Story of Terrance Hunter

Terrance Hunter is someone whose titles and accolades point towards a stand-up citizen and well-rounded individual. If one was to simply list his accomplishments and current endeavours, the essence of the man behind it all would not be correctly translated.

Fundamentally, Terrance is a man. A man in the sense that he actively looks to be there for those who cannot be there for themselves, or those who are blind to the fact that they are in need of help and/or guidance.

Terrance grew up in an impoverished Baptist home in West Virginia, where he was fathered by a man he did not know. Having the type of influence that he did as a child, Terrance moved out of his home at age 15 to live by himself. Without the fatherly guidance that Terrance believes he needed, his unruly lifestyle resulted in Terrance taking the life of a close friend at age 25. Terrance was charged with second-degree murder and served nearly 30 years’ confinement in five different prisons.

It was during Terrance’s sentence that a man by the name of Bruce Hodgin, a volunteer for Kairos Prison Ministry International, ended up meeting Terrance and confiding in him about his own tribulations. Hodgin notes that although Terrance’s being in prison was a result of his own actions, the focus should be on what childhood factors contributed to the identity of the person that committed the crime.

After his release from prison, Terrance dedicated his spare time to volunteer work, connecting back with his fellow prisoners in the form of self-help groups for those still under correctional programs, as well as helping disadvantaged children in particular. In 1994, Terrance was a juvenile delinquent counsellor for S.Q.U.I.R.E.S (San Quentin Utilization of Inmates Resources Experience and Studies) in which Terrance first “proved his genuine interest in reforming the youth” according to Joe Curzon, Chief Sponsor of S.Q.U.I.R.E.S.

His involvement in giving back and educating the youth has brought Terrance remarkable reviews from various organizations and department heads including Linda McCue, Alternatives to Violence Prison Coordinator - who expressed how palpable Terrance’s love for working with children was. Richard Alvarez, Student Recovery Director at the Cathedral of Faith, mentions how Terrance has a “deep desire to serve the community and youth” and “builds relationships easily with children through being transparent and expressing mutual respect.” Erik Valeriano, Parole Agent II, Specialist for California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations, also credits Terrance as an “exceptional leader and role model for long-term offenders that have been released out of state prison.”

Terrance has since written a memoir titled "My 30 Years with the California Department of Corrections: Thirty Years of Incarceration... Led to His Miraculous Transformation!" in which Terrance expresses the spiritual and mental shifts he underwent while within the correctional facility. In being named one of the most inspiring authors of 2020 by Dabb Media, Terrance believes that recognizing the interconnection between all human beings and being grateful for every day are key tenets to achieving lasting change in the wake of incarceration.

Since his book, Terrance’s most recent endeavour has been to create his own non-profit organization – Empowering the Fatherless (ETF), Inc. ETF aims to help those without father figures choose a decent path, one that is focused on the betterment of self and the acceptance of others. ETF’s mission is to embrace, support, and empower the fatherless, and men who grew up in father-absent homes, by equipping them with life skills, effective communication/speaking skills, and financial skills, so they may reap the benefits of living a well-rounded and fulfilling life.

Terrance is an example of a man who, despite his circumstances of life and the flawed decisions he has made, carries his head and heart in the direction of righteousness. As an inspiration to anyone who has experienced or is currently experiencing hardship, Terrance is a beacon of light at the end of a tunnel that he has already walked through.