USING YOUR PAINFUL PAST TO HELP OTHERS CONQUER

It was a hot summer day on Wednesday, August, 15, 2018 and the fall term was opening for all students at Alabama State University (ASU). An invite from the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management was soliciting the support of campus administrators to distribute cold bottles of water and breakfast juices to new and returning students. The purpose of this initiative was to assist students with getting to the right building and sharing a cool drink on a hot summer morning.

In our quest to continue our distribution of refreshing cold drinks, led to my meeting a vibrant, carefree and ambitious young man who was on a journey to completing his fall term as a theatre major at ASU. I met Mr. Kuntrell Jackson. He made me chuckle as I asked if he was interested in water or a juice. He said, “nah man. I don’t want no drink. I’m good.” There was something about Mr. Jackson that I could not pin point but I found myself saying, if you ever need anything, please feel free to stop by my office. To my surprise, he stopped by my office three times after meeting him and I was finally available to connect and learn more about this student.

I had some time to chat, so I started asking him questions. The first was, what’s your story? There is something about you that’s different. He initially said, I will tell you next time but he moved on to say, type in your computer, Kuntrell Jackson. Before I was able to type Jackson, his name appeared. I hit entered and learned about Mr. Jackson and what happened to him over 17 years ago.

I was surprised and speechless to learn that this young man was given a sentence to die in prison and by the grace of God, his sentence was reduced because of God and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) fighting for his freedom. He was released for a crime he did not commit. When I learned this, I was compelled to continue my pursuit in learning more about Mr. Jackson. It was his life story to further confirm, that we should never judge a person by their outward appearance. We don’t know the story of the person, nor the hand they were dealt in life and what they had to do to survive in a cruel world. I’m please to know Mr. Kuntrell Jackson who is the best-selling author of Through All the PAIN, I Still Evolved. He is a popular speaker who is using his voice and story to discuss the injustices in this country against young people and what EJI has done to make a difference in his life and thousands of others around this country. Kuntrell is sharing his story and strategies for educating, engaging and empowering young people and parents about mass incarceration.

college administrators, community leaders, judges, mayors and the list goes on. I was pleased to be one of the first individuals to read his book. Through All the PAIN, I Still Evolved Description is a story of a young 14-year-old who was sentenced to die in prison and eventually served time in an adult prison system that forced him to survive the effects of prison violence, poor prison conditions, and acts of injustice. It is a message that illustrates his life-changing experiences with forgiveness, redemption, and hope after prison. Each chapter of his book allows you to step into his 16 ½ years of prison life behind bars. This straight to the point book is a must read for parents and children, as his story serves as a constant reminder to all that “You must always think before you do something, because it will cost you if you don’t.” On June 25, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a historic ruling in Miller v. Alabama and Jackson v. Hobbs, holding that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger convicted of homicide are unconstitutional. His painful past is now being used to share with the young and hold the importance of keeping your faith, maintaining the right network and influences, and fulfilling one’s purpose.

I am pleased to share with you Mr. Kuntrell Jackson. Visit his website at www.KuntrellJackson.com and order a copy of his book.

Kuntrell Jackson Biography

Kuntrell Jackson was born on November 1, 1985 in Blytheville, Arkansas, where he grew up in a public housing community devastated by the prevalence of drugs, guns, and violence. His life was filled with turbulent times, and by the age of 14, Kuntrell found himself involved in a tragic incident surrounding the attempted robbery of a video store. Kuntrell, who initially chose to stay outside of the store, decided to enter just as another boy shot and killed the clerk. His presence at the scene left him tried as an adult and convicted of capital murder, receiving a mandatory life sentence without the chance of parole.

With the involvement of Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), Kuntrell would become one of the plaintiffs in a 2012 case challenging his sentence (Jackson v. Hobbs and Miller v. Alabama). EJI took his case to the Supreme Court and in June 2012, in a divided opinion, the Court issued a historic ruling, holding that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for children are unconstitutional. He was eventually re-sentenced, released, and supported through his societal re-entry process through EJI’s Post-Release Education & Preparation (PREP) program.

Today, Kuntrell Jackson is a national speaker who shares his experiences and provides awareness to prevent adolescent incarceration. He is on a pursuit of purpose as an advocate who is strategically involved in the fight for prison and sentencing reform. He is an actor and is seen in Just Mercy and Son of the South.

Written by: Christine C. Thomas, Ph.D