Lessons From a Life Reformed: Andre Norman’s Journey from Prison to Harvard

As the holiday season approaches, it's a time when many of us reflect on the themes of thankfulness and gratitude. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet one individual who embodies the spirit of gratitude and the transformative power of positive choices, Andre Norman. His journey from a troubled past to a life of purpose is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the potential for change. From prison to Harvard, Andre spent his childhood assisting in dealing drugs, spent his adolescence in prison and ascended to being one of the highest-ranking gang leaders in the justice system. Ultimately to find himself a changed man who now dedicated his life to others and philanthropic work, with a Harvard partnership.

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Who Is Andre Norman?

Andre Norman's life has been marked by adversity, starting with a challenging family background and early encounters with racism, poverty, and academic struggles. Despite these difficulties, Andre found himself making negative choices, getting involved in criminal activities to survive. This path led him to a prison sentence of over 70 years at the age of 18. In prison, Andre initially embraced the inmate lifestyle, rising in the ranks and dismissing opportunities for personal growth. However, a pivotal moment came when he had an epiphany in his prison cell that he needed to turn his life around.

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After this epiphany, Andre committed to turning his life around. He pursued his GED, attended anger management and self-help counseling, taught himself law, and successfully appealed his case. Six years later, he walked out of prison a changed man. Driven by a newfound purpose, Andre dedicated himself to helping others, starting with visits to juvenile youth centers. His impactful work gained attention, and he expanded his reach to speak at high schools and even engage in philanthropic efforts in Guatemala. Following his philanthropic work at a global level, Andre joined in partnership with Harvard University and later founded the Academy of Hope (a foundation dedicated to supporting prison systems to focus on rehabilitation) highlighting his commitment to giving back and making a difference in his community and the world at large.

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“When I wake up, I say “who can I help today” it is my guiding principle.”

Andre Norman's guiding principle is a simple yet profound one: "When I wake up, I say, 'Who can I help today?' It is my guiding principle." Although this principal shapes Andre’s life today, it was not always that way. Starting with his challenging family life—being raised by a single mother with six kids amidst a tumultuous relationship with his dad. Andre's early encounters with racism, such as rocks being thrown at his school bus, poverty, and academic challenges planted the seeds of adversity that would shape his youth.

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Despite making negative choices, Andre's capacity to transform his life and commit to helping others stands as a genuine testament to his selflessness, strength, and willpower. In the realm of business, it's often challenging to maintain focus on the overarching goals and impact we have on our customers, employees, and peers. As Andre says, “success is not a success without a successor”, meaning what is the point of enriching yourself without bringing your customers, employees, and peers along with you. Successful customers mean more referrals, and dollars sold. Successful employees will stay and grow with you and create a good culture. Successful peers create a thriving industry and elevates it’s standard of quality. How would using Andre’s guiding principle change the way you view how you do business? Who have you helped today?

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"What I didn't understand was that I was walking a pathway to a life of negativity."

As Andre was walking us through his early youth he mentioned, “what I didn’t understand was that I was walking a pathway to a life of negativity”. Andre made various bad choices that ultimately landed him in prison to serve a sentence of 70 years. Those life choices that can lead to a life of negativity are not only applicable to Andre and his experience, but to all of us.

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As we reflect on all our blessings this holiday season, it’s important to note where we are making choices that are guiding us down a pathway of negativity. Whether it’s putting off another day at the gym, overworking ourselves because we packed too much on our schedule or just simply redoing the same mistakes we should have learned from, all of these decisions can affect your pathway towards positivity. What can you change to avoid going down a pathway of negativity? What reality are you avoiding that’s keeping you from a pathway to positivity?

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“What’s inside of me that’s stopping this dream from happening?”

When Andre had his epiphany to overturn his life, he had a moment when he looked at himself in the mirror and asked, “what’s inside of me that’s stopping this dream from happening”? Following that question, Andre made a list, and came up with a plan. He got his GED, went to anger management, attended counseling and spent 8 years studying the law and ultimately overturned his 70-year prison sentence.

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There are many instances when we put a roadblock in the way of our own success. Whether it’s our own limiting beliefs and self-doubts or simply not having the willpower to persevere. These limiting beliefs can also become evident in our business practices. But at least you don’t have a 70-year prison sentence to overcome. As business leaders, we often tell ourselves that our problems are harder and more complex than anyone else’s. After all most people that try this gig fail. Thinking back on Andre’s story, there are not many felons have you heard of that were able to study law and overturn their own case. What belief do you have about yourself that is keeping your dream from happening?

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“Never again will I judge somebody, or a situation based on my ignorance.”

On Andre’s journey, more opportunities began to present themselves. One of those opportunities was going to speak to the students at an affluent white high school. At first, he was confused as to why those students would want to hear from a poor black kid from the projects, he felt like his experiences wouldn’t resonate with them. To his surprise, his initial bias would be proven wrong. When he spoke to the students, he realized that many of them struggled with similar situations like his own. He said to himself “never again will I judge somebody, or a situation based on my ignorance. If you call my phone, I’ll show up”.

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As leaders in business, we often see ourselves as seasoned veterans of our trade. We can be unwilling to listen to our newest, most junior employee, unwavering in our ideas and approach, and resistant to seek out guidance from our peers or industry group. But it is arrogant to think you are beyond improvement, or assume you know everything there is to know. What bias is blinding you from what you might be able to learn from your employees, peers, or industry? What biases are holding you back from the idea of what stands between you accomplishing your goals and dreams?