Meet Kamisha Johnson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kamisha Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kamisha below.

Hi Kamisha , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I have been in many rooms where I am the only “Kamisha” in the room. I have worked for Profit, Non-Profit, State and Government Systems. Where most of my Systemic Racial Trauma comes from was being a supervisor at the state. Many days before meetings I would be faced with apprehension and anxiety. When entering the room I would count how many in the room looked like me. Then having to assess “Can I speak?” “Will they acknowledge that I exist?” My supervisor was a Middle age bald headed white guy with a Bachelor’s Degree. Here I was triple minority (Black, Female & Educated). I had 2 Master Degrees and a professional license. When I would speak in meetings it would fall on deaf ears or they would minimize my knowledge and education. Eventually the anxiety and fear got so bad I resigned and vowed to never shrink or become voiceless due to White Privilege. Every room I entered I demanded to be acknowledged and you would pronounce my name correctly. It was my birthright. Yes, they would call me “Aisha” or “Elisha.” These experiences were very harmful but I turned that pain to power and transformed into the professional, magical clinician I am today.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a Conduit of Healing. I am a Therapist by Education. However, I have learned to take my education, professional and personal experience and created something I call “MishaMagic.” I have curated many spaces to allow all people but specifically marginalized communities to heal OUR way. What I mean by this is I take various healing modalities that I have learned over the years and allow for sacred space for people to heal. We heal through prompt scripting, narrative medicine, yoga, reiki, sound bath, drumming and other healing modalities. I have facilitated many healing/restorative circles for communities but also organizations seek me out for staff enrichment circles that focus on learning self so they can better serve the community. I work with a lot of educators, youth workers and researchers. My model is to “Make healing DOPE.” We can focus on the trauma, continue to be trauma-informed care. However, people of color have 400-500 years considering the Caribbean of trauma in our DNA. That’s all we know, we deserve to heal and it is apart of my life’s work and duty to catapult my community into our healing season. I’m Mothering a movement of HEALED Souls so we can have a more transformative future.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Self-Accountability, a willingness to be uncomfortable, and being ok with failing. A lot of times we don’t start something or share our gifts with the world due to fear. They say the richest place is the graveyard because people took their talents, gifts and abilities they were suppose to share with the world to the graveyard with them. So be fearless. Know, failure is inevitable but let it be a learning opportunity and grow and try again. Also lean into discomfort, don’t go around it, over it, under it. You have to walk through it because there is a lesson in all of our life trials. These are my philosophies, and I am who I am today because I have incorporated these ideologies into the fabric of who I am today and my values.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

My Father is Jellybean Johnson, Drummer of the Famous Morris Day & The Time Band. My Father is also a phenomenal Guitarist. He’s shared his gifts all over this World. What people don’t know is his story. He literally turned all his pain into purpose and he’s 68 years old and still plays all over the World. He showed his 8 children, heart, hustle. He instilled that in me at a very young age. Even at this age, when I watch him play I’m in Aw. I see his heart and how hard he worked to become who he is today. So he will always be one of my Greatest Heroes. My hustle I get from him, I’m forever indebted for that lesson.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: MishaGisele