Armel Green, better known by his pen name A.G. Deberry, is living proof that transformation is possible, even after navigating some of life’s harshest realities. Once a gang-involved teenager serving decades in prison, Green is now a published author, violence prevention advocate, and trusted presence in his Minneapolis community.
His journey from incarceration to influence is one of redemption, resilience, and relentless purpose.
Born on Thanksgiving Day in Kankakee, Illinois, Green was raised in a family that had already witnessed the cost of violence. When he was just eight, his family relocated to Minneapolis, hoping to escape a painful past where his older brother had been convicted of murder at age 15.
A cousin promised safer opportunities in the Twin Cities. But South Minneapolis in 1987 offered no refuge.
“We moved to 31st and 4th Ave,” Green recalls. “It was one of the busiest blocks, full of crack cocaine, gang activity, and broken homes. Everyone around me was either selling or using drugs.”
“That time alone made me confront who I really was. I didn’t like what I saw.”
By age 12, Green was being arrested. At 14, he lost a close friend to gun violence. Just a year later, he was charged as an adult with two counts of second-degree murder and a drive-by shooting. He was sentenced to more than 28 years in prison.
Inside, it would take nearly two decades, and a period of forced isolation, for his transformation to begin. “In 2004, after a prison riot, I was placed in segregation for nine months,” Green says. “That time alone made me confront who I really was. I didn’t like what I saw.”
Determined to rewrite his story, Green immersed himself in rehabilitation and self-development. He completed programs in anger management and character building, ultimately earning 13 certifications. He became a certified basic reading tutor and mentored other incarcerated youth.
But the most profound shift came through writing. “Joining the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop (MPWW) changed everything,” he says. “Writing helped me process pain and turn it into purpose. It gave me peace.”
While incarcerated, Green wrote four full-length books and began two others. After his release in 2015, he self-published “Carmelo’s Way: 187 Assassins,” gritty urban novels rooted in lived experience. The series resonated deeply, particularly with young Black men.
“They saw themselves in my characters,” Green says. “A lot of them don’t pick up textbooks, but they’ll read a street novel if it speaks their language.”
Green used those stories not just to entertain, but also to educate, evolving his protagonist from gang member to father, business owner, and community leader. But when he approached national publishers, he was met with rejection.
“They said my books were too ‘urban,’” he recalls. “Publishers wanted sci-fi, erotica, LGBTQ content, anything but the truth from our streets.”
Refusing to be boxed in, Green broadened his literary range. In 2024 he released “The Introvert’s Seduction,” an erotic novel exploring themes of bisexuality, lesbianism, and polygamy. His upcoming project centers on breaking generational curses, proving that his voice is not limited to one genre or message.
Beyond his books, Green’s impact on Minneapolis is personal and ongoing. He became an envisioned community leader, helping build tiny homes for the unhoused. He volunteered in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and has worked extensively with Boots on the Ground, a violence interruption team in North and South Minneapolis.
As an advocate for the Mothers Against Gun Violence initiative under CPC 2.0, Green has helped distribute more than 1,000 gun trigger locks and regularly educates families in high-risk zip codes like 55411 and 55412. He visits schools, community centers, and local events, sharing his story as both a cautionary tale and a call to action.
“I mentor young people, talk to brothers coming home, help folks find housing and jobs,” he says. “I’ve been there… I know how hard it is.”
Whether helping aspiring authors self-publish, mediating street conflicts, or teaching conflict resolution, Green’s mission is to ensure the next generation doesn’t repeat the mistakes of his past.
“People say you can’t change,” he says. “But I’m living proof that you can. You just have to decide. Once I decided to change, everything changed.”
Shanasha Whitson’s “Profiles in Power” aims to highlight community members spearheading positive impact in the local Twin Cities community. She is also the founder of Community Partnership Collaborative 2.0 (CPC).