Hudson Makes Every Move Count

Unlike most citizens who turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the senseless crimes in their communities, Orrin Hudson allowed his firsthand experience to act as a catalyst for change.

At the time he lived in Queens, N.Y. and watched the local news, dismayed at what he was seeing.

"May 24, 2000," he said. "I saw on the news seven employees shot execution style for $2,000 in the cash register. I said to myself that people are going after the wrong currency."

Hudson knew at this point it was time to change both his approach to life and his career path. A former business owner, he sold his business in order to pursue educating and mentoring youth full-time.

The result in 2001 was Be Someone, located on 949 Stephenson Road, a non-profit organization geared toward motivating inner city youth to be the best they can be using the game of chess.

The game of chess holds sentimental value to Hudson.

"Thirty years ago, a teacher introduced me to the game," he said.  "I owe my life to the teacher that taught me that I win or lose based on the decisions I make.  All I'm doing now is paying it forward."

To date, Hudson has helped over 20,000 children learn the practical skills and techniques to overcome obstacles in life using the game of chess as a visual aid.

"We're using the game of chess to solve problems," he said. "We're engaging them, making learning fun and teaching them to think on their feet."

Hudson emphasized what he views as the importance of children "making every move count."

"I want to teach children brains before bullets," Hudson said. "People don't use the mind because it's standard equipment and it comes free. The irony is that it's the things we don't pay for that are priceless, no value is placed on them."

He added that value is placed merely on the things we pay for, and he is teaching children to be champions using their mind.

For Hudson, continuing to serve children in his community is easy, almost elementary. He truly has a passion for serving children and bettering them to be productive citizens of the world around them.

"What has been the most rewarding and motivating is seeing behavior change and [the children] making better choices and decisions," he said. "Teaching young people makes my heart sing."

In addition to working with youth one-on-one, Be Someone sponsors lunch and learns, assemblies and before and after school workshops and seminars.

Hudson, originally from Birmingham, Ala., resides in Stone Mountain with his wife and five children.

For more information or to get involved, citizens can visit besomeone.org.