Larry Quintana's Inspiring Story of Triumph Over Profound Loss, Foster Care, Prison, and AdSeg
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By Larry Quintana
When my grandmother passed away at the age of 89, I was 13 years old. I was handed off to the Department of Social Services who took custody of me, as I did not have an alternative placement or permanent family placement. I spent the next four years alternating going in and out of foster homes, group homes, detention facilities, job corps, the Colorado boys’ ranch and many other types of placements that I did not fit into. At the age of seventeen years, the courts and DSS emancipated me mainly because they simply ran out of placements for me as I would run away or escape from every placement I was put into. As I came into adulthood my life was a classic example of the school to prison pipeline story. My life is an example that an individual can change and overcome the most difficult barriers in life.
I was sentenced to 32 years as an adult for non-violent crimes, I pulled a straight 17 years. I did 5 of those years in AdSeg isolation. I lived through it. I survived because I was resilient. As I look back and see how far I have come I realize my future is ahead of me. Now I am seeking a law degree so that I can help my people who cannot help themselves. Nothing can stop me. I tell my kolas in iron-houses who believed in me that help is on the way and this is who I am today . |
Larry Quintana
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