Chauncey Jackson

Chauncey Jackson is a violence interrupter with Youth ALIVE!’s East Team. His roots to the community run deep. Chauncey grew up in the same neighborhood as Violence Interrupter Team Manager Glen Upshaw and Lead Violence Interrupter Nina Carter. Glen was like an uncle to Chauncey and his impact was significant. “Glen was family oriented, and respect was important. Stay in school. Glen kept people correct on Seminary. Families were close and tight knit back then”.

For a long time, it seemed like everything was on the right track. But in the 1980’s, that changed. Chauncey was in and out of juvenile hall. He wanted to be tough and like Scarface. It was a time where everything—and everybody—was slick. There wasn’t much accountability, drugs were coming into the neighborhood, and Chauncey found himself coming up in a changing world.

It was a world where men needed to be tough and act out and posture for cred; it became a trap that many fell into, a trap that Chauncey got caught in.

Chauncey has been shot over 10 times.

“I was in a confused state about what life was like, what it was about, who I was. I was tired of life. I have a son and daughter, and I realized my life wasn’t going to change if I didn’t change myself. “

Eventually, his longtime friend Glen Upshaw told Chauncey that he needed to do this work because if he wasn’t applying his talents, more people could die. That gave Chauncey the motivation and bravery to get involved and come to Youth ALIVE!.

When asked about what he thinks makes him a good Violence Interrupter, Chauncey shared that: “I’m loyal, I’m compassionate, and I want to help because I didn’t have this type of help when I was young. If we did, I would have been totally different. We have a chance to really make a difference.”

“I see myself as someone that has the perspective, the big truth. People may know something of me, and to see me make a change in the public, with my head high, committed to the cause, for the change, is a testament to what’s possible. I believe in the cause. I have energy. I want people to respect the change that I’ve made from bad to good, and the strength that took, and that I have.”

“I may be a short dude, but I’m powerful. My actions are pure, heart is pure, or at least I’m trying to be. I’m a work in progress.”

His advice? “ You gotta do this work for the right reasons. Let’s not be scared of people and not be scared to show them another way of life.”