Orrin C. Hudson
Orrin Checkmate Hudson is founder of Be Someone, two-time World Open Speed Chess Champion, and author of “One Move at a Time.” The seventh of 13 children, Hudson grew up in public housing in Birmingham, Alabama, and found himself in and out of foster care. As a teenager, he was stealing tires and struggling in school, until James Edge, his high school English teacher, taught him the game of chess. Says Hudson, "With his help, I began to understand life through a chessboard. He showed me that every move you make has consequences and in order to improve my game and my life, I had to make better choices.” Hudson won the Birmingham City Chess Championship in 1999 and 2000, despite being the lowest-ranking player in the tournament both times. Then in May 2000, news of a senseless and tragic robbery which killed five people inspired him to quit his job and use his life savings to found Be Someone. Hudson is married with seven children and is a member of Atlanta First Baptist Church.
