Chris Dean’s heart stopped when he was two. He died but he came back to life. When Chris was five, his father was murdered, riddled by more than 20 bullets in a gang shootout. At age 18, Chris gained national attention when he introduced President Barack Obama at his high school graduation. But his ten minutes of fame quickly faded and he was left to deal with the everyday struggles of living in poverty. Chris is an observer and philosopher who has always had a few things to say about life from his vantage point in South Memphis. 

He and EMMY®­ Award-winning filmmaker Alan Spearman walked the neighborhood for eight weeks observing and recording what became the script of As I Am. This film floats through this remarkable young man's landscape, revealing the lives that have shaped his world. Poetic and powerful imagery, captured by Spearman and Mark Adams, is combined with Chris’ trenchant observations about life.