Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Johnson.
Veronica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Wow! My story… where do I begin? I was born and raised in Terrell by a loving and supportive family and community. I was raised in a home with both my mother and father and 2 siblings. I am the middle child. Terrell was, and still is for the most part, racially separated by railroad tracks. For most of my childhood I saw things as they were and wanted to get as far away from there as I could. Growing up I would describe myself as an extraverted introvert. I became really good at wearing the mask.
My parents had a rule that we had to be active in at least one sport and one extra-curricular activity. Once we started the activity, we couldn’t quit. I participated in basketball and track but wasn’t a standout although I was very athletic. By High School I joined the Terrell High School Tigerettes Drill Team and developed a love for dance, After High school I didn’t want to “quit dancing” so I went to Kilgore College to become a Rangerette. This experience was the first time I was ever rejected from anything in my life. I was used to working hard, and always making the team, but not making Rangerettes caused me to live in fear of failure for a long time.
I later transferred to the University of Oklahoma and made a decision that changed my momentum. I participated in a Pageant of all things and WON!! I was crowned Miss Black and Gold. Participating in pageants allowed me to utilize my love for dance and once again I was able to let go of the fear that had been driving me for so long. Pageants rebuilt my confidence and self-esteem through interviews and talents competitions.
My Oklahoma experiences sent me on a world wind career of student housing. Within a few short years I’d lived in many different states exploring different collegiate housing facilities and loved every bit of it! My high school sweet heart and love of my life, Willie Johnson Jr, propose to me and we moved back to Oklahoma for a brief while until we decided Texas was the place for us to begin our journey. We moved to the Garland area until 2010 when Willie had a motorcycle accident that changed the way we lived, breathed, moved, and existed. The accident changed what we valued, prioritized and the way we viewed the world. After a long 3-year recovery process, I had a strong desire to “start over” We found ourselves back in our hometown and wanted to make a difference within the community that raised us. Though Terrell had issues, as every town does, the good things, outweigh all the bad.
Both our families are in Terrell and when we decided to start a family of our own we realized that we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. The village that raised us, is now raising our children. We have two amazing boys Willie III, 6 years old and Winston, 4 years old.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely NOT!!!! The biggest struggles have been FINANCIAL!!! When building a non-profit organization, a lot upfront funds are needed that we simply did not have. We knew nothing about building a non-profit and really needed mentors to show us what to do and what not to do. We have some great supporters now but it is still extremely difficult. To successfully build this program into our vision, we will need the help of the entire community. Getting the community on board and to “buy in” so to speak, has proven to be challenging as well. It’s a battle that we will continue to fight daily as our town and community continues to grow and thrive. There are so many great things happening in Terrell, but sometimes people think they can only participate in one area. We want to show the community that this is another avenue and resource for young women and we want to be there to guide them through adolescent transition so they continue to serve the community that raised them all while pursuing their own personal goals..
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into i Am Wonderfully Made story. Tell us more about the business.
After Willie was doing well and recovering, I took a leap of faith and started volunteering at my former High School and felt a strong connection to the young women. I found myself in tears at the end of the day after observing day to day interactions between the students. I witnessed bullying, low self-esteem, and social media frenzy. I found myself helpless yet connected and wondered what I could do to help. Through that strong desire to do more for the young ladies, i Am Wonderfully Made was birthed. But before we officially went LIVE I became unmotivated and fearful to bring my dream to fruition. I had a hard time finding someone to bring on board to help my vision come to life. The assignment began to consume me, yet I felt like I was standing still. In my lowest moment, I cried out to God for direction and low and behold, I ran into a high school friend, Chrystal Baker. Running into Chrystal boosted my confidence in my vision and changed my momentum. Chrystal saw my vision and believed in it so much she joined me and volunteered her services and time. Chrystal is now our Fundraising chair and i Am Wonderfully Made would not be as successful as we are, without her. I am forever grateful for her in my life and wouldn’t want to do what I do without her.
One year after that, in addition to i Am Wonderfully Made, I became a classroom teacher at Terrell High School.
I’m passionate about the performing arts, specifically dance and music, and being able to utilize my gifts and talents to help build confidence and character continues to drive and motivate me daily. Eventually, I would like to add a dance component to our organization.
I Am Wonderfully Made is a public service organization aiming to empower girls through various programs, workshops, volunteer opportunities, and networking events. Our goal is to serve our community and surrounding areas by developing and mentoring girls ages 13 to 18 that are in the critical stages of adolescent transition. We provide assistance and support through established programs in the community. Our objective group are females looking to develop themselves into confident leaders and servants of our community.
Our Mission is to create a powerful network of young female leaders. We aim to empower girls through leadership, self-confidence evolution and educational outreach programs. We focus on being a resource for supporting and inspiring female adolescents to grow in a capacity to not only lead but serve our community while accomplishing their own personal goals.
Our signature programs include an Annual Confidence Conference, Father Daughter Dance, “Ties for Guys” Father’s Day Program, and Mother Daughter Brunch -Mother’s Day Brunch. We also host 8 Monthly Workshops focusing on development in: -Communication Skills & Public Speaking -Body Image & Self Esteem -Friendship and Competition -Peer Pressure -Leadership -Inner beauty -Goal Setting all with a vision producing servant leaders. Our motto is “What I am to be, I am now becoming.”
We are most proud of the relationships we are building with young women. We are proud to see the growth within them and the willingness they have to allow us to pour into them. We offer spaces for girls to believe in themselves, birth dreams they didn’t think were possible and amplify their voices. Not only do we provide a platform for young women, we also host one program yearly for boys and men called Ties for Guys. We are looking to really develop and grow this program for 2019.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t call it luck. I call it intentional purpose. Everything from above is a blessing and there is a lesson in everything that we experience. Sometimes we’ve taken the wrong path and that path led to some hard falls, but each path served an intentional and valuable lesson. My grandpa used to say, “A bought lesson is better than a taught lesson” and in business we’ve bought ourselves quite a few hard lessons.
In life, the plan and purpose for me has already been designed. It’s an original work of art designed for my good and the glory of the one who created my existence. Sometimes it doesn’t look or feel like it, but I know it to be true. I have allowed myself to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress at the same time. I am learning to do the same for my business.
Pricing:
- i Am Wonderfully Made T-shirts $20
Contact Info:
- Phone: 2148024831
- Email: futureoprah@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @iAmWonderfullyMade3914
- Facebook: I Am Wonderfully Made
Image Credit:
All Flyer Designs by Tiffany of Creative Designs by TG
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
