Meet Marcus
Pastor, Entrepreneur, Mentor, Father, Motivational Speaker
Marcus McAllister of “McAllister Consultancy and Training” is a nationally known speaker, consultant and expert in the field of violence interruption. Since 2005 until 2020 his work as a former National Trainer for cure Violence, has helped the organization achieve its worldwide accolades, which includes it being one of the top 9 global NGO and the number 1 NGO focused primarily on violence prevention.
While Marcus is known as a success within various communities in the United States and internationally, the fate of what brought him here is something he’s passionate about preventing for other young people.
As a child born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Marcus found himself shuttling between Chicago and his home city. In between shifting between two parents, Marcus was introduced to the gang & drug culture of the 1980s and 1990s and subsequently became enthralled in the lifestyle that plagued so many of his peers during that time.
At the age of 18, Marcus found himself in a federal court room in Southern Illinois fighting a drug & gang conspiracy charge. He was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in a federal prison. After serving 8 years of his ten-year sentence and being released in December 1998. Upon his release, Marcus narrowly avoided falling back to life on the street as he had difficulty finding permanent employment. However, in 2005, Marcus was approached by a representative of CeaseFire Illinois who recognized Marcus’s potential. Marcus would go on to become a Violence Interrupter, and eventually was promoted to Outreach Worker.
When you network, you won't sweat work
Marcus McAllister
As an outreach worker, Marcus quickly learned his street background was actually considered an asset and his status as an ex-offender could actually be used to change lives for the good. Marcus was quickly promoted to Program Manager where he managed two Cure Violence sites. After successfully managing these sites, Marcus was promoted to the position of national trainer and helped recruit, train and establish Cure Violence sites throughout the world.
Marcus has excelled in the role as a national trainer for Cure Violence and was selected to receive the WARRIOR award from the King of Kings Foundation in New York City in June 2015. He was also awarded a New York State Assembly proclamation in recognition of his dedication and commitment to stopping violence in New York City, across the US and globally. Today, Marcus runs McAllister Consultancy & Training.
Marcus and his wife of 20 years live in the Chicago suburbs. They are parents of a 16 year old daughter and a 13 year old son. Marcus travels regularly and is a frequent guest speaker/presenter on the contagion of violence at events across the U.S.