It was behind bars that Carter made his first step into activism.Īs he worked at a law library in the detention center, Carter watched as gay inmates who were living with HIV/AIDS were segregated from the rest of the prison population. African American men are overrepresented in prison populations and tend to be given harsher sentences for drug crimes, compared to white offenders. The ACLU dubbed the United States government’s initiative to eliminate illegal drugs from American society as the “ New Jim Crow,” because it has disproportionately targeted people of color. Although he was guilty of the crime, he said, as a first-time offender, “I was a victim of the war on drugs.” Sparking the Need to Evaluate ChangeĬarter was imprisoned in 1994 after being charged for trafficking cocaine, and he was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 25 years and a $1 million fine. As their young men’s health program manager, he implemented HIV/AIDS risk education programs that discussed safety and prevention, provided counseling and crisis intervention, and produced an Outfest award-winning documentary. He also has worked with Reach L.A., a safe space for Black and Latino LGBTQIA+ youth. As an intern, Carter helps plan and coordinate events and community engagement. The nonprofit is also behind the #SayHerName campaign that bring awareness to police violence against Black women, girls and trans and gender-nonconforming individuals. Today, Carter is an intern at the African American Policy Forum, an organization dedicated to promoting government policies that advance racial justice and gender equality. “As an African American, formerly incarcerated, gay man and first-generation college student,” he said, he hopes to “empower others to reach their maximum potential and achieve their goals.” But it was in prison that Carter gained a new perspective on the horrible injustices in society and began committing himself to the fight. For decades, on and off campus, he has dedicated his time and efforts to advocating for the rights of Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, returning citizens and those recovering from addiction - an undertaking that stems from his personal experiences with injustice.Ĭarter encountered what he thought was unjust punishment that came with the drug war that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized as racially motivated - he was incarcerated. The war on drugs was on, and I made a decision that clearly got me caught up in the crossfire.”Ī member of the Class of 2020, Carter, 53, graduated from CSUN with a double major in Africana Studies and psychology. “Don’t worry, I did not kill anyone,” he said. “You see, after serving seven years in a prison in south Georgia, and 17 years on parole, I received a call from my parole agent last Wednesday informing me I have successfully completed parole. “Seven days ago was a huge milestone for me,” he said in his 2019 speech. As Carter explained in the speech that helped win him the position of USU board of directors chair, his path to a lifelong commitment to activism was a long and winding road of addiction, recovery and spiritual awakening. With openness and sincerity, Carter shared his intricate backstory, which intersects with some of the most pressing issues of our time, including systemic racism, homophobia, incarceration and drug addiction. Those two stories, he said, would illustrate “what’s possible” and “what’s next.” Hopefully, you will understand why it is a miracle and a dream to be standing here before you,” Carter said. “I want to share with you two short stories. Carter and his fellow nominees had to state their case before the board would vote on its new leader. The board was electing a new chair in July 2019, and Carter was nominated. Carter took the podium, facing the CSUN University Student Union (USU) board of directors. Tyrone Carter swallowed his nerves and strode into the room, dressed in a full suit and exuding confidence.
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