Born into the labor camps of California’s San Joaquin Valley, Otilio Quintero’s childhood was marked by poverty, struggle, and the harsh lessons of violence. Yet his path was never meant to end there. Guided by faith and resilience, he found hope in unexpected places, from the sacred teachings of the Mayan Chol people in Mexico, to an indigenous ceremony during The Longest Walk of 1978, where Native Americans carried the sacred pipe across 3,000 miles in defense of their way of life.
 
His journey was far from easy. A brush with a maximum-security prison and the weight of a possible 20-year sentence became the turning point that deepened his calling. From that crucible of despair, he walked into a life of service, teaching farmworkers, working to end gang violence, and standing alongside leaders like César Chávez, Harry Belafonte, and Tom Hayden. His mission carried him to El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, where the struggle for justice and the search for spirit became one.

The Sign Catcher is more than a memoir - it is a spiritual odyssey. Through faith, ancestral wisdom, and lived experience, Quintero shows us that true transformation begins within. His story is a reminder that even in times of darkness, there are signs guiding us toward healing, purpose, and awakening, and that now, more than ever, the world needs us to listen.