Illinois man transforms himself from drug dealer to minister

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) - The darkest chapter in Courtney Carson's storybook life is also the most publicized, but the lesser known pages that come after tell of a man who has experienced dramatic redemption.

In 1999, he became known for his involvement in a group fight, the aftermath of which deeply divided Decatur in front of a national audience. Since then, he has made powerfully positive life choices that have redefined who he is today.

Finding a different kind of fight

Carson said he barely recognizes images of himself as a teenage drug dealer/gangster in the 1990s. He reached a low point in 1999, at the age of 17, when his participation in a fight with six others through the stands of a football game at Eisenhower High School led to a contentious time in Decatur's history.

The subsequent debates, protests and court cases over the fairness of the resulting punishments for the "Decatur Seven," some of which initially included felony mob action charges and two-year school suspensions, became a national news story.

After serving time in jail for a lessened misdemeanor battery conviction in connection with the fight, Carson felt a stronger kind of conviction to change his life. Ultimately, Carson said his Christian faith and the confidence gained from mentors allowed him to detoxify from years of illegal activities on the streets.

In 2003, he enrolled at Aurora University, where he made friends of many ethnicities, giving him a deep appreciation of cultures he had never known before. Carson decided there to commit his life to spreading love and unity.

In 2016, Carson fights a different kind of fight in Decatur. On most days, he can be found with a gleam in his eyes, sharing his "stay blessed and productive" philosophy through a variety of service outlets across the city and state.

He's built an extensive resume, currently holding positions at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Springfield Urban League Decatur Office and the Southside Improvement Association, in addition to lending a hand to a multitude of outreach projects.

"My heart goes out to a community that I once helped destroy, in a real sense," he said. "So God gave me a thought and said, 'Listen, you have to go back and restore your community.'"

Carson delivers life-skills training with a teaching style of raw honesty and compassionate charisma as the site manager/senior job developer at the Springfield Urban League Decatur Office. Through various programs, he helps individuals dealing with poverty, those recently released from jail, and others in challenging or traumatic situations, find a positive way to cope and successfully re-enter society and the workforce.

"Courtney has been a powerful influence in my life, as my mentor. He loves you and he's real. If he can help you, he will most definitely do that. He helped me greatly. I thank God for him," said Myris Matthews, a local Urban League success story who was able to leave his life as a prison gang leader and is now a thriving truck driver trainer.

Carson also leads participants in service projects to give back to the community, such as painting the walls at the Baby TALK early childhood development agency and rebuilding the library at the African-American Cultural & Genealogical Society Museum of Illinois. He enjoys emceeing commencement ceremonies for the programs as well.

"I love seeing those brothers graduate. It makes me tear up because I want them to succeed so much, because they can. They are enough to be celebrated. They need to be celebrated," Carson said.

"One of the best experiences of my life was graduating from that program," Matthews said.

Of the 122 people who entered Urban League programs in Macon County in 2015, Carson said 107 of them were able to obtain employment.

Giving back to the youth

Carson also displays a heart to impact the next generation, co-founding the "20 MEN/20 WOMEN" mentoring organization with Southside Improvement Association vice president Consuelo Cruz. They network with fellow role models to mentor male and female groups of students at Eisenhower High School.

Once expelled from the school, Carson is now a regular guest, bringing in rotating "20 MEN" speakers of diverse expertise with the intention of helping students avoid the same damaging mistakes he made at their age. The mentors facilitate discussions and activities that help students focus on positive decisions for their future.

"I'm so big on mentoring because someone mentored me. I had a lot of mentors along the way and I thank God for them taking out the time to show me a better life. So I have to give back to our youth," he said.

In February, Carson helped raise money for a "20 MEN/20 WOMEN" after-school motivational presentation featuring guest speaker Ray McElroy, a former NFL football player and current Chicago Bears team chaplain.

Carson expanded his work with high school students in 2015 when he became the Eisenhower boys basketball team chaplain. He has focused on developing good relationships with players, sending them encouraging messages before and after games. Courtney has also added a chant before the locker room prayer, injecting new energy into the Panthers' pregame preparations.

"He lights up the room when he comes in. You never see him down too much," head coach Rodney Walker said. "A kid like that could've easily given up. He's a prime example of perseverance."

At age 34, Carson finds himself blessed by the ministry opportunities that his changed life has afforded him.

On one occasion, he helped a homeless women off the streets by reconnecting her with a family member he found through social media. On another, Carson said he stepped between two men who were holding each other at gunpoint and was able to defuse the situation with no shots fired.

"Moments like that, where life is restored . those moments touch my spirit," he said about the experience.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was among those who played a significant role in Carson's transformation. The civil rights activist led a movement for reducing punishments for the "Decatur Seven" involved in the fight.

He offered the boys counseling, scholarships to further their education, and later on, opportunities to work with him and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Carson jumped at offers to accompany Jackson on several empowering experiences, including a visit to the White House where he got to sit at the president's desk in the Oval Office.

"Rev. Jesse Jackson told me that I am somebody and made me feel special about who I was. He never judged me," he said. The two continue to have a strong bond today.

Faith plays important role

Carson's uncle, Tony Carson Sr., was also among the vital few who never stopped believing in him. Tony Carson became his guardian, guiding him through his troubled teenage years. He recalls seeing his nephew in a broken state during the "Decatur Seven" fight-related controversy.

"I went downstairs and he was lying in bed, just exhausted with all of this stress, but he had the Bible laying right there by him and I said, 'OK, he is going to be alright because he turned to the Bible, to the Lord.' "

Sixteen years later, on Nov. 22, 2015, Tony and Courtney Carson were ordained as associate ministers at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur, during the same ceremony.

Courtney Carson's accomplishments haven't gone unnoticed by community leaders, including Macon County Sheriff Tom Schneider. "Every time I turn around, he's always trying to do something positive. I never see him doing anything negative," Schneider said.

Schneider started noticing about four years ago that he couldn't attend an event to improve local neighborhoods without seeing Carson there supporting or promoting it. A relationship of respect formed between the two after discovering they had shared interests.

"I believe that he is somebody that we can be very proud of in our community," Schneider said.

After all of Carson's positive changes, he still encounters those who only know him from his involvement in the 1999 fight.

He explains that his life is on a different path now: "What they should know is that I love God, I love my family, I love life and I love people. And I love it when other people are doing good.

"That has been my life's business. That is why God has me on this earth and in this particular place."

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Source: (Decatur) Herald and Review, http://bit.ly/2h68WCe

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Information from: Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com