My story starts in the city of Philadelphia, where crime and drugs were a dangerous influence on my childhood. I grew up losing friends and family to gang-related crime. When I was young, I was a rebel. My dad was a pastor, and my connection to the church helped me maintain my faith and continues to be a source of positivity in my life. I’m very humbled by the support I receive here at Hartford House from fellow residents, staff, and community members. This is why I’m so grateful for Dismas. People here work to ensure I have the resources necessary to take the next steps forward.

Though my dad was a pastor and I was brought up in church, I had been a rebel growing up. My connection to church became a source of positivity and guidance. 

In my life, everyone told me when I was making mistakes, but never took the time to let me know why. Now that I have more experience from the mistakes I’ve made I'm confident I can make better decisions. Because of my attitude, I saw myself in situations that were not good for me. I lost a childhood friend in a drive-by and she took her last breath in my arms. I realized in that moment of loss that the street doesn’t love you, it only takes the ones that love you away. This changed my life and I needed to find better influences to get me to better places.  Because of my experience with loss and bad choices, I can give good advice to others in a way where they hear it. 

Now that I have a son, making sure I get myself together is the priority. I remember thinking when in jail, “What am I supposed to do when I don’t have an opportunity?” Thinking through the final days of my time before entering society, I thought I had no options and worried about how I was going to get my life back on track after being labeled a felon. I felt marked and ignored. At Dismas, I feel seen and heard. Whether I’m at dinner, a house meeting, or a one-on-one with staff, my words are being considered.

Now I think differently. I’m not just making better decisions for myself, but also for the friends and family that I’ve lost. I want to make a better world for my children and give something back to the community. I want to give advice to youth who have the same lack of guidance in life and help them make better decisions. 

I’m new at Hartford Dismas House, but I have a great feeling that this is my opportunity to get my life straight. It’s been very long since people treated me with so much kindness. I’m thankful for the support I get from my fellow residents, staff, and community members. I feel ready to start the journey to my new life. 

By: Edgar Quinones, Hartford Dismas House Resident