James Johnson

James Johnson was born & raised in Grand Rapids to a single mother of age 13. James grew up with his father in & out of prison & a drug addict. Growing up with a teenage mother he moved around a lot, and lived at times with his grandmother & aunt. He changed schools every year, sometimes 2 a year. 

James was interested in sports growing up, but the instability of his home life & lack of parental support made him turn away from sports & seek attention elsewhere. He started getting in trouble in school first. When his mother got injured at work, it caused him to feel that he needed to step up & be the man of the house, a common misconception in impoverished communities. In spite of his story, James did graduate from Ottawa Hills High School in 2003.

During high school, James was introduced to the entrepreneurial world of the drug trade, selling marijuana & crack. While involved in the “intrigue” of street life, he was arrested numerous times which resulted in felony charges. He finally exited the life of crime in 2011 after narrowly beating a charge which could have ended in a 10-year prison sentence. 

James is dedicated to remaining an active stakeholder in the community he loves, helping to empower youth & being a living example of possibilities.