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Formerly Incarcerated Stockton Student Accepted To Harvard Law

This is what a Go-Getter Looks Like!

Stockton native and UCLA alumnus once incarcerated as a youth accepted to Harvard Law School.


Source: Alton Pitre


A Stockton native who once spent time in juvenile hall as a teen was just accepted to Harvard Law School.

Harold Grigsby III grew up in Stockon’s Conway Homes Public Housing, experiencing  poverty and hard times. At a young age he witnessed a friend get killed and another 16-year-old friend get tried as an adult.

While in middle school, Grigsby himself was accused of a robbery and spent time in juvenile hall that made him rethink his life's trajectory. However, the acceptance letter the now 22-year-old received in the mail on Tuesday suffices as hope for both him and his community.


“I think the biggest thing is that I got a second chance a lot of kids where I'm from don't get to get." Grigsby said to CBS13 reporter Steve Large. "I know I represent  a lot of people and a lot of people like me.”

Grigsby graduated from UCLA last year. While taking the LSAT, he learned about the passing of one of his childhood friends that weighed down on him. In an interview with CBS13, he wore a shirt in memory of is late friend.


“He was one of my closest friends growing up and he got murdered,”  Grigsby said. "I would talk to him a lot about law school.”

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs mentored Grigsby, who interned at Stockton City Hall during his undergrad where he learned how policy and law plays a huge impact on people's lives.

"Harold represents what I knew was true for all of Stockton students that with the right investments," Mayor Tubbs said to

"That with the right mentors and the right opportunity, they can go on to achieve great things."

The UCLA alumnus was also accepted to Cornell, Notre Dame and Northwestern law schools. He plans to attend Harvard and return to his city as a lawyer to help give people second chances.

“I think the long-term goal ultimately is to come back to Stockton, help the community,” Grigsby said. “That’s what started me on this process.  That’s how I want to end it as well.”



At Dream In Colors, we always encourage people to 'Aspire to Inspire' because the moment one realizes life is bigger than themselves and the significance of it all is tied to serving, then real missions emerges and real results follow.





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