Tre Styles

Living… in the belly of the beast, the Crenshaw section of South Central Los Angeles. Tre moved there at age 10 to live with his father, Vietnam veteran ‘Furious’ Styles, on the orders of mother, who wanted him to learn to be a man. Under his father’s intense discipline, mentorship, and watchful eye, Tre has developed into an upstanding, studious 17-year-old.

Profession… high school student and mall worker. Tre’s devotion to his studies and his job have put him on a college track. That separates him from his best friend Ricky, who already has a kid and needs an athletic scholarship if he wants to attend college; and Ricky’s half brother Doughboy, who has fully embraced the gang-banging lifestyle.

Interests… Georgetown Hoya basketball, baby!

Relationship Status… dating Brandi. He’s had a crush on her since he moved in with his father. Brandi is Catholic, and Tre admires her faith but wishes she wasn’t saving herself for marriage. Nevertheless they are in a committed relationship and plan on attending college together.

Challenge… dealing with the endemic street violence of Crenshaw. Living in a high-crime neighborhood where gang life and high school social life are interwoven, Tre cannot simply cloister himself off from the dangers of the streets. As he attempts to navigate the chaos, Tre strives to make moral choices, but he finds morality in his world to be anything but clear-cut.

Personality… easy-going, straight-laced, and chivalrous. Tre is a classic “nice guy,” well-liked by the ladies and fellas alike. He is extroverted, and as big a fan of kicking back at the Saturday BBQ with the homies as anybody. But he is a naturally independent thinker who handles peer pressure well and isn’t afraid to put his friends in their place, which usually takes the form of good-natured ribbing. His father raised him well, and for the most part he brings a positive energy wherever he goes.