Born in the island nation of Jamaica, and raised in the melting pot known as Regent Park, in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada, Christophe Lewis’ path has led him down many winding roads.

Having spent the better part of the last 16 years navigating the criminal legal system, Christophe’s lived expertise has afforded him the gift to exist in a diverse array of environments. Because the criminal legal system is largely hidden from public view, few have insight into what happens behind closed doors. Equipped with this life experience, Christophe, along with community leaders and friends has been organizing to ensure that criminal justice bodies are effectively scrutinized and held to account and operating humanely in line with international human rights standards.

Through relationship building and speaking engagements with McGill, Concordia and Toronto Metropolitan University, Christophe is actively working to raise awareness within academia to help shift the narrative to enact policy change within systems. Recently, Christophe has realized the establishment of his first non-profit organization, the Freedom Is A Must Foundation, where he endeavours to leverage the assets of his community to meet their needs around food security, mental health advocacy & youth mentorship, recidivism, and restorative justice. He is also working with Pact De Rue as a Youth Mentor through street work with young people aged 12 to 25 of all origins who are living through difficult situations.

Though his peers may describe him as a critical thinker, a natural entrepreneur, a compassionate leader, a selfless individual, and a humble being; Christophe considers himself to be a father first and a student of life always. He is based in Tio’tià:ke and is currently attending Concordia University, working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations. Family, community and the power of resiliency are values that keep Christophe grounded on his path and which he credits to his ability to continuously move forward despite adversity