Craig Watson

Craig Watson is a Free Minds member and DC native. At 17 years old, he was convicted as an adult and sentenced to 35 years to life. Craig was released in 2019 after serving 22 years through a DC law offering young people with extreme sentences an opportunity for resentencing. Craig is passionate about mentoring youth and offering them the guidance and support he did not have when he was young. He is a member of the Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network, a network of leaders who were formerly incarcerated as children. In 2021, Craig was selected as the sixth recipient of the Congressman John Lewis Fellowship for Free Minds. Following the completion of the fellowship, Craig helped develop the Free Minds Peer Support Program, and currently serves as Peer Support Specialist. Craig continues to write poetry and serve as a role model for youth, in addition to providing essential peer support for fellow Free Minds members.