We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. April Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. April, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I believe that perseverance is the overall key. Given a lifetime of obstacles and adversity, including a diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer that metastasized to my lymph nodes, having the determination, faith, and understanding of what I was striving for, is what encouraged me to persevere. I realized that it was not about my challenges. It was my outlook and perception of the goal. For example, with my cancer diagnosis, I decided not to focus on how sick I felt from the chemotherapy and radiation. I focused on building strength and wellness and staying in the present moment to make it to each treatment appointment. As a cancer survivor, I learned the importance of empowerment to overcome the adversity I faced and how beneficial it is to utilize available resources to improve my health. Using resources was challenging since my norm as a clinician, and mom was to provide help to others, which inspired the establishment of my nonprofit organization Genesis HOPE Inc. (“HOPE” stands for Helping Others Persevere by Empowerment).

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
After experiencing challenges with health, racial adversities, and divorce, and in observance of my familial patterns and those of my clients, I was motivated to follow my purpose, which included going back to school to obtain my doctorate degree in social work, and creating Genesis HOPE Inc, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, to address food insecurities in minority households. Working full-time as a mental health therapist, adding a side hustle as an adjunct professor, attending a Doctor of Social Work program, maintaining a household, and attending plastic surgery and maintenance oncology appointments weren’t easy. However, my faith in God, my natural supports (fiance, kids, mom, and friends), the people I serve, and my purpose are what made it happen.

Genesis HOPE Inc. is a resource-based organization that provides access to nutritional services and supports healthy food choices. Our vision is “to close nutrition gaps and provide resources that virtually allow minorities equitable access to healthy food and increased mental health support and resources”. Genesis HOPE Inc. also has a resource directory called “Make Nutrition Your Intention” that links key elements supporting nutrition, community, and mental health to encourage wellness and healthy lifestyles through access to providers, nutritional tools, and food sources. The directory has user-friendly capabilities, and multiple language options, to accommodate mobile devices.

The biggest issue I have found is that it is hard to function as a nonprofit because it is hard to obtain funding. People want to profit from their investments. However, we want to show people that donating time and funds to our organization is beneficial for all.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to thank and dedicate my shoutout to my mom, Barbara Brown, for being my encouragement, and my foundation, and for taking me to all of my cancer treatment appointments. I would like to recognize and thank my fiance and President of Genesis Project Ministries of Florida (GPMF), Jihan Banks, for being my voice of reason, my biggest supporter, and for allowing GPMF to be an inspiration for Genesis HOPE Inc.

Website: https://genesishopeinc.org/

Instagram: ayyy_drjohnson and genesishopeinc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-april-johnson-dsw-lmft-313729176/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ApryyyleJohnson

Other: https://www.nutritionyourintention.health/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/april-celeste-elaine-johnson-redlands-ca/729935

Image Credits
Alyssa Palumbo

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