Chin Up, Chest Out: Volume I — The Boy

**Before he could figure out who he was, life had already taught him how to survive.**Some children grow up in the same house, attend the same schools, and spend their childhood surrounded by familiar faces.Cre'shon Lusk-Alvarez wasn't one of those children.From military housing in San Diego to the streets of East San Diego, the neighborhoods of Palmdale, and the suburbs of Corona and Orange County, his childhood was anything but ordinary.Evictions. Family conflict. Poverty. Violence. Broken relationships. New schools. New friendships. And more unexpected beginnings than any child should have to experience.But through the chaos, there was laughter.There were unforgettable cousins, childhood crushes, ridiculous adventures, basketball games, dirt bikes, and the discovery of a talent that would change his life forever.**Football.**Armed with a pair of Converse All-Stars, natural speed, and an almost reckless determination to score touchdowns, a thirteen-year-old boy began turning his childhood struggles into something extraordinary.But just as his football dreams started taking shape, life threatened to take away the one thing that made him feel like he truly belonged.**CHIN UP, CHEST OUT VOLUME I: THE BOY** is a raw, emotional, humorous, and deeply personal coming-of-age memoir by CLA.Told with unfiltered honesty, this first installment of a three-volume series explores childhood adversity, family loyalty, survival, ambition, and the search for identity.It's a story about growing up too fast, laughing through the pain, and discovering strength before you even understand what strength means.**Because sometimes, before you can become the man you're meant to be, you have to make peace with the boy you used to be.***This is where his story begins.***Chin Up. Chest Out.**