Meet Dr. Micah Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Micah Johnson.

Hi Dr. Johnson, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a professor, author, and award-winning performance artist. I am a sociologist trained in criminology and psychiatric epidemiology. My research and creative works focus on childhood trauma, behavioral health, and social justice. I was awarded nearly three million dollars in research grants by the National Institutes of Health. My research was cited by the New York Times, Senator Bernie Sanders, Charlamagne Tha God, and others.

Throughout my childhood, my father struggled with substance abuse and was frequently incarcerated. We lived on the run. My mother was absent. My childhood was characterized by trauma, homelessness, and social disadvantage. My only coping mechanism was my imagination, listening to music that gave me an escape, getting lost in movies, or writing rap lyrics. This was all that I had.

I created a multi-medium artistic work entitled Never Had a Friend, featuring a one-man theatre show, a picture book, an audio play, a TEDx talk, and a novel that discusses trauma, homelessness, and compassion for the less fortunate. This collection describes my early adolescent years and the pivotable moment in my life when I learned the healing power of performance art.

The picture book debuted as the #1 new release in the poverty category on Amazon. The TEDx talk is one of the 10 most viewed TEDx UF talks in history. My dream is to share this story on Broadway and on a major streaming platform to inspire children and families with similar experiences. This is my number 1 dream and priority.

My childhood experiences also influence my research. I study how trauma and social disadvantage impact an adolescent’s mental health and life outcomes. I spend a lot of time helping black men get reduced sentences and more humane forms of justice. My work has been used to defend men and women who were on death row, helping to give them hope and literally saving their lives from death row. I understand that systemic racism impacts all aspects of the criminal justice system, from relationships with law enforcement to racial inequalities in sentencing. I help to reform the system and promote restorative justice. I co-authored The Little Book of Police Youth Dialogue: A Restorative Path Toward Justice, which is a leading resource for conducting dialogues between police officers and community members.

This work is called forensic sociology, basically taking a more sociological and restorative approach to justice. I serve in the state and federal court system as an expert witness, leveraging the science of trauma and social disadvantage to empower the justice system to make more informed decisions.

I got to where I am by grinding in the mud, fighting through depression and death, and relentless leaning toward positive things. Yes, I was recruited by gangs and was gang affiliated. Though I really liked it, I knew it was a trap, and I found a way to take control of my life and let it go. Yes, I was surrounded by drug dealers and drug users. But I saw my father struggle too much to fall victim to that trap. I avoided that world at all costs. Yes, in high school and college, I became a binge drinker. Thank God I was lucky enough not to fall into alcohol addiction.

I am a child of thug life and want to prove how tough I am too, but I know this is a trap. Yes, I have had guns pulled on me since I was 14, and I do not want to get caught without one when I need it. But I cannot achieve peace with weapons of war. It is a deadly game for insecure men who have no other way to measure their worth. So I risked being called a punk to avoid violence. I actually became an advocate for peacebuilding. At my core, I want everyone, especially black people, to be wealthy, healthy, unharmed, and in a world where there is no fear of violence. I think about engaging in violence every day. I am traumatized. It is not my nature.

I am who I am today because I lean toward the light.

All of my dreams did not come true. I walked away from my creative ambitions to choose the safest and most stable path. I do have regrets about that. But here I am now. I am Dr. Johnson, and I can act better and rap better than 95% of people on the planet. I am still alive, so there is time for me to revitalize my dreams. Dreams never die.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have had an extremely traumatic life. I have 10 different types of trauma. I was orphaned, and I will probably never know what it is like to have parents. I will live and die an orphan. That hurts a lot. I struggle with depression and anxiety. It is a poison and a superpower. Despite this light skin, I have experience racism that is so thick you could cut it with a knife and choke if you tried to digest it. I have had a plethora of trauma and obstacles, but I was blessed to have amazing people enter my life. For example, Never Had a Friend is an artwork dedicated to the friends and teachers who helped me survive.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a writer and performance artist. I am known for being a polymath or renaissance man because I have had some success as a stage actor, scriptwriter, songwriter, social justice advocate, and scientist. This is my legacy. But now, I want to be known more for my creative works. I specialize in writing stories in the form of scripts or lyrics that empower folks who experience adversities and raise the consciousness of the masses in a dope way. Creatively, I am most known for the creative collection called Never Had a Friend. I am most proud of my resilience and determination despite no support, education, or resources.

The thing that sets me apart from others is my authenticity and unique story. I am an accomplished scientist who survived chronic homelessness, and I am also a very talented artist who has the ability to write stories that can engender social change. It is unique that a Black male survives sleeping on floors and in cars in middle and high school to earn a master’s and Ph.D. with a perfect GPA while listening to Gucci Mane and Kodak Black. It is exceptionally rare for that person to have been an artist first, and being a professor was just a backup plan in case the art could not pay the bills.

As an artist, my work is unlike anything else. I have lived a life that most writers could not imagine. I have “honorary” doctorate degrees in activism, street life, poverty, gang culture, and mental health. These experiences allow me to access an enormous toolbox when I am writing or developing characters. As a sociologist trained in criminology and psychiatric epidemiology, I have a whole other bag that I can tap into. I can explain complex systems and mechanisms in layman’s terms or use street analogies to convey sophisticated concepts. I am able to study and engage in a creative process in an extremely thorough and meticulous manner due to my scientific training. My works provide authenticity and a wealth of knowledge in each piece. To mimic my creative style, one would need a Ph.D. in sociology, 10 adverse childhood experiences, four years of writing and theatre as a survival mechanism, dozens of trips to death row, and chronic battles with depression and anxiety. Again, these are my superpowers. They make me who I am and allow me to connect with diverse people around the world.

Pricing:

• $20
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• $20,000
• $200,000

Contact Info:

• Email: contact@DoctorMicahJohnson.com
• Website: www.DoctorMicahJohnson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctormicahjohnson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormicahjohnson
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/doctormicah
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbU8xb041NlhPYi1qVHVkQmJrTlRzZXNQUXlLZ3xBQ3Jtc0traFd4YmJUNldaU0dfLUxfbThLU0RuZEh6LWdVR1JFZXJ1Zkt3MjBfZEQxQ3huWVNQU0tsX29LVDZ6aGdRNm9MZmg0X2hnM2ZqbGlWMm55UUJQNHB2TVZ6QWlTWDRoVTVBWEhwb0x3WWpZc3BmcWhFQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fyar8y8gq&v=jmmqEkbs3JE
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_bPsg-QRNk&list=PL–TL1zv1vHeKJXwh0Yh3_CLGv3qP1OpW

Image Credits:
Micah E. Johnson