Chris Dean’s heart stopped when he was 2 1/2. He died and came back.
When Chris was 5, his father was killed in a gang shootout, hit more than 20 times by a barrage of bullets.
Chris survived the streets of South Memphis and distinguished himself at Booker T. Washington High School. At 18, in a charming, eloquent address at his high school graduation, Chris introduced the keynote speaker: President Obama. The spotlight from that event won Chris a college scholarship to Lane College.
Chris returned to the streets of South Memphis with filmmaker and Commercial Appeal photographer Alan Spearman, walking on foot for eight weeks to develop a series of observations that became the script of “AS I AM,” the short film below. With Chris as our guide, we float through this extraordinary young man’s landscape and encounter the characters who have helped shape his worldview.
Featured Short Film:
AS I AM
by Alan Spearman
Featured photos by Alan Spearman,
with commentary by Chris Dean
Chris Dean: AS I AM (a poem)
Imagine your dreams.
See what you’ve been through. Think about yourself, where you going, where you from.
I used to have nightmares that I would be stuck in a storm drain. People would walk past me for days and leave me down there.
Chris Peck: What Obama didn't see
Chris Dean had his 15 minutes of fame. Remember?
In May 2011 the 18-year-old senior from Booker T. Washington High School introduced President Barack Obama to a cheering crowd during the school's graduation ceremonies.
