ReBUILDetroit scholars at Marygrove College heard the inspirational, personal story of Dr. Vivian Johnson, coordinator of the graduate Reading Specialist and Masters in the Art of Teaching with a focus in reading programs. She is the English Language Arts instructor for the scholars.
Johnson uses literature in her reading and writing classes to begin conversations about socio and economic challenges diverse and underrepresented individuals might experience. “I listen to my students which leads me to ask questions,” says Johnson. “That determines the chapters of my life story to share.”
If it were not for Johnson’s survival instinct, hope for a better life and individuals who believed in her, she would not have achieved what she has. She holds an undergraduate degree, two master’s degrees and a Ph.D.
Johnson overcame many childhood obstacles through education and school. “Education has always been an anchor in my life,” says Johnson. “Reading sustained me through all the things I went through. I could lose myself in a book.”
Instead of focusing on all the challenges of her early life, Johnson recalls all the people who made a difference “Challenges did not define me, I looked for the positive, the roses.”
One such person was Ms. Duncan, her fourth grade teacher. “She meant so much to me. She nurtured me and I knew she cared. In fifth grade, when I got in trouble, was the person my teacher sent someone to get Ms. Duncan to come see me. When I saw her face, I cried. I knew she cared about me and I’d disappointed her. Ms. Duncan was a rose.”
Similarly, in high school her twelfth grade teacher somehow knew something was wrong and asked what was happening in her life. The response led her to provide a pathway to attend a university. Johnson had never thought about post-secondary education. Ms. Morgan was a rose.
Mr. Robert was another significant person in Johnson’s life. He was a father figure and buffer for home challenges, and provided for her throughout her K-12 years. Mr. Robert was a rose.
Throughout Johnson’s life, she turned to education for solace. As an instructor, it comes as no surprise that she provides the same for diverse students. Literature provides an opportunity to open the mind, dialogue about personal issues and socio and economic factors that impact everyday life. As a former urban high school student once said, “I feel like jumping into that book.”
In dealing with the challenges of urban blight, Johnson once challenged her students to wake up early one morning and find something positive in their neighborhood. A student reported seeing a beautiful flower growing in the midst of burned home. Instead of focusing on the negative, look for the positive and make a difference.
“There are different paths in front of you. Don’t give up. Look for the roses in your life. Underrepresentation now does not have to define your future. Continue to look for something different and better.”
Johnson is a rose for ReBUILDetroit scholars.