AAASM.ORG
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGH
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGH
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
| Director's Personal Page |
AAASM.ORG
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGH
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGH
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
| .....This wasn't a strategic plan, it was an evolution.....January 8, 2010 Stacey F. Johnson |
| Stacey Felicia Johnson Born December 16, 1964 in Los Angeles, CA Youngest of 11 Children Mother of 3 Children Favorite Sport: ALL Favorite Team: Lakers Favorite Food: Anything Grilled Favorite Singers: Barbara Streisand, Alicia Keys, Jane Oliver Loves to Cook Loves her People |
So much has changed for me since the inception of the Association of African American Single Mothers, an institution that began in
1997. I was in poverty and struggling with three small children when the dream came to me that I would be able to help woman just
like me. I was a little different than most and felt fortunate because of my background and education. The program went from one
idea to another as I thought of all the things that could help single mothers living in poverty.
Today, the AAASM is an organization where we envision helping all people regardless of race, religion, and sexual orientation or
otherwise.
Being born the youngest of 11 children, and from the parents I had, I feel blessed for what God as bestowed on all of us. Not only am I
blessed, I feel my 10 siblings are blessed as well. I know that it was a blessing passed down to us due the shear love and loyalty our
parents had for each other, their children and our race. At our mothers passing, so many people would tell us, her children, how our
mother shared whatever she had with them.
Our parents taught us to be proud of being African American because African’s, our ancestors, were a strong proud people. Our parents
taught us we could defeat the world and beat the stereotypes through the acquisition of knowledge through education. While neither
one of our parents had a college degree nine out of ten of the children they had together (my mom was married before and had a
daughter, my oldest sister Cheryl, who our Dad adopted after marrying my mother) do have degrees today. My siblings are doctors,
priests, journalists and hold degrees on every level. My Dad would also say, “Education is something they cannot take away from you
baby”. My Dad was born in the south in 1912, so I know that was coming from a heart of love and a life experience where so much was
taken from him just because he was a Black man in the south.
My father was one of the founding members of the Golden Gate Quartet so popular in the 30’s and 40’s and continued playing his music
until he died in 1980. One of his last performances took place right before his death when he was asked to play at Carnegie Hall. He
filled our home, my whole life, with music. Whether he was jamming with his group all night downstairs or teaching my sisters how to
harmonize, he gave us all such a love of music, so much so that my Brother Dr Kevin Johnson is the Director of Music at Spellman
College. After my Dad’s death when I was only 15, it was Music that saved me then and saves me every day!
My mother was a dedicated stay at home mom who until her last kid was grown (me) she never stopped doing her job. She helped me
get into UCLA and helped me get out and somewhere else when I wanted to take another path. But the one thing we all knew, we had
to get an education.
This is my Black History and the history of many families with parents like mine. Hardworking people born and raised in the south
who lived discrimination just because of the time they lived in and vowed better for the next generation. My deepest concern and
biggest heartache today is that parents, parenting and Black proud people like my parents no longer exist.
Today I feel for my Black people how my parents must have felt for each one of us. I see my job as the Director of the AAASM as a
leader for Black Americans. I feel the need, like my parents, to teach my people to remember the struggles and the pride so you can
overcome the stereotypes. Black American’s have no true leadership in America and I am not asking for the job, I’m taking it.
Look at the pictures of the evolution of my Black family. You see my Great Grand folks looking broken but strong on the steps and my
parents looking classy making highly educated kids. And here I am, this crazy woman with those dreds locs just crazy enough to
believe she can gather people together and help not only Black America but all of America in the midst of a sea of haters.
In closing, there are people out there who want to see my people and your people sitting back on that porch looking broken and
hopeless. Sad to say, there are even other Blacks that don’t mind seeing that happen. But until I do go meet my parents in heaven, my
job and the job of the Association of African American Single Mothers will be improve the lives of poor people everywhere, Black,
White or Otherwise!
Please support me and the Association of African American Single Mothers
1997. I was in poverty and struggling with three small children when the dream came to me that I would be able to help woman just
like me. I was a little different than most and felt fortunate because of my background and education. The program went from one
idea to another as I thought of all the things that could help single mothers living in poverty.
Today, the AAASM is an organization where we envision helping all people regardless of race, religion, and sexual orientation or
otherwise.
Being born the youngest of 11 children, and from the parents I had, I feel blessed for what God as bestowed on all of us. Not only am I
blessed, I feel my 10 siblings are blessed as well. I know that it was a blessing passed down to us due the shear love and loyalty our
parents had for each other, their children and our race. At our mothers passing, so many people would tell us, her children, how our
mother shared whatever she had with them.
Our parents taught us to be proud of being African American because African’s, our ancestors, were a strong proud people. Our parents
taught us we could defeat the world and beat the stereotypes through the acquisition of knowledge through education. While neither
one of our parents had a college degree nine out of ten of the children they had together (my mom was married before and had a
daughter, my oldest sister Cheryl, who our Dad adopted after marrying my mother) do have degrees today. My siblings are doctors,
priests, journalists and hold degrees on every level. My Dad would also say, “Education is something they cannot take away from you
baby”. My Dad was born in the south in 1912, so I know that was coming from a heart of love and a life experience where so much was
taken from him just because he was a Black man in the south.
My father was one of the founding members of the Golden Gate Quartet so popular in the 30’s and 40’s and continued playing his music
until he died in 1980. One of his last performances took place right before his death when he was asked to play at Carnegie Hall. He
filled our home, my whole life, with music. Whether he was jamming with his group all night downstairs or teaching my sisters how to
harmonize, he gave us all such a love of music, so much so that my Brother Dr Kevin Johnson is the Director of Music at Spellman
College. After my Dad’s death when I was only 15, it was Music that saved me then and saves me every day!
My mother was a dedicated stay at home mom who until her last kid was grown (me) she never stopped doing her job. She helped me
get into UCLA and helped me get out and somewhere else when I wanted to take another path. But the one thing we all knew, we had
to get an education.
This is my Black History and the history of many families with parents like mine. Hardworking people born and raised in the south
who lived discrimination just because of the time they lived in and vowed better for the next generation. My deepest concern and
biggest heartache today is that parents, parenting and Black proud people like my parents no longer exist.
Today I feel for my Black people how my parents must have felt for each one of us. I see my job as the Director of the AAASM as a
leader for Black Americans. I feel the need, like my parents, to teach my people to remember the struggles and the pride so you can
overcome the stereotypes. Black American’s have no true leadership in America and I am not asking for the job, I’m taking it.
Look at the pictures of the evolution of my Black family. You see my Great Grand folks looking broken but strong on the steps and my
parents looking classy making highly educated kids. And here I am, this crazy woman with those dreds locs just crazy enough to
believe she can gather people together and help not only Black America but all of America in the midst of a sea of haters.
In closing, there are people out there who want to see my people and your people sitting back on that porch looking broken and
hopeless. Sad to say, there are even other Blacks that don’t mind seeing that happen. But until I do go meet my parents in heaven, my
job and the job of the Association of African American Single Mothers will be improve the lives of poor people everywhere, Black,
White or Otherwise!
Please support me and the Association of African American Single Mothers
