Today we’d like to introduce you to Montia Murray.
Hi Montia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in the South part of Houston Texas in the neighborhood called Sunnyside. My mother and two sisters and I lived in government subsidized housing in an area known as Dead End. And that’s exactly what it felt like. A dead end to a life not yet started. All I saw around me were families caught in cycles of poverty. Young girls who became mothers too soon and were sucked into the same void. Individuals with needs lacking the resources to survive. I knew very early that this was not the type of future I desired for myself.
I remember going through life being told I will not amount to much. I was told by family, neighbors – my village, that this type of lifestyle was all I’d ever know. The teachers in my life helped me find my purpose. I wanted to be that light for the next generation. As a Special Education teacher, I once again saw youth who were limited by the voices and actions of their village. I was a light for them within the classroom, but what happened when they aged out and were left with fewer resources and support?
I witnessed the massive employment gap young adults with disabilities face after aging out of high school programs. I created WING to close this gap. We Inspire the Next Generation helps young adults with physical and cognitive disabilities build confidence, and long-term employment, through individualized vocational training.
We currently offer services through direct consultation, as well as with referrals from a state agency in which WING holds a contract for employment related services. But the mission of WING does not end there. As we grow, our intent is to reach individuals within the types of communities I grew up in. Where the barriers are not just physical or mental impairment, but socio-economic constraints such as lack of information and resources. The future of WING will include a residential property, vocation training centers and a mentorship program.
We Inspire the Next Generation seeks to be instrumental in ending cycles of poverty for individuals who have historically fallen through the cracks
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been easy. In order to step out on faith and start a business that I believe will have a positive impact on so many lives, I chose to walk away from the steady income and safety net that public school teaching provided.
I am a single mother of a teen son who has Autism, and the sole caregiver of a mother that has suffered 3 strokes and a multitude of ailments. There have been personal financial struggles. There have been family health crises, including my mother succumbing to respiratory failure twice in the last 2 years. But the greatest struggle of all is finding compassionate, open minded businesses willing to offer employment opportunities to WING clients.
One of the barriers to contacting these businesses is the heavy reliance on AI, lengthy pre-employment assessments, and outside recruitment firms to staff local positions. The job seekers who WING supports have difficulty being “seen” when their profiles are quickly written off as unfit for the position. I desire to connect with real hiring managers and teams that are ready to see these individuals as more than just buzz words on a resume.
It is also difficult to secure funding sources. WING needs funding to hire and train staff as well as provide scholarships for our service. Many who need these services cannot afford them. While the state contract helps qualified individuals purchase services, payments are tied to secured employment and the job market is often unkind.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We Inspire the Next Generation, an Employment Training Service, helps young adults with physical and cognitive disabilities build confidence, and long-term employment, through individualized vocational training. Our certified staff provides a comprehensive one on one curriculum covering career development, interpersonal communication, job readiness skills, and direct job placement. Our service area includes Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Galveston counties. We also have an employment specialist in training who will be serving the Bexar county area. About 60% of our clientele are job seekers with Autism. Unlike generic employment services with cookie cutter employment plans, WING integrates skills training and client’s emotional and behavioral needs to develop customized employment plans.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
While WING has been a dream on my heart since the age of 12, there have been many mentors who have guided me on my way. Sharon Brenner was a social worker we supported me throughout my time at Bellaire High School. I attribute my life mantra to her – Do as much good as good as you can for as many people as you can, for as long as you can. I’m sure she told me the actual author of the quote, but they will alway be her words of wisdom imparted to me. Robin Rettie, the founder of Lighthouse Learning Resources, is an advocate for learners with disabilities. I worked under her guidance in my first position as an educator. Watching and assisting her usher adult learners into vocational and academic endeavors that were once considered impossible or unobtainable for them was life changing. The difference we were able to make was tangible. Samantha Kata, creator of TEAM GRETA Inc., has been super supportive. We meet weekly to hold ine another accountable for our business goals. Britnee Linnear of Implementation Nation was instrumental in pushing me to take the idea of WING and put action behind it to form a business. Evan Weinberger, owner of Staying Ahead of the Game LLC, has been a wealth of knowledge on operating a new business. There have also been many cheerleaders along the way, namely the tribe of super supportive women who lift me up daily- Cynthia R., Priscilla P., Aries M., Rohana P., Carmen T., Valaencia T., Candace G., and Audrey Y.
Pricing:
- Initial Consultation- $0
- Job Skills Training – $75 per hour
- Job Placement Bundle (90 days) – $1200
- Workshops (not yet listed on Website) – $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Weinspirethenextgen.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wing.ets
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559435562689
