Former gang leader on lessons in redemption

Antong Lucky was the leader of the Bloods in Dallas before undergoing a massive transformation which lead him to a life of meaning, impact and significance

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Antong Lucky is the President of the Urban Specialists, a national non-profit working to transform communities and keep kids out of gangs. Prior to his life of activism, he was the founder of the Dallas chapter of the Bloods gang. His time in the gang ended with him going to prison and connecting with mentors that changed the course of his life. He recently published his story in the book A Redemptive Path Forward: From Incarceration to a Life of Activism.

I love Antong’s story because it is a reminder that change is possible, even in the most unlikely circumstances. See the top takeaways below.

Top Takeaways:

1. “If you have the ability to lead people to do wrong, in you is the same ability to lead people to do right” - these were the words from his first mentor, Willie Ray Fleming, that changed Antong’s life

2. Owning the hardest parts of our stories often allows for us to meet our greatest potential for impact

3. Mentorship is a fundamental ingredient for a meaningful life

Resources:

• Forbes: The Gangster, The Preacher And The Speaker Of The House

• A Redemptive Path Forward: From Incarceration to a Life of Activism

Full List of Topics Covered:

• The background behind Antong’s feature in 2016 Forbes article about his attendance at the State of the Union Address

• Transformation from gang leader to activist

• Words that changed Antong’s life

• The work of the Urban Specialists

• The role of mentorship, specifically of Bishop Omar Jahwar

• The writing process

Hope you enjoy the conversation, feel free to share and let me know if anything resonates with you in the comments.

-Adam