C.C. Dove
Dove In Flight productions
BIO
C.C. Dove - bio
Charles L. Carson, M.A. was born and raised in Tacoma, WA. He was raised by a single-Caucasian mother on the eastside of Tacoma, WA. Charles has two brothers and one sister.Charles began smoking cigarettes and using marijuana at age nine. At age twelve, Charles was arrested and sent to Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center for theft. (Between age twelve and age 17, Charles would be detained at Remann Hall 18 times before turning his life around.)Charles’ family was plagued with dysfunction: alcoholism, physical abuse, drugs and violence. Charles found his escape at school and in the streets. He was already addicted to marijuana and had been using for six years. To make matters worse, he began drinking alcohol, using LSD (acid), speed, and prescription pills. His school attendance decreased as his troubles at home and his addiction to drugs increased. His mothers’ alcoholism worsened. She would often beat him and throw him out with nowhere to go. Charles spent his fourteenth and fifteenth birthdays in Remann Hall and his sixteenth birthday in the streets. His friends would sneak him in at night or he would sleep under houses or in abandoned houses or buildings.At age 16, he began selling crack/rock cocaine for a Cuban Cartel based in Tacoma. He began using cocaine and eventually became highly addicted to the drug. Charles witnessed shootings, overdoses, and was exposed to the darkest side of drugs and real effects of drug addiction. In 1987, Charles grabbed one of his handguns, walked to a local church where he planned to commit suicide. As he stared at the stained glass picture of Jesus located on the outside of the church, he placed the gun to his temple. Charles heard a voice that told him to put the gun down. He listened to the voice, put the gun on the ground and walked away.His troubles did not stop there. Charles drug addiction got worse and he began stealing and robbing houses. In February 1988, Charles was beaten and shot during a drug deal/set-up in Purdy, WA. He was hospitalized and was physically paralyzed for two days. Charles’ mother allowed him to come home after being released from the hospital, however, the reunion was short lived, and Charles was back on the streets.Charles desperately wanted to change his life. He reached out to his best friend and his (soon to be) surrogate mother, Ramona Bennett. Ramona decided to take Charles in. She told him simply, “No drugs or chemicals, you will go to school and no babies!”Charles relapsed a dozen times between February and May 1988, but Ramona never gave up on him. Charles finally quit using drugs and alcohol on June 2, 1988. Charles enrolled in an alternative high school where he would complete four years of high school in just 18 months. (He graduated in June 1990) Charles began weight training at the local boys and girls club where he would eventually be hired to work with at risk youth. Charles earned the Boys and Girls Club’s YOUTH OF THE YEAR AWARD in 1989.In 1989, he was selected from over 800 applicants to attend the Washington Leadership Institute Governors School for Citizen Leadership. Charles was recruited by the Safe Streets Campaign in 1989 to help fight a literal “war” in Tacoma against drugs, gangs and violence. In 1990, Charles was received the National Hitachi Foundation/Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Community Service. In 1991, Charles created the Late Nite at the "Y" program and collaborated with the Tacoma Center YMCA to implement the program on March 15, 1991. The program has remained in operation for nearly twenty-five years and continues to thrive at every YMCA branch in Pierce County/other and was the first program of its kind in the United States. Since its inception, the program has been duplicated by dozens of youth/community organizations around the world. In 1992, he was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse and in 1993 he received the USA Diamond Award for Service to the Country. That same year Charles and numerous youth involved in the Late Nite program were honored by former United States Vice-President Al Gore. In 1996/97, Charles was chosen from over 500 applicants nationally and awarded the National Do Something Brick Award by Do Something.org MTV and Mademoiselle Magazine for exemplary community service and was viewed as one of the top ten most important people in the United States. In 2011, Charles was awarded the Directors Award by the Safe Streets Campaign in Tacoma, WA and recognized for his lifetime service to the community.Between 1992 and 2003, Charles earned an Associate’s Degree from Tacoma Community College/Evergreen State College, a Bachelor’s Degree from Evergreen State College, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Washington. He has presented and spoken hundreds of times in public schools, colleges, detention centers, churches and has been keynote speaker for several major community events.Charles has worked with hundreds of youth, children and families for twenty-five years. He has been clean and sober since 1988. Charles has raised one son, one daughter and is raising his youngest son. He is an accomplished musician, author and activist. Charles currently owns and operates Beautiful Birds Family Services, a foster/adopt licensing agency that helps find good homes for children.Charles is now partnering with dozens of individuals, organizations and businesses to implement his next vision…LIVE 4 LOVE HUMAN OUTREACH. www.live4love.networkCharles states that his most important value in life is God and his salvation through Jesus Christ.
Career Highlights
- Governors School for Citizen Leadership - 1988
- Hitachi Foundation - Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Community Service 1990
- Creator of Midnight Basketball "Late Nite" Tacoma Center YMCA 1991
- National USA Diamond Award for Service to the Country 1993
- National MTV/Mademoiselle Magazine - DO SOMETHING Brick Award 1997
- Safe Streets Directors Award 2011
- Graduate Evergreen State College 1998
- Graduate University of Washington Masters Program 2003
- Over 75 Public/Keynote Speaches Nationwide
Partners
