Before co-founding CASEN, Chris Clark Jr. was navigating the pain of cyberbullying and self-doubt at a young age. What could have silenced him instead became the foundation of a mission rooted in resilience, faith, and prevention. Alongside his mother, Dr. Myava Clark, Chris transformed lived experience into purpose—creating programs that equip children and families with emotional strength and online safety tools. This interview shares his journey of turning pain into power and building a legacy that protects the next generation.
YOUR BEGINNING
What challenge or limitation in your early life first taught you how to be resourceful, determined, or resilient?
Growing up, I faced intense cyberbullying that made me feel isolated and powerless at a young age. I started to doubt myself. Kids and adults can be cruel online, and the constant messages and exclusion chipped away at my confidence. But instead of letting it define me, I learned to channel that pain into quiet determination. I started journaling my feelings, seeking out positive role models in wrestling and sports, and leaning on my family’s support. Those dark moments taught me early that resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about getting back up and finding ways to protect your peace, no matter how alone you feel. That foundation of resourcefulness shaped everything I’ve become today.
TURNING POINT
What moment changed you?
The moment that truly changed me was sitting down with my mom, Dr. Myava Clark, and deciding to co-found CASEN LLC. After years of carrying the weight of my own experiences with bullying, we realized we could turn our pain into a solution for other kids. Launching a program focused on social-emotional learning and online safety wasn’t just a business idea; it was a pivot from surviving my past to actively preventing others from going through the same. That decision reshaped my entire outlook: pain doesn’t have to be the end of your story; it can be the fuel for your purpose.
STRUGGLE & STRENGTH
What battle did you fight quietly?
For years, I fought the quiet battle of healing from cyberbullying while building CASEN in the background. I battled with and struggled with self-doubt and depression! And especially during the early days of CASEN when progress felt slow and rejection piled up. I learned that quiet battles often forge the loudest victories, and today, that resilience powers everything I do to advocate for kids facing the same struggles!
PURPOSE
Who do you serve?
I serve kids aged 9-13 and their families, the ones who feel forgotten, lost, or alone in the digital world. Through CASEN, we equip them with tools for emotional strength, safe online navigation, and building real connections. These are the young people navigating social media pressures, bullying, and self-doubt, just like I did. My work is about giving them a voice and a safe space so they don’t have to fight those battles in silence. Serving them isn’t just what I do; it’s why I get up every day.
BUSINESS / CALLING
What was the moment you knew this wasn’t just a job, but a true calling for your life?
The moment I knew CASEN was my true calling was when we got our first messages in person during our earlier speaking engagements from parents and kids saying our program had helped them feel seen and stronger. Building this with my mom, turning our family’s lived experiences into resources for social-emotional wellness, hit me. This isn’t about profit or recognition; it’s about preventing others from feeling the pain I endured. The Forbes feature was an amazing validation, but those real stories from families confirmed it. This is bigger than a job; it’s my life’s mission to turn pain into power for the next generation.
INNER WORLD
How do you protect your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being while carrying responsibility, pressure, and expectations?
I protect my well-being through daily practices like prayer, journaling, and leaning on my faith and family, especially my mom. My mom is my business partner and biggest supporter. I ground myself with wrestling (watching or reflecting on those resilience stories), listening to motivational podcasts or music by some of my favorite artists like J. Cole or Brent Fayiz , and reminding myself why I started. Staying connected to my purpose and setting boundaries helps me carry the weight without breaking. It’s all about turning inward for strength when the world pulls outward.
LEADERSHIP & VALUES
What does integrity look like in your leadership, business, and personal life?
Integrity, to me, means staying authentic even when it’s uncomfortable, sharing my real story of overcoming bullying without sugarcoating it, running CASEN with transparency and heart, and leading by example in every interaction. In business, it looks like putting kids’ well-being over quick wins. Personally, it’s being the same person online and off, admitting failures, and lifting others up. As a young leader building something meaningful, I never want success to compromise who I am at my core.
IMPACT
Whose life has been changed because you chose not to give up—and what does that mean to you personally?
Because I chose not to give up on turning my pain into purpose, we’ve changed the lives of countless kids and families through CASEN. We teach them online safety, emotional resilience, and how to build positive connections. Hearing from a child who felt less alone after our program or a parent thankful for the tools hits deepest. Personally, it means redemption: my toughest chapters weren’t wasted; they’re now saving others from similar pain. That ripple of healing is the greatest reward.
VOICE
What truth, message, or perspective do you feel called to share with the world right now—and why?
Right now, I’m called to share that your pain doesn’t disqualify you; it qualifies you to help others. Too many people hide their scars, thinking they’re weaknesses, but I’ve learned (and live) that turning pain into power is the ultimate strength. Why now? Because in this digital age, kids are facing amplified versions of what I did, and if my story of rising from being cyberbullied to being a speaker sharing my story and if I can inspire even one person to keep going, it’s worth speaking loudly and unapologetically.
LEGACY
What legacy are you intentionally building through your life, work, and relationships?
I’m intentionally building a legacy of empowerment and prevention, through CASEN, showing that one family’s pain can create generational change by equipping kids with emotional tools and safe digital habits. In relationships, it’s about authenticity, faith, and lifting others (like collaborating with my mom). I want to leave behind a world where fewer kids feel alone online, more young creators turn struggles into impact, and my story reminds people that resilience and purpose outlast any hardship.
MESSAGE
If you could write a short letter to your younger self, what would it say?
Dear Younger Chris,
The bullying hurts now, and feeling unseen stings, but hold on, this pain is building something unbreakable in you. One day, you’ll turn it into power alongside Mom, creating CASEN to protect kids just like you. You’ll become an author, and hopefully one day you’ll inspire thousands. The loneliness won’t last because you will find your people and your purpose. Loneliness is the light that guides the way. Keep journaling, stay resilient, and trust God’s plan and mom’s plan. You’re stronger than you know, and your story will continue to matter especially on days you doubt yourself or when you think the world’s not on your side.
Love, Future You Who’s proud of you!
FINAL REFLECTION
My story matters because it proves that pain, when channeled with purpose, can become power that protects and empowers the next generation and from feeling like a victim to being a victor!
Chris’ Bio
Chris Clark Jr. is a youth advocate, best-selling author, and Co-founder of CASEN (Collaborative Advancement for Social-Emotional Needs) LLC, an organization dedicated to equipping children with the tools they need to thrive socially and emotionally in today’s digital world. His journey into entrepreneurship was shaped by personal experience. As a teenager, Chris faced bullying and anxiety on social media, experiences that at times led to depression. Rather than allowing those challenges to define him, he transformed them into motivation to create safer, more supportive spaces for children.
The vision for CASEN was born during Chris’s freshman year of college, when he recognized a critical gap between what students are taught about bullying and social media in school and how they apply those lessons in real life. Determined to bridge that gap, he approached his mother, Dr. Myava Clark, with the idea of building a platform that would support children, especially those with learning and thinking differences, in developing social confidence and digital readiness. Together, they co-founded CASEN.
CASEN has expanded to include CASEN Outreach, CASEN Connect, and CASEN Parents. CASEN Connect is an invitation-only social platform that teaches internet safety and prepares neurodivergent children for social media. Chris continues to champion social wellness and empower children to advocate for themselves with confidence and respect.
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