About Us
I'M QUINTIN L. MURRAY
I am a street storyteller photographer who has replaced criminal & toxic behavior, with creative art expressions.
Our Story
Listen to Quintin tell his story and you will understand why audiences are instantly captivated and deeply moved. Quintin – or Q as he is known – emerged from a difficult childhood and 15 years of incarceration to find forgiveness and healing and a deep desire to help others. Today he is a skilled facilitator, a masterful speaker, and a disciple of hope whose searing wisdom and easygoing style can help anyone find light even in their darkest hour.
As a young man, Quintin Murray took some wrong turns that sent him to prison. Today he has turned his life around as a highly-sought professional speaker, consultant, and trained facilitator dedicated to helping young people make better choices in life.After a difficult home life led him to a dangerous life on the streets, Murray’s world was turned upside down when at 28 years old he was convicted on a first-degree robbery charge and sentenced to 18 years in prison. He was released three years early after successfully meeting vocational and good behavior requirements.
While incarcerated, Quintin (or ‘Q’ as he is known) was selected by his peers and the prison warden to serve as chair of the Inmate Liaison Committee (ILC). Quintin quickly earned the respect of entire prison population by creating a High Achiever’s Program (HAP) designed to teach life skills that would help prisoners upon their release.
Our JOURNEY
Murray insisted the program’s offerings be based on a needs survey of the entire prison population. HAP classes were so popular that there weren’t enough spaces to meet demand, which resulted in the creation of a waiting list. Owing to his obvious leadership abilities, Murray’s counsel was regularly sought by the prison’s warden
While still incarcerated, Quintin applied and was accepted to New York University’s Bachelor Art program in Social Work. After his release he continued his studies and maintains a 4.0 GPA. He was elected by his peers and faculty to serve on NYU’s student council committee.
Murray received his Peer Counseling Certifications from Yale Law School’s Social Helpers Therapeutic Training Course. He earned a Certificate of Career Readiness from Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, and a Peer Counseling Certifications in a HIV/AIDS/HEP C Peer Educational Counseling from Hudson Valley Community Services.
Murray also served as a senior facilitator for more than 100 graduates of Defy Ventures Inc., a rigorous entrepreneurial training program used nationally in prisons and jails. Defy Ventures addresses criminal thinking errors, such as a lack of interest and performance in personal growth and development. Defy has a recidivism rate of less than 5%. The national average is 53% in one year.
An aspiring writer and filmmaker, Murray was nominated as an editor for an NYU student magazine called Voices of The Incarcerated with Creative Expression (V.O.I.C.E.).
Murray is a regular guest speaker at universities and community group on topics ranging from Trauma, Mental Health, and Public Health to the challenges of Re-entry and his personal experiences of his life.
Murray is also a Gold Certificate facilitator for the Alternative to Violence Project (AVP). Gold Certified facilitators are nominated after a rigorous 70-hour training course by staff and peers to lead workshops. AVP addresses violence through community involvement on a wide range of topics including Self-Introspection, Family Reunification, Relationships, Morals and Values, Conflict Resolution, and Community and Crime Awareness.
People who experience my journey
The feedback from our clients speaks volumes about the quality of our services. Read how we've helped them with reliable solutions.