from my upbringing fueled my ambition to be successful but I just applied it to a goal that unfortunately has severe repercussions.
5.
I was given two life sentences plus five years in prison at 22 years old after a third nonviolent drug-related conviction.
6.
After 10 years in prison, I received presidential clemency and was released.
7.
Upon being released, I incorporated a company with the goal of building an app called Like YOU to provide a community and remove the isolating effects of trauma for people like me.
8.
I also work as a senior fellow for my lawyer’s organization (Buried Alive Project) which helps to free people serving life sentences for outdated federal drug laws.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I had a difficult childhood due to my mother's drug addiction. I was eventually put into foster care and was fortunately taken in by a family friend who loved me as her own grandson. However, I harbored a lot of anger from the struggle.
My older brother took on a lot of responsibility and stress at a young age. He committed suicide at 21 years old. It was his solution to his emotional distress. I couldn't help him then but I'm trying to help others in similar states now with my app.
I was sentenced to life in prison after a third nonviolent drug-related conviction. After 10 years in prison, I received presidential clemency and was released.