Born and raised in Fort Worth's historic Stop Six neighborhood, Jay Johnson uncovered a passion for government and community service as a teenager. Now, just weeks after graduating from Texas Wesleyan University, the 21-year-old is already working to bring more affordable housing to the city he calls home, while trying to clean up his old neighborhood park, build strong, vibrant communities and maybe even inspire his fellow Millennials.
When did you fall in love with government and politics? Growing up, my sister played sports while I wanted to watch "Meet the Press" every Sunday morning. So you could say that was a bit of foreshadowing early on.
How did you get personally involved? One day in 2008, I walked into Wendy Davis" campaign headquarters and asked if I could volunteer. At the time, I needed to fulfill a community service requirement at Cassata High School, where I was a senior. During Davis" first legislative season, I worked as an intern, conducting policy research, handling constituent case work and community relations. One time, a woman called us. She was about to run out of assistance to buy food and had no idea what to do. I made a few calls, and she was able to eat that night. It felt good.
Where are you working these days? I work in government and community relations for NRP Group, a San Antonio-based firm committed to developing affordable housing. This is about building strong communities, and it's something I care about deeply.
How did growing up in Stop Six shape you? I felt safer in that community than I have felt anywhere since. My grandmother lived across the street from us. My uncle lived next door. My aunt lived catty-corner from us. I was literally surrounded by family. When I walked out the door, my aunt would be looking out the window, and my grandmother might be sitting on her front porch. We all looked out for each other.
Who are your role models? My mother, Gloria Johnson, who raised us as a single mother, is the single most important influence in my life. Earning a business degree in her 40s, she taught us the importance of education and hard work. And President Barack Obama, whose election sent a message to young African-Americans that it's OK to be smart. It's OK to be good at school.
What is your history with Eugene McCray City Park? As a Boy Scout, I remember heading to Eugene McCray Park to earn our fishing badges. The park, which is in far east Fort Worth, was overrun with gang activity, drugs and prostitution. We could feel we were in someone's territory. We got run off within an hour. We could not even finish our badges. That always stuck with me. When I got older, I started driving to Richard Simpson Park in Arlington. That made me mad. Why did I have to drive all the way to Arlington? I should be able to go to my neighborhood park.
So what did you do? The park flooded in 2010. A 6-foot pavilion was almost completely underwater. Trash was everywhere. So I adopted the park through Fort Worth's Adopt-A-Park program and became the first individual in the city ever to adopt a park. We organized a clean-up that fall. I made calls and walked door to door down every street, recruiting volunteers. We had a great turnout, and I realized that many people felt the same way as I did about the park. This fall, we will host our 4th annual clean-up.
What is the biggest challenge facing your generation? We are a generation of instant gratification, and we grew up with social media. Liking something on Facebook is not enough. Posting a photo of an event is not enough. We need to get involved. I want us to be a generation of volunteerism and service.
What do you love about Fort Worth? I love the sense of family and community here. This is home. Fort Worth is a big small town. I can't run an errand without seeing a familiar face.
What's next? I want to continue working in government and community relations in some capacity. I don't think people realize how important local government is to our lives. It's our water. Our streets. Our garbage. Our transportation. These are issues that matter.
