As a child, Christopher Young’s boundless imagination and insatiable curiosity allowed him to see the world not just as it was but as it could be. Whether reading challenging books or getting lost in fairytales, his ingenuity offered him refuge and inspiration from the silence and absence that filled his home. Young credits his curiosity as a lifeline that has guided him through difficult times and shaped who he is today.
As he grew older, reality began to overshadow his imagination, and his influences deemed his dreams unrealistic or impractical. The very thing that once provided him comfort and an escape was wrenched away, leaving him no choice but to confront the harsh reality he had avoided.
“I used to love Indiana Jones. I loved anything and everything dealing with different parts of the world and history,” Young said. “Unfortunately, the adults around me dismissed my interests instead of nurturing and cultivating them.”
From a childhood marked by instability to a young adulthood defined by last-ditch choices, Young’s path led him through incarceration. His curiosity and passion for learning never wavered, despite facing two life sentences. Today, as a senior at SMU and now 37 years old, Young envisions a future where his story will challenge stereotypes of formerly incarcerated individuals. He strives to change what society labels them as untrustworthy, incapable of change, and forever defined by their past. He dreams of advocating for inclusivity in space exploration, ensuring diverse voices shape humanity’s future.
Those who know Young describe his perspective as transformative. Clinton Pearson, a close friend, said Young’s exploration of technology and philosophy challenges people to think differently, showing them that “it’s okay to be you.”
Young grew up in Clarksville, a city on the Tennessee-Kentucky state line, about 40 minutes from Nashville. His childhood was filled with instability as his mother struggled with drug addiction and was in and out of jail, while his father remained absent. To survive, Young began selling drugs as a teenager, driven by a desire for the comforts he saw others enjoy, even though it was never truly what he wanted.
“I didn’t know how to turn around and do something else. I didn’t know how to stop speeding,” Young said. “No matter how much I saw that brick wall right there. I didn’t feel like I had brakes, and I definitely didn’t see anywhere else to turn.”
At 22, Young was arrested in a 2010 drug trafficking investigation. With two minor drug convictions on his record, this was his third strike, triggering the “three strikes” law, which mandates a life sentence for individuals convicted of a third felony, regardless of the severity of the third offense. He declined a 14-year plea deal, considering it too abrasive, and went to trial in 2013. After a year in jail awaiting sentencing, he received two life sentences in September 2014.
Despite the life sentence, Young felt a sense of relief at that moment. He had delivered a nearly hour-long speech on history, philosophy, and science, determined to show his potential beyond his past. In a maximum security prison, he learned to balance stoicism and imagination, accepting his reality while holding onto hope.
Young’s life changed in the summer of 2020 when his lawyer, Brittany K. Barnett, won a rare post-conviction motion, reducing his life sentence to 14 years. At the time, Young was in solitary confinement, where he had been for four months. The lieutenant, known for his sense of humor, approached Young and asked if he wanted to go home. At first, Young thought it was a cruel prank, but when the lieutenant unlocked the door and led him to an office where he saw papers bearing the presidential seal, reality set in: he was being granted clemency.
Leaving prison was a bittersweet moment. As Lil Boosie, Young’s favorite artist, played, it hit him that he might never see some of his friends from prison again. Among those he left behind was DC Nick, who had already been incarcerated for 31 years when they met and is still serving his sentence. Though happy to be free, Young couldn’t help but feel the weight of leaving behind those who had become like brothers to him. Many of his childhood friends were now incarcerated as well, serving time for similar offenses, a reflection of the systemic cycles that captured them all.
Since his release, Young has seen a shift in conversation surrounding criminal justice. The growing awareness of systemic issues has made him feel that the fight for reform is no longer just his own; it’s a collective effort. While grateful for the changes he’s witnessed, he also recognizes how much work remains to break the cycles that keep people trapped in the system. His perspective has changed from focusing on his own freedom to now being driven by a desire to help others caught in the same struggles.
Young’s path to SMU was shaped by the people who fought for his freedom. His lawyer, Brittany K. Barnett, the woman who saved his life, is an SMU alumna who graduated from the Dedman School of Law. Doug Deason, a donor to SMU and chairman of the advisory boards for the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at Dedman, also played a critical role in his release. Deason wrote numerous letters on Young’s behalf and used his influence, resources, and network to push for clemency.
Young is pursuing a degree in public policy with a minor in economics at SMU, a place that has allowed him to pursue an education he once thought impossible, while also allowing him to experience the college life he never imagined he would have. Young believes that understanding economic factors is critical to improving lives, reflecting on how different conditions could have changed his choices as a teenager. After earning his degree, he hopes to pursue an MBA at the Cox School of Business while continuing to seek knowledge beyond traditional education.
“Chris believes getting an education is essential for reaching those who might not otherwise listen. Earning a degree will open doors and give him the credibility needed to make people listen to him,” said Jeanne Schmitzer, an adjunct professor at Tennessee Tech University and a dear friend of Young’s.
Young hopes to inspire others through his story while raising important questions about humanity’s next steps. One of his dreams is to be part of the journey to another planet, advocating for inclusivity in space exploration. He believes diverse voices should be a part of that new chapter when humanity becomes an interplanetary species.
“I want to make it where every young Chris with that inquisitive soul and imagination can cultivate, nourish, and nurture it, without enduring so much pain in the process,” Young said.
