Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood raised @evenraycharlescansee835 in an environment both rich in community and riddled with adversity. In a recent interview with host B-Luke on “The Bounce Back Podcast”, he unpacks a life shaped by the challenges of an underserved community, mental health struggles, and encounters with the criminal justice system.
Growing up in Roxbury, @evenraycharlescansee835 faced the pressures of a single-parent household alongside siblings. Though naturally bright, he was often perceived as a troublemaker, leading to frequent school transfers and placements in alternative education programs. Despite an affinity for academics, he found himself caught in what he describes as the “school-to-prison pipeline,” a system he believes channels at-risk youth directly toward the penal system rather than providing supportive resources.
After a series of expulsions from schools such as the Boston Renaissance Charter School and South Boston High, he was eventually enrolled in transitional institutions like the Barron Center and Community Academy. These schools, he recalls, felt more like training grounds for detention than places of learning, with an emphasis on strict discipline over growth.
His journey reached a critical point when he faced first-degree murder charges—a moment that led him to grapple deeply with his own mental health and the trauma of potentially facing life in prison. During this dark chapter, however, @evenraycharlescansee835 found a surprising beacon of hope: higher education. Through Emerson College’s Prison Initiative, he began taking college-level courses, giving him a new perspective and purpose. He continued his education post-release, driven to build a stable life for himself and his family.
Alongside his academic pursuits, also nurtured a passion for music, working as a roadie for local artists and recording his own music. Now, with his story gaining visibility, he hopes to inspire others to break free from cycles of poverty and incarceration, proving that with resilience and opportunity, transformation is possible.
