Michael Nappi spent roughly 16 years of his life behind bars.

Growing up in Long Beach, California, Michael entered juvenile hall at just 12 years old. From there came gangs, violence, drugs, armed robbery, and years inside the prison system.

For a long time, prison wasn’t something he feared returning to. It was the life he expected.

Then things started to change.

While incarcerated, Michael’s father visited him while battling terminal cancer and told him, “This isn’t what I wanted for you.” After losing his father and another major influence from his past, Michael began questioning everything he had built his identity around.

That led him to one of the biggest questions of his life:

How do you rewire your brain after years of violence, gangs, addiction, and prison?

For Michael, part of that answer came through surrendering his life to God.

He began focusing on personal development, peer mentorship, leadership, discipline, and helping other incarcerated men make better choices. What once made him a leader in a destructive lifestyle eventually became the foundation for leading people in a positive direction.

In this episode of Rain Brings Growth, we talk about gang culture, addiction inside prison, losing his father, faith, discipline, leadership, relationships after incarceration, mentorship, and building an entirely new identity after spending most of your adult life locked up.

We also get into our unique perspectives from opposite sides of the prison system—Michael as an incarcerated man and me after spending 10 years working in corrections.

Michael’s story is a powerful example that your past does not have to determine your future.

Follow Michael:
Instagram: @rise_driven26

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