BEHIND RESOURCE ONE

For decades we have been told, “Everything happens for a reason.” For a grieving mother, it is hard to grasp or accept the notion, after you’ve lost a child. For Carolyn Johnson, it was not a reason she went looking for-but a resolution after losing her son, “Justo”. In 2019, the mother lost  her son to a senseless act of gun violence- at no fault of his own. For her, it was not enough to  advocate against offenders and gun violence. She was determined to provide the intervention, guidance, and resources to misguided youth to create alternative methods of conflict resolution.
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In 2020, Carolyn turned her agony into action, and birthed Resource One. The mission was  simple: Provide innovative intervention strategies to ensure a safe, trusting outlet for youth, while  reducing the number of young people who turn to violence for conflict resolution. Thus, forcing a disruption to the school to prison pipeline, and creating a thriving society of empowered youth.  She knows that one of the first steps is creating a cohesive network of dedicated community and  law enforcement members. By fostering new relationships, and maintaining existing partnerships,  her vision is that there will be multiple sources of support for our youth, and truly, there will be no  child left behind.  

 

No stranger to being the “go-to” person for many, Carolyn has spent many years being a safe  space for youth. A mortician and accountant by day, she is also a natural connector, speaker, and  mentor. Whether it is using her personal resources to advocate or fighting systems that  disproportionately effect marginalized youth, she believes it is her God-given calling to be the  change. 

 

A proud “boy mom” to four sons, you will find Carolyn spending time with her “babies” or grandchildren when she is not at work in the community.