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strategies against gang activity and inmate manipulation have improved correctional systems across the U.S. Norman also superseded his goal to attend Harvard University.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.
Lessons from Gandhi on the violence within all of us | Arun Gandhi + Jonathon Jones | TEDxAttica 2019
In this engaging talk, Arun Gandhi shares the lessons he learned about violence while living with his grandfather Mahatma and why he now teaches nonviolence workshops in Attica and other prisons. Jonathon Jones shares how Arun’s teachings transformed him while he was in prison and now, since his release, the two are teaching nonviolence workshops in prisons together. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi, was born in Durban, South Africa during the apartheid years. At age12, Arun was taken to India to live with his famous grandfather and learn ways to cope with his anger and violent reactions, having been a victim of color prejudice while growing up. During his time in India, he learned valuable lessons on life next to his grandfather. Arun is now the President of the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute to take the message of nonviolence all over the world and to rescue and train children living in poverty so that they can break the oppressive cycle crushing them. He has also started the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence in 1991, based since 2008 at the University of Rochester, NY, which runs programs for inner city children, inmates of correctional facilities and poor families while teaching nonviolence to students. Jonathon Jones grew up in Rochester and learned deeply about nonviolence in many forms while incarcerated, including becoming a trainer with the Alternatives to Violence project as well as learning and then teaching Nonviolent Communication through the Gandhi Institute. Since his return home, he has continued his study of nonviolence, completing a six-month course with the Metta Center for Nonviolence last rear. Jonathan teaches and speaks on nonviolence in a variety of community settings.
Lowering defenses to raise security | Ami Carpenter | TEDxDonovanCorrectional 2018
The instinct to raise defenses against “others” in our communities is often how violence begins and then spreads. Practicing practicing non-defensiveness is at the heart of conflict resolution.“I love to sing and play the piano. I am also inspired by witnessing life’s movements transform into harmonic displays. As the middle child of 10 home-schooled siblings, I came to appreciate the value and suffering of living in community and all that it has to offer. With an immense passion for the academia world and being a student of life, I teach and learn the benefits of trusting in the deep resilience of the human individual and community.” I am a professor of conflict resolution and I research and learn about the benefits of trusting in the deep resilience of the human individual and community.
Am I really a violent criminal? | David B. Le | TEDxSanQuentin 2016
David Le made the right decisions. He worked hard. He went to college. He's now serving 40 years to life in San Quentin prison. Listen to his story and decide. David Le was born in Vietnam and raised in Oakland, CA. He’s the youngest of 3 boys. He’s passionate about thinking, musing, pondering ideas, then writing those ideas into existence. His interest lies in business and computer programming, but his unique talents are in organizing, planning and writing. When he’s not at work in San Quentin’s Education Department, or volunteering in the prison’s literacy program, he’s pursuing his college degree and participating in a number of self-help programs.
Wait a minute man, what you trippin’ for? | Ashly Eli | TEDxWashingtonCorrectionsCenterforWomen 2015
This speaker believes we can change our world by moving beyond our masks and talking about peaceful resolutions. Ashly acknowledges violence is never the answer. Born in Butte, Montana, I was a “Cinderella” child, caring for my siblings and household chores. At age 14 and 18, it was fun to be Mommy, but difficult to be a teenager. We did well and purchased our first home, yet I ran from my problems. My life motto was optimism. I live spiritually and morally, working hard. My goal is to persevere in helping all.