As a young child, James Steele wanted to be a policeman, but by 16 he was incarcerated. Listen to his story. An idea worth spreading…Everyone serving a life sentence should live and prepare as if they’re going home tomorrow.James A. Steele, having bypassed his youth and been certified as an adult by the courts, was then reborn in prison and raised by books and treatment programs. Thirty-three years into a life sentence, Steele has become a role model. He barely knew how to read and write and is now a published author of non-fiction. He is also an accomplished artist whose work has been featured on the BET network. He is ambitious and passionate about helping others. He aspires to one day have various platforms to demonstrate possibilities by modeling the way he gave himself a chance to become the person he was meant to be and no longer what the streets demanded. He hopes one day to break toxic youth subcultures by equipping young people with useful tools so they can discover their true potential. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx