NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — When Calvin Bryant was sentenced to 17 years behind bars for a first-time drug offense in 2008, the punishment was on par with someone convicted of second-degree murder.
But there's more to this story than just crime; I knew Calvin's story didn't end there, and I wanted to make sure you heard this positive update, because how he turned his life around is something we all care about, and can learn from.
"Just me committing a crime inside these housing projects and me coming back to rebuild my community, it's something special," Calvin said.
16 years ago, Calvin, a high school football star on a full ride to play football for TSU, sold drugs to a police informant.
Calvin's 17-year sentence for his first-time drug offense was so harsh because he was charged under the drug-free school zone law — the Edgehill library sat less than 1,000 feet away from where Calvin made the deal.
I was there six years ago, on the day a deal with the Nashville district attorney got Calvin released after just 10 years — the day when Calvin began focusing on his change.
He started a non-profit to help at-risk kids and helped the legislature pass a bill to reduce the size of drug-free school zones, which many say unfairly target communities of color, because of how closely schools, churches and libraries are packed together in a city's downtown core.
I asked Calvin what drove him to turn his life around.
"What was different with me was I was raised the right way," Calvin said. "It was a big disappointment when I went to prison, seeing the look on my family's face, what my mom went through, it was up to me to change it, and I was put into a position to turn my mess into a message."
Now, Calvin has written a book as an inspiration for others, called "Both Sides of The Story."
"I think the side of the story I wanted to tell was my family, how I was raised, being a football star, beating the odds, getting out of prison, and helping change the law that landed me in prison," Calvin said.
As for what's next?
"I never thought I'd write a book," Calvin said. "Now, that's expanded my mind, maybe a movie one day, you know?"
"When I look at these kids around here, it's important they know who Calvin Bryant is, not Calvin Bryant who caught the drug-free school zone law but author Calvin Bryant."
Calvin knows the kind of change he dreams of takes so much longer. With bullet holes still visible in a nearby fence in Edgehill, he can still see recent reminders of the problems the neighborhood faces.
But for the man who just finished writing a book — Calvin says, his story is far from over.
"It's going to be more to come, the positive," Calvin said. "I just want to get bigger and bigger, don't stop with the book."
You can buy Calvin's book, "Both Sides of The Story" on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
