Dare to dream again | Prophet Walker | TEDxIronwoodStatePrison 2014

When Prophet Walker was an infant, his birth mother succumbed to a heroin addiction. At 16, he was sentenced to six years in prison for robbery and great bodily injury, stemming from a fight with other teenagers. Prophet vowed to turn his life around and while still in prison, he helped start a program that gives incarcerated youths the ability to earn a two-year college degree. Over 100 of its graduates have now left prison and enrolled in four-year college programs, including Prophet himself, who enrolled at Loyola Marymount University. Prophet also co-founded the Watts United Weekend, which brings together young residents of local public housing projects before they turn into gang rivals. He is a founding member of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, which supports prison and sentencing reform while helping young people get a fresh start after incarceration.