Possibility | Andre Norman | TED Goes to Prison at Coxsackie Correctional Facility 2022

Andre Norman is the reason to believe in second chances. His tenacity and passion for people led him to start his transformational program, The Academy of Hope, a program designed to reduce institutional violence in prisons by providing an intense level of intervention while also creating a positive environment for the inmate population and staff. But this wasn’t always his calling. Nearly two decades ago, Norman was serving a 100-year sentence in prison, but he was no regular prisoner. A natural-born leader, he rose to be the top gang leader within the facility, running all the daily gang activity. After an epiphany in solitary confinement, Norman made the decision to turn his life around. He had a simple dream to attend Harvard University and become successful. Over the next 8 years, Andre worked 20-hour days to make this dream a reality. He taught himself how to read, then to study and understand the law, and then volunteered to participate in anger management groups. After winning his appeal and being armed with a GED and a dream, Andre walked out of prison in 1999, after serving 14 years. Having survived rock bottom, Norman knew he could help others do the same. He pulled from his life experiences and created The Academy of Hope and set out on his mission to teach both individuals and corporations how to turn any situation around. His solution-based recovery efforts have impacted regions, including Honduras, Bahamas, Sweden, Guatemala, Liberia, and Trinidad. He has spoken on multiple TEDx stages. In addition, his innovative strategies against gang activity and inmate manipulation have improved correctional systems across the U.S. Norman also superseded his goal to attend Harvard University. In 2015 — nearly 25 years after leaving prison —he was given a Fellowship at the prestigious institution. Soon, the doors were opened for him to become a lecturer there and beyond. Along with Harvard University, Norman has been a featured speaker at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Andre also collaborates with the London Business School Executive Education department to design unique experiential learning labs for some of its top clients, including: Prudential Insurance (UK), Bovis Lend Lease, (AUS), Deutsche Bank (Germany), British Petroleum, UK), Ericsson (Sweden), DANONE (France), KPMG and more. Through his various notable affiliations — Genius Network and YPO, just to name a few — Norman continues to spread the word about how real transformation happens. In 2020, Norman released his first book titled “Ambassador of Hope: Turning Poverty and Prison into a Purpose-Driven Life.” He also is developing various training manuals to help better serve companies and corrections.

I have changed | Pedro Santos | TED Goes to Prison at Coxsackie Correctional Facility 2022

I was arrested at the age of 17. I have been locked up for almost 13 years, and when I was a free man, I was a student at Hempstead High School. I was living with my mother and my stepfather and never worked. My wish was to be a member of the United States Army. I used to be a gang member, but I have changed my life and now I attend Bard College at Coxsackie Correctional Facility. My goal is to show society that there are some good people locked up in prison, people who have made and learned from their mistakes, including me.

It takes the hood to save the hood | Rudy Corpuz Jr. | TEDxSanQuentin 2022

Have you ever seen a job description that suited you perfectly? Listen to how Rudy Corpuz, a Filipino gangbanger, saw a help wanted ad that turned his life around. Rudy is the Founder and Executive Director of United Playaz, a longstanding violence-prevention organization that has served the children and families of San Francisco and the South of Market since the early 90s. A native of the SOMA, Rudy came up in the 70s and 80s surrounded by the difficult realities of the neighborhood: drugs, gangs, and crime. Inspired to effect positive change and spread love in the neighborhood and City that raised him, Rudy overcame the challenges of his SOMA childhood to develop a program of child-centric community work that is still going strong. In his quarter century of service, Rudy has established himself and his dedicated United Playaz team as indispensable stewards of the SOMA community, providing safe and reliable year-round spaces for kids to learn and grow, while simultaneously working with former prisoners to build job skills and welcome them back into community.

This is for the others | Alexander Aguilar | TEDxSingSing 2020

Alexander Aguilar is a young man with a deep commitment to helping and inspiring at-risk youth. When he was a young man himself, Alexander was involved in the gang lifestyle and the juvenile justice system. Now, as an incarcerated man at Sing Sing, he dedicates himself to having tough conversations about what justice looks like for those under 18. In this evocative presentation, he shares his personal story and talks about how we make sure more children grow up and don’t share his path or his circumstances. Alexander Aguilar grew up in gangs and juvenile halls. Determined to overcome the struggles he has faced, Alexander has set a new path that focuses on improving himself and building tighter ties to his family. He is committed to giving back, stating, “If my experience can help keep a child from making the same mistake that I did, then I’m happy with that.”

Gangdemic: coming to a neighborhood near you | Herbert Morales | TEDxSingSing 2014

Gangdemic has become a reality in communities and in prisons. Membership is climbing as well as violence and drugs associated with gangs. Elimination of gangs may not be feasible but behavioral and philosophical conversion to become an uplifting economic and political power within communities may be possible. Herbert Morales entered prison as an angry 18-year-old, uneducated, irresponsible, teenager. After 31 years’ incarceration he has not just survived, but has strived to become an educated, compassionate, disciplined, and open-minded individual. His love for God has shown him that anything is possible as long as he has faith. He has had a positive impact in the lives of over a dozen inmates by educating himself in the field of criminal law.