For this thriving journalist and social media influencer, it was a true full-circle moment. Having graduated from Henry Viscardi School in 2016, Chris returned to his alma mater as the commencement speaker, delivering a captivating speech to the Class of 2026. As a child, Chris aspired to be named valedictorian of his high school graduating class, and he shared how he accomplished that goal, and more, during his remarks.
Defying the odds is nothing new for Chris. Born with a rare skeletal condition known as thanatophoric dysplasia, doctors did not expect him to live past early childhood. Fast-forward to today, and the twenty-eight-year-old understands the value of setting concrete goals for the future and pursuing those dreams, no matter how out of reach they may seem.
Chris’s positive outlook and passion for becoming a multimedia storyteller began to blossom during his time as a student at Viscardi. There, he excelled academically while exploring extracurricular activities that helped him discover and redefine his strengths. As Chris continues to progress in his career, he recognizes that his disability and the unique perspective it brings to his work, is an asset, not an obstacle to overcome.
Today, Chris continues to build a career in investigative journalism. Following a fellowship at nonprofit news organization THE CITY, Chris now serves as a staff writer for Able News and a Spanish-language stringer for The New York Times, where he is fulfilling his passion for writing, storytelling, and making a difference.
Having completed a double major in Journalism and Economics from Adelphi University and his master’s degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, Chris has carved out a place for himself in a highly competitive industry. His talent for digging deep into important issues and telling stories that matter continues to push him forward as a reporter.
“I don’t see disabilities. I see possibilities. While others learned how to navigate a world designed for them, you learn to thrive in a world that wasn’t,” shared Chris.
Watch Chris share his personal philosophies on life in this video created several years ago while attending college.