Ambassador of Hope: Turning Poverty and Prison into a Purpose-Driven Life

by Andre Norman

Andre Norman’s early life put him on a path to prison. Raised in poverty and surrounded by dysfunction, Andre gravitated to his neighborhood gang. His choices there led to time in juvenile detention, and eventually a maximum-security prison, with sentences totaling over 100 years. During that time, Andre became one of the most dangerous gang leaders in the Massachusetts prison system. Then came the epiphany. Just before Andre was to be crowned “King of the Prison,” he had a realization—that he was about to become the “King of Nowhere.” He decided that there had to be a way out. He chose to seek success through education, setting his sights on what others said was impossible—attending Harvard University. Now, as the Ambassador of Hope, Andre leverages his unique experiences to deliver a message of inclusivity and positive change. Whether you work in the boardroom or the mail room, if you need that “second voice” of inspiration to be the change you seek, Andre will help you discover and achieve your purpose in life.

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2020

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband met Andre when he spoke at a business seminar. They connected. When a family member had a close call with a drug overdose, Andre flew to our house. In addition to help with the family member, he spent the day playing nerf guns with our kids and basically being the coolest adult ever. Then he sat down with our kids and gave them an amazing pep talk. He left his book with us and I read it aloud to my kids (8 and up). It was powerful. Andre details some terrible trauma living in a hard family with hard situations. It is heartbreaking at times. He eventually lands in prison where he sets his sites on being the top dog in Prison. He has a powerful awakening and changes his focus to being the top dog out of prison. He wanted to go to college and the only college he knew was Harvard, so he set his sights there, and through a life of determination, he made it. Five stars for an amazing life and powerful book.

[KJ Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andre Norman’s story is not just amazing but captivating. This book left me with lessons on faith, understanding, planning and resilience. The reason it did not get 5 stars from me is simply because I wanted a more in depth story of his life.

[Raycee April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I would highly recommend it! Andre's story is one of the most inspirational ones you'll read about. He came from a place where it was expected you'd end up dead or in jail for the rest of your life. Somehow, someway he survived. Even better, he became an ambassador of hope and began helping anyone he could. His shared challenges, gratitude, victories, profound wisdom and brilliance made this book a life-changing read for me and my family. Especially during these times of change and a desperate need for racial equality. I learned that willpower doesn’t work, without a plan
and the profound healing power of forgiveness! The author also teaches that the only person who can tell you "no." is you. You can't allow others to block your dreams and aspirations. Definitely a must-read!

[Rosbel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was inspired by Andre's story at a conference, reading his story alongside his feelings and all the steps he took to be the extraordinary leader he is today - I was moved. It's written chronologically and he shares several examples of how anyone can apply what he went through to our own lives.

[Trespertean Cade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Excellent story of hope….Sometimes we have a lot of obstacles to overcome so that God can use us the way he want to….The key is forgiveness of ourselves and others. Thank you Andre Norman for sharing your story.

[Kc Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insights on struggles and overcoming obstacles.

[Ashton Rakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been nearly two months since I read this and
I still think about it everyday. To turn a life where the child and young man had no reason to hope for good into a life where he provides hope to others is absolutely beautiful. This is a must read, especially for anyone who works with children. Whether in an urban setting or not, you’ve had at least one kid with an Andre story in your classroom.