While incarcerated, I saw how many people were more imprisoned in their minds than by the walls around them. I didn’t see reflections of myself in leadership or programs that spoke directly to my experience. Still, something inside me knew I was meant for more. When I came home, I knew I wasn’t just walking into freedom, but into purpose.

I wrote “My Emancipation from Incarceration: Reform, Relearn, Re-entry,” a self-help memoir and workbook created to help others shift their mindset before and after release. The book has been used in correctional facilities and classrooms to spark transformation from within.

When I became a father to twins, one of whom is currently watching over me from heaven (Forever A’sani) and one who fought through 148 days of the NICU, blood transfusions and open-heart surgery, everything I had been building took on deeper meaning. I founded Dad-A-Port, an organization that supports fathers in the early stages of parenthood while also advocating for inclusion and rights for all dads. I now create spaces where fathers — especially those impacted by incarceration — can be seen, heard and supported. I host workshops, build advocacy efforts like Dads Day at the Capitol, and work alongside hospitals and schools to ensure that fathers’ voices are represented in early childhood spaces. I believe reentry is not the end of a sentence — it’s the beginning of a new legacy.

Andre Apparicio was born and raised in Queens, New York, and now resides in Louisiana. He was released from prison on April 25, 2011. Apparicio is now the director of community partnerships and development at My TrainingGrounds, a New Orleans-based nonprofit dedicated to assisting families, educators and communities in strengthening the foundation on which children can succeed. He also co-founded It’s A Process to support people navigating reentry with coaching, emotional support and community engagement rooted in lived experience.

instagram.com/dad_a_port
Asaniheartbeat.org
www.mytraininggrounds.org

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