From gang member to WWE, North St. Louis native now wants to motivate kids to dream

Sydney Akeem grew up in the Walnut Park neighborhood of north St. Louis thinking his career options were gang member, drug dealer, rapper, basketball player. That is, if he even lived to adulthood.

"It's hard to see the light when all you know is darkness," explains Akeem. "I was in this box. I couldn't go two streets over because of rival gangs. I found circus at [age] 11, and that took me all around the world."

Hear the interview with Sydney Akeem and Debbie Monterrey:

Akeem's next project is " A Way Out: Empowering yourself to break free of limitations and embrace new opportunities."

"A Way Out teaches students to dream big and dream wide," says Akeem. "Resist the pull of easy solutions."

At age 11, he joined Circus Harmony, the social circus school at City Museum, and became one of the St. Louis Arches (a youth troupe of acrobats). He eventually traveled the world with Cirque du Soleil and then joined the WWE, first as Reggie, then SCRYPTS.