During his career in advertising, DJ Murphy always reminded himself there is a human on the other side of the screen who wants to feel heard. He continues to do so as a guest lecturer at UC Irvine where he teaches the power of empathy. In 2025 he published his first full-length poetry collection, Seeking Ordinary Joy. He will be one of ten writers featured in “Resistance: An Anthology of Overcoming” (Awatum Press) which will be published in July, 2026. He lives in the Coachella Valley with Sarah, his partner, and Bailey, their Labrador who also wants to feel heard, usually around dinner time.
Seeking Ordinary Joy 