CHOOSE 180 is a Seattle-based nonprofit that "transforms the lives of youth and young adults by partnering with institutional leaders, connecting them with community, empowering them with choice, and teaching them the skills necessary to avoid engagement with the criminal justice system."
While Carson's particular life story doesn't align with everyone CHOOSE 180 serves, he was immediately drawn to the organization when he heard about it earlier this year because a big part of what they do is help keep teenagers and young adults on the right track to avoid homelessness.
"Just based off of my growing up, we didn't have every opportunity that other people have, so I wanted to give back, and I can relate to a lot of these kids," Carson said. "When my house burned down and having to go from place to place for a while, I knew what it's like not to have a place to stay. So I wanted to give back to kids who are also going through things like that."
Discussing Carson's passion for combatting homelessness, CHOOSE 180 executive director Sean Goode explained the connection between homelessness and youth/young adult crime, saying, "National studies have demonstrated that almost 50 percent of young people who have lived unhoused have had engagement with the criminal legal system. That type of security makes a big difference in the decisions young people are making and in keeping them free of these systems of injustice. Our work is all about helping young people commit to a new direction, stay out of the criminal legal system while transforming the system that often creates undue harm, because these young people are making choices out of poverty and not just because they're criminals. One of the numbers that always sticks with me is that last year in King County, almost 90 percent of the people who went before a judge could qualify for a public defender, so we're talking about people who are navigating extreme poverty, and that poverty is often leading to decisions that are being determined as criminal, and many of those people are living unhoused. This opportunity brings attention to the fact that every kid deserves a house, and with at stability, there are so many more possibilities in front of them."
And when it comes to getting through to those kids and young adults—CHOOSE 180 serves youths and young adults ranging from ages 12-24—having someone like Carson to meet with them via zoom calls has been a big difference maker.
"His story is a story that really resonates with so many of our young people, because throughout his entire career and his life, there have been so many pivotal moments that could have gone one way or another, but because of the support of his family, he's been able to pivot well," Goode said. "Our young people, many of them don't have that family, so when we pivot, we get a chance to be that community around them that helps them commit to a new direction. Chris brings that into this space and into this relationship, and we're grateful for that.
"They get a chance to see his humanity. Chris is superhuman—you see the way he runs, he's a superhuman—but he's also just a human. He doesn't carry himself with any arrogance like you might imagine from somebody playing for the NFL's best team; he's just a guy, and he shows up as just a guy. His willingness to just be who he is and authentic to that is really what resonates and connects with people. It's just like talking with anybody else, he's just Chris."
Carson's interaction with CHOOSE 180 youth for now is taking place over video calls, but when the COVID-19 pandemic ends, he hopes to get more involved with face to face meetings, fundraising events and more. Not every person Carson helps will share a similar background or have faced similar challenges, but that doesn't mean he can't help.
"It doesn't have to be somebody who has the same story as me," he said. "It's just that if there's a kid or a young adult who needs help or is struggling in certain situations, I want to be there to help out those people."
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“A Story That Really Resonates.” How Chris Carson Is Helping Local Youths Through CHOOSE 180 - Seahawks.com
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