From experiencing incarceration firsthand to becoming a leading advocate for criminal legal reform, Tyler Foster’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Raised by a single mother, he faced childhood poverty and witnessed the devastating impact of incarceration on those around him. As a young adult, he was incarcerated for several months, enduring solitary confinement and confronting the harsh realities of the criminal legal system.
While incarcerated, Tyler became a “jailhouse lawyer,” spending his days studying the law, assisting others with their cases, and leading legal empowerment workshops. It was through this experience that he discovered his calling: using the law as a tool for liberation. Today, Tyler attends the University of Memphis School of Law on a full-tuition scholarship, where he is ranked at the top of his class and has received multiple academic awards. After graduation, he plans to dedicate his career to transformative justice.
Beyond academics, Tyler is a respected leader in the nonprofit field. As a board member of the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN), he spearheads efforts to expand educational and employment opportunities for system-impacted individuals. As vice president of the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH), he builds coalitions and leads strategic initiatives focused on criminal legal reform. He previously served as a board member of Chattanoogans in Action for Love, Equality, and Benevolence (CALEB) and co-chaired its Criminal Justice Task Force, where he led grassroots advocacy and coalition-building efforts focused primarily on decarceration and transformative justice.
Tyler is widely recognized for his expertise and has contributed to projects at institutions including Georgetown University, Vanderbilt Law School, New York University School of Law, and Harvard Law School. He has been featured in various Memphis-based news outlets, such as Action News 5, WREG, The Daily Memphian, and The Commercial Appeal. Before law school, Tyler worked as a community organizer and as a criminal defense paralegal/investigator. He also interned with the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office (Memphis, TN), the Federal Defender Services of East Tennessee (Chattanooga, TN), and a federal judge (Memphis, TN).
Tyler earned his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Memphis, graduating two years early. He was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship and inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Kappa honor societies.
Tyler’s journey from incarceration to law school fuels his relentless fight for transformative change. By combining his lived experience and professional expertise, he works to dismantle oppressive systems and build a future where justice is rooted in equity, dignity, and liberation.
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