March_April_2023

Page 24

Kim M. Johnson

Terri Ann Verschell Graham,Ph.D.

PRESIDENT & CEO FLORIDA IMPACT TO END HUNGER

CAMPUS PRESIDENT, MUELLER CAMPUS INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE

T

K

“Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances. You are a child of God. Stand up straight.” MAYA ANGELOU

44 ONYX MAGAZINE

Kim Johnson photo by Remy M. Pugh

erri A. Graham, Ed.D., serves communities by ensuring access to education. She currently is serving as the first Black campus president at Indian River State College’s Mueller Campus. She is a seasoned leader with more than 28 years of instructional and administrative experience in all sectors of public and higher education. Graham’s career started by teaching elementary and middle school for five years. She was nominated for teacher of the year numerous times. She then transitioned to higher education, where she held senior-level leadership positions at multiple state colleges. These roles include director of Workforce Development at Florida State College at Jacksonville, dean of Academic Foundations at Seminole State College and executive dean and interim campus president at Valencia College. In these positions, she utilized her influence to increase retention of minority students and raised thousands of scholarship dollars. She has an extensive background developing and promoting workforce education certificates and degrees for communities. Graham has a story of resilience that serves as a model for others in her own quest to get an education. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Elementary Education from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. Graham also has a master’s degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in Management and Marketing from Rollins College. She holds a doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. Graham has mentored countless students and young professionals o n their journeys. She has a spiritual coaching website that focuses on mental and spiritual empowerment and perseverance. She serves on numerous workforce development, chamber of commerce and community boards. Graham is an in-demand speaker for ceremonies and workshops focusing on education, health and personal development. She has been selected for various awards due to her service, including Exemplary Leader by the International Chair Academy and Woman of Distinction by the Bridges to Success program.

im M. Johnson has spent the last 32 years working on the frontlines of underserved communities in Central Florida, helping to improve the lives of children and families. Johnson’s professional experience includes management, program development, training, teaching, grant writing, and community engagement in social service, schools, university, and nonprofit settings. Working with the community and inspiring young people has always brought her great joy. Over the years, Johnson has created programs to help first-time youthful offenders, provided workshops for parents with difficult teens, counseled youth struggling to find their way, and helped many community members find resources they need during difficult times. It was when she began managing the Callahan Neighborhood Center in 2007 where her love of anti-hunger work began. While serving on the board of Florida Impact, she was quickly recognized for her passion and commitment to the community and hired as the Central Florida Project Manager from 2010 until 2017. During that time, she served on the board of Central Florida Second Harvest Food Bank. Johnson then moved on to work for Orange County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services as their grants, nutrition, education, and community programs manager until she re-joined Florida Impact as president and CEO in January 2021. She currently is the board chair of the University of Central Florida (UCF) Wesley Foundation and board member of the National Education and Empowerment Coalition. Johnson was born and raised in Great Neck, N.Y., and received a track scholarship to Adelphi University where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work. Johnson is married to Langston Johnson and the proud mother of three amazing daughters Robyn, Renee, and Ryanna. Johnson is a devoted member of Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Orlando where she serves with passion as the youth director and a proud silver member of her beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” PHILIPIANS 4:13

ONYX MAGAZINE 45


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COSMOPOLITAN: THE FLIRTY GIRL DRINK

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page 37

ern-inspired self, speaking in your own rhythm and cadence, loudly should do it. And unwilling anymore to adopt insecure based speech patterns, “does that make sense,” embrace stereotypes of the angry Black woman, and stand with the crowd that is willing to ignore your differences, ignore you, you emerge “self-accepted” and therefore demanding to be recognized. Some WOC’s approach has been to find a comfy, hiding spot away from the spotlight, others have grown into themselves, toward the sun finding community. Potentially more common in STEM spaces, WOC also balance warming to other communities. Working from home freed many from lunch table topics they find it a stretch to even relate to. It also meant missing some conversations about strategy, that you might not otherwise be privy to. And as a layer cake, there is the dynamic among brethren where there are unspoken adoptions or rejection, labels as ally or opponent placing you on a tightrope. It might surprise some entering the space to know promotions, advancement and introductions aren’t compulsory. So, navigating all of this is, well, part of it. Recognizing allies when you’re in spaces of low representation is key. And those allies might or might not look like you. This is knowledge we all swallow as the era of favors-owed leaves a

2min
page 36

A KUFI, A KIMONO AND A COFFEE:

2min
page 36

KEEP YOUR CAR SAFER ON THE ROAD LONGER and

4min
page 35

WHY AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES?

4min
page 34

Ethel Isaacs Williams, J.D.

1min
page 33

Tempress (Tee) Solomon

1min
page 33

ENTERTAIN IN STYLE

4min
page 32

CENTER BRINGS WELLNESS TO WEST LAKES COMMUNITY

1min
page 32

Sharon Y. Riley

1min
page 31

Paramore

1min
page 31

JoJo O’Neal

1min
pages 30-31

DawnOfodile

1min
page 30

WELCOMING WEALTH in 2023

5min
page 29

SIXTH ANNUAL COLLARD GREEN FESTIVAL

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page 28

TAMPA LAUNCHES THE SOUL WALK

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page 28

Gwen Myers

1min
pages 27-28

Lynn Mims

1min
page 27

Sytia Necole Messer

1min
page 26

Daralene Jones

1min
page 26

SISTER GIRL

2min
page 25

Kim M. Johnson

1min
page 24

Terri Ann Verschell Graham,Ph.D.

1min
page 24

Olive Gaye

1min
page 23

Tammie Fields

1min
page 23

THE LONG SEARCH

1min
page 22

THE QUAD EDWARD WATERS UNIVERSITY ADDS EIGHT NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS

3min
page 21

LAW SCHOOL ANNOUNCES CENTER FOR JUSTICE

1min
page 21

Sandra Fatmi-Hall

1min
page 20

Ohme Entin

1min
page 20

Gail Thomas DeWitt

2min
page 19

THE LYES THAT CAN KILL YOU

2min
page 18

NEED MORE BLACK REPRESENTATION IN ALZHEIMER’S STUDY

1min
pages 17-18

HITTING YOUR PEAK

2min
page 17

CLOSE YOUR PORES

1min
page 17

INCREASING BLACK WOMEN’S ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC POWER

2min
page 16

Iranetta J. Dennis

1min
pages 15-16

Pamela C. Cates-Smith, M.D.

1min
page 15

Patrice M. Cates–Lonberger, M.D.

1min
page 14

Vivian Bryant, Esq.

1min
page 14

M I S S I O N ONE MAN'S to build the Florida Democratic Party

1min
page 13

BLACK WOMEN OUTPACE ALL ENTREPRENEURS

2min
page 12

BLACK BEAUTY: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BLACK BEAUTY INDUSTRY

3min
page 11

BLACK WOMEN AND STUDENT DEBT

5min
pages 10-11

FIVE ESSENTIALS FOR A GIRL’S ROAD TRIP

2min
pages 9-10

Mercy Gilbert

1min
page 8

WRITING HER OWN RULES ON GENERATIONAL WEALTH

8min
pages 7-8

SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD

2min
pages 6-7

AGE INTO THE SOFTER SIDE OF LIFE

3min
page 5

HONORING DIVINE FEMININITY: NURTURE WARRIOR HEALERS RISE

2min
page 4
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