Shot and killed a man in 1991. At the age of 19, he went to prison for 19 years, seven of which he spent in solitary confinement. He has used his experience to inspire and motivate others to understand the causes of youth violence. He’s the author of several novels and a 2013 MIT Media Lab director’s fellow, as well as a 2014 W.K. Kellogg Community Leadership Network fellow.