Project2ndChance.Org

“I am on a mission… and God is with me.”

 

Born February 13, 1973, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, as Larry Thomas Russell Jr., Larry Rivera has grown into a powerful voice of transformation—a mentor, motivational speaker, and creator of purpose-driven programs, including Project 2nd Chance: A Torchlight for the Youth.

 

His journey didn’t begin on smooth pavement; it began departing from his twin who did not survive his mother’s womb. When his parents separated at age four, Larry was introduced early to a court system he would later come to challenge and rise above. By age 7, his biological father, an Army Ranger, made the painful decision to step away, leaving Larry in the care of Jose Rivera—“Pops”—the man his mother chose to help play a key role in their home to assist her with helping develop Larry’s character and ability to endure what he would later face in the future.

 

Discipline met destiny early!

 

By 15, Larry had already stacked achievements most only dreamed of: earning a silver medal, a bronze medal, and two gold medals in the AAU and USTU Junior Olympics. This lead to an invitation to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs by the age of 15. He graduated out of the 11th Grade in 1990 at 17 and attended UNC-Pembroke and UNC-Greensboro, driven by dreams of becoming a veterinarian.

 

But life has the hardest test for the best students. 

 

A decision he openly owns as more than just a misstep led to a 10-year, 3-month federal prison sentence after taking the FBI to trial in Raleigh, NC. Yet even in confinement, Larry refused to let time “do him!” He says, "I did not serve time. By the grace of God, time served me. "

 

While incarcerated, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Shaw University, graduating magna cum laude, and became a mentor to fellow inmates, turning a cage into a classroom.

 

When he came home, he didn’t just walk out… he stepped into his mission while waiting on great friends he met in federal prison to be birthed from the womb of mass incarceration with him to further the vision.

 

Larry built A.N.G. Auto Sales, Inc., A New Generation in 2003. It was a thriving business that served his community until the 2008 Great Recession led to its closure. Still, setbacks never stopped him—they redirected him. He went on to work with Dr. Benjamin Chavis’s Hip Hop Summit as a red carpet reporter, connecting culture with consciousness across Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York. 

 

In 2010, Larry helped bring legendary NASA mathematician Katherine G. Johnson to E.E. Smith High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina; an event so impactful it led the mayor to declare March 3rd as Katherine G. Johnson Day. Larry later named and served as Chairman for the dedication of the Katherine G. Johnson STEM Institute at Alpha Academy Charter School in his hometown, Fayetteville, NC. Via invitation from NASA, Larry has walked the grounds of NASA’s facilities in Hampton, Virginia, and attended the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Center dedication ceremony. This was inspired by pressure from his non-profit organization, Project 2nd Chance, to formally recognize her greatness with more than words.

 

But if you really want to understand Larry Rivera, look at his legacy through his children, whom he teaches that "A positive attitude and good character determines one's altitude within and outside America."

 

In 2026, he is a proud father of five amazing homeschooled children. He champions being in each of their lives from the wombs of their mother:

– A 23-year-old daughter who is both a nail technician and a teacher at Bright Young Minds Academy

– A 22-year-old son, a senior at North Carolina State University on a full academic scholarship

– An 18-year-old son, a senior at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte

– A 17-year-old daughter, a freshman at the Savannah College of Arts and Design on an academic scholarship

– And a 16-year-old son… homeschooled and steadily rising, walking his own path toward greatness

 

His leadership in his children’s lives is a testament that the fruit doesn’t fall too far from the tree. That’s legacy in motion, because the best way to impact and change a generation is at its roots—the youth!

 

Today, Larry Rivera continues to pour into the next generation, serving as a "Torchlight For The Youth; lecturing in schools across the country, mentoring youth, and guiding those seeking a second chance. He is the founder of the non-profit organization Project2ndChance.org (2009), co-founder, alongside Ms. Yolunda Nelson Rivera, of Torchlight Summer Camp (2013), Bright Young Minds Academy & University (2015), and the Torchlight After School Program (2015). These spaces are built not just for education, but for elevation.

 

His presence is electric, his story undeniable, and his impact… unforgettable.

 

Larry Rivera often describes himself as a “fallen star” rising into divine purpose—but truth be told, he never stopped shining. He just learned how to shine in the dark first. But now? He’s lighting the way for others.

 

He is currently working on the release of his upcoming, long-awaited autobiography,

 

“BORN WINNER: The Life Story of Lil’ Larry.”

 

Rise & Shine Bright Young Minds!

 

Patience & Peace