Wilson said peer pressure played a large part in his decision-making when he was convicted of armed robbery at 17 years old. He had scholarships to go to college, but Wilson said he “squandered those opportunities.” “As a young person, you emulatewhat you see. You’re very impressionable,” Wilson said. “I’m glad that my poor decisions did not cause me the rest of my life.”
Now Wilson is using the rest of his life to make sure young men like him do not end up behind bars. “I use my story, in hopes that they will be able to pull from it and allow it to be a deterrent as opposed to them having that experience for themselves,” he said. Once Wilson was released in January 2017, he began volunteering with Urban Underground and Youth Justice Milwaukee to spread his message. Learning the power of mentorship from Bankston, Wilson said he wanted to continue the pattern of “paying it forward.” Bankston said Wilson has the unique ability to do so. “He’s relatable because he grew up in circumstances that a lot of people in the so-called hood are going through now,” Bankston said. “As painful as that was, he has that experience.” Jarrett English, ACLU of Wisconsin youth organizer, said that Wilson also has the unique experience and knowledge needed to create change in the criminal justice system. “The people closest to the issue are the best equipped to undo it. … that makes common sense,” English said.
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