From illiteracy to gang activity, Andre’s childhood prepared him for nothing less than a life of crime and violence. This behavior eventually led Andre to be sentenced to over 100 years in prison. As a natural-born leader, he quickly rose to the top of the prison gang system where he managed gang activities from within the confines of a maximum-security prison. During his two-year stay in solitary confinement, Andre had an “epiphany” and he made the decision to turn his life around. Over the next eight years, Andre worked twenty hours per day towards making this dream a reality. First, he taught himself how to read, then to understand the law and without hesitation, participated in anger management groups. After winning his appeal and having been armed with a GED and a dream, Andre walked out of prison in 1999, after serving fourteen years.