Resident Scholars Quintin and Lawrence Speak about Transformation at Regis High School

Earlier this month, two scholars from Ignacio House delivered remarks to a gathering of students from Regis High School and Dominican Academy in New York City. At the invitation of Marselys Lucero, Director of Social Justice Initiatives at Regis, scholars Quintin and Lawrence shared stories of their incarceration and journey of reentry as part of a larger conversation on mass incarceration in America. 

“I want to push back on the conventional wisdom that ‘knowledge is power,’” Quintin explained. “Rather, it’s about the application of knowledge that gives someone power. Using your gifts and your talents and listening to those wiser than you are the keys to change.” In a moving account of his own journey from prison to NYU, Quintin urged the students to think critically about our institutions and policies that have created mass incarceration, while also urging them to contemplate the powerful potential of transformation even for those who make mistakes. Lawrence offered his own stories and reflections, making clear that the road to incarceration “can happen to anybody.” Speaking candidly about his own experience encountering the criminal justice system much later in life, he reminded students that the issues surrounding criminal justice, incarceration, and reentry affect all different kinds of people from different backgrounds and communities. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ in this stuff,” he said. “When people come home, we need to better situate them for success so they do not go back to the things that led them astray in the first place.” 

Quintin and Lawrence have gone to great lengths to enliven the Ignacio House community with their dedication, thoughtfulness, and commitment to continuing the good work of education. Both continue their studies at NYU, focusing on social work and film & business, respectively. Today, Quintin speaks at schools, faith communities, and businesses talking about his own journey and the power of transformation. Lawrence has focused on his writing, aspiring to publish his first novel after which he hopes to support the publication of other writers looking to leverage the powerful tool of storytelling in changing the social narratives. “I am incredibly proud of these two men and leaders,” Fr. Zach said. “Their remarkable capacity for reflection and thoughtfulness not only represent us well, but I’m sure will benefit the next generation of leaders and thinkers at Regis and Dominican Academy.”