Success Story 6

Angela Russell

Persevere Graduate

AI Pathways

Community Involvment

Angela Russell grew up in Florida and later made her home in Jamestown, Tennessee. Her life was shaped by addiction, survival, and years of searching for a way forward. After two years of sobriety, she struggled to find employers willing to look past her record and give her a chance. That changed when she discovered Persevere.

Through Persevere’s AI curriculum, Angela found purpose and a way to turn her experiences into something meaningful. Drawing from her own journey as a domestic violence survivor, she created Hope Haven, an AI companion designed to help women safely escape abusive situations. The app uses coded language and disguised interfaces so abusers cannot detect it, helps arrange escape logistics, and offers emotional support without judgment.

Since its launch, Hope Haven has helped more than 400 women. Today, Angela is working to open a domestic violence shelter and therapeutic ranch in Jamestown, a vision inspired by the skills and support she found through Persevere. Her story shows how second chances can create change that reaches far beyond one life.