"The child of an incarcerated father, Antong Lucky grew up in an impoverished, crime-ridden neighborhood in East Dallas, Texas, born at the same time as East Dallas experienced an alarming rise in crack cocaine and heroin use. Despite his high grades and strong love for learning, Antong is introduced to gang life and its consequences when confronted by law enforcement. Antong eventually forms the Dallas Bloods gang, inaugurating a period in the 1990s of escalating, retaliatory gun violence buoyed by a lucrative, illegal drug enterprise until Antong is arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison. His journey through the doors of transformation came through the pain of incarceration and self-introspection that caused him to question the cognitive distortions embedded in him since childhood. In prison Antong denounced his gang affiliation and began working to unite the rival gangs. He quickly rose to become one of the most respected and sought after mentors in prison. His teachings of accountability and conflict resolution taught fellow inmates how to become part of the solution rather than the problem. A spiritual transformation further inspired Antong to return to his old neighborhood after early release, seeking to align with like-minded people dedicated to challenge the unchanged and systemic issues in American communities that need can only change through collective efforts. Antong's memoir is the work of an incisive, determined mind that takes its place among the broadening canon of titles championing and investigating prison abolition and societal transformation"-- Provided by publisher.
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