Guyleigh Johnson

Guyleigh Johnson Photography contributed

“I feel like I was born a creative,” Guyleigh Johnson states. “When it came to anything I ever did, it was focused on writing.” With a collection of diaries and a library card, Dartmouth born and raised Johnson devoured every book, usually before the library due date, and flexed her creative muscles in her spare time. After the passing of a close family member, writing became Johnson’s way to cope with grief. Her words caught the attention of a publisher who wanted to take Johnson’s words, weaved from diaries to a book deal. However, a month before the book was to be released the company went bankrupt, halting her dreams. What pushed her to keep on the creative path was the support she received from her community. After her book was released, she saw an immediate impact. From packed book signings where she left without a single book to requests for speaking opportunities and writing workshops – these opportunities helped her realize that writing could be a real profession. Soon after, Johnson gained a position working as an African Student Support worker for the Halifax Regional Municipality. During that time, Black students would visit her and talk about the lack of content for Black History Month. Many students felt disrespected that they weren’t learning about their culture or history in their English classes. These conversations birthed her most recent project Afraid of the Dark. The fictional story is the coming of age journey of a 16-year-old girl named Kahlua Thomas. Johnson felt that having a novel for young adults that included a Black character was important not only to Black audiences but, to all audiences. “A non-Black child can read this story and notice a Black child at their school who could be going through these issues. And instead of judging them, they’ll reach out to them. They’ll feel more empathetic to their situation. When our lives are represented and made into mandatory subject matter, Black people become normalized. We are seen as human.” Johnson currently resides in Ottawa and visits home as much as she can. She makes a point to go back to the schools she attended and worked at to put on writing and confidence-building workshops. She just finished a children’s book about Viola Desmond to be released this year and is currently developing a young adult novel on the Jamaican Maroons and their impact in Nova Scotia.