Creative Writing/Filmmaker  [Shaquinn(Quinn J ) Johnson]

My name is Shaquinn “Quinn” Johnson. I am 29 years old and was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I am the youngest of three siblings, with two older brothers.

I have been crafting stories and narratives from a young age. What began as a hobby eventually became something much more meaningful. When I was younger, I would create stories to help keep my grandmother distracted while she was sick. Those early experiences sparked a passion for storytelling that has continued to grow throughout my life.

At the age of ten, I watched Tyler Perry’s stage play Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and something immediately clicked. I realized I was watching something I wanted to create myself. From that moment, I began looking at storytelling not only as entertainment, but as a way to explore real-life experiences and emotions.

Many of the stories I create center around themes such as death, broken relationships, drug dealings, family conflict, personal struggles, and growth. Although these subjects can be difficult, they are also realities that many people experience in everyday life. I enjoy creating characters and situations that feel relatable while allowing audiences to see different perspectives and connect emotionally with the story.

After graduating from Bay View High School, I decided not to attend college immediately. Instead, my mother encouraged me to join the AmeriCorps/FEMA Corps program. After successfully completing the program, I began working with FEMA at the age of 20 under the Individual Assistance Branch as a Disaster Survivor Assistance Program reservist. In that role, I deployed to presidentially declared disasters, where I assisted disaster survivors with registering for FEMA assistance, navigating their cases, and answering questions about available resources.

After my time with FEMA, I began working as a correctional officer, where I was responsible for maintaining safety and security, supervising incarcerated individuals, and ensuring institutional rules and procedures were followed. While I value the experiences and lessons I gained from both careers, I knew I was not meant to stop there.

The desire to pursue my childhood passion for storytelling remained with me, and I eventually decided to take the next step toward becoming a professional creative writer and screenwriter.

My recent completion of my education at Los Angeles Film School has equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and creative foundation needed to develop compelling stories and captivate audiences. Today, I am continuing to build on the passion I discovered as a child, using my experiences, imagination, and understanding of real life to create stories that entertain, challenge, and connect with audiences.