We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amber O’Neal Johnston a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amber, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?
When time and finances allow, my family enjoys worldschooling, or spending extended amounts of time homeschooling in another country. In 2020, we were in the middle of what was supposed to be a three-month stay in Europe when COVID-19 began spreading across the globe. My husband had already returned to the U.S. for work, and I sat in an apartment in Athens, Greece, with my four children, wondering if there was any part of our trip I could redeem before the idea of returning home early became imperative. I thought, “We could just skip all of these stops and fly to Paris early.”
We saved Paris for last because it’s the city the kids were most looking forward to. I thought we’d fly in for a few days, see the things we wanted to see most, and try to change the dates of our original tickets to fly back to the U.S. early from there. With everything settled, I had a restful sleep for the first time in days. Then I woke up to reports that the Louvre was closed. The Palace of Versailles was closed. The Eiffel Tower was closed. Well then.
We had to move out of our Athens accommodations, and the Paris tickets were already purchased, so we headed to the airport with the hope that we could switch our tickets to the U.S., but there were no flights. Reluctantly, we boarded the plane to Paris, determined to find a way home from there. Upon arrival, we followed directions to our adorable Airbnb just around the corner from the Eiffel Tower. Our plan had always been to splurge on that uber-cute place for a couple of nights before settling into our more affordable digs in another part of the city.
Once we arrived, plans changed again. The second Airbnb informed us that we could no longer come, and I was frantic. Everyone was ordered to stay inside; all businesses were closed. The flights to the U.S. were full or canceled, and we had nowhere to go. The thought of remaining where we were was sickening because we couldn’t afford a long stay in such an exorbitantly expensive apartment. I was stressed about the kind of bill we would accumulate and wondered how long it would take us to pay it off. And what a waste! To pay for a “location, location, location” home away from home, only to be confined inside.
Just when I thought I couldn’t take any more bad news, my phone rang. It was the owner of our place, and I was holding my breath, waiting for more bad news. In his heavy French accent, he said, “I am watching what’s happening around the world, and I’m aware that you’re very far from home and alone with your children. I want you to know that I’m stopping the charges. You are free to stay in my home for as long as you need for free. Also, I just dropped groceries off for your family so you don’t have to go searching for food with your children. The groceries are outside the door. Please forgive me because I did my best to think of what American children would enjoy. Take care of yourselves, and let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help you feel safe and cared for in my country.”
I burst out crying. I’ve been on the receiving end of many kindnesses in my life, but that random act from a complete stranger who owed me nothing was, by far, the most amazing thing someone has ever done for me.
Eventually, we made it out of Paris and home to Atlanta. It was a distressing trip and not something I’d ever want to repeat, but honestly, experiencing hospitality and generosity from the French homeowner changed me, and I’m forever grateful for the way everything unfolded.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Amber O’Neal Johnston is an established authority on including diverse voices in traditional curriculum and infusing culture and love for others into an intentional home environment. She shares her observations on education, living books, and worldschooling at HeritageMom.com, and connects with followers on Instagram @heritagemomblog. She is a regular contributor to the wildly successful Wild + Free homeschooling community, a frequent podcast guest on popular shows, and a coveted speaker at boutique conferences. A product of public education and daughter of two public school principals, Amber never expected to fall head over heels in love with homeschooling. During one late-night session of perusing educational philosophies, Amber stumbled upon the work of nineteenth-century British educator Charlotte Mason and her home education principles. Convinced that homeschooling was a path to a lifegiving home, Amber embarked on a journey from stay-at-home mom to homeschooling enthusiast.
After wholeheartedly committing to follow a mainstream Charlotte Mason curriculum to homeschool her children, Amber became discouraged when months went by with little mention, if any, of the stories and accomplishments of Black people in her schoolroom. While the literary quality of the books may have been superior, she found that the cultural emptiness she experienced as a schoolgirl was being perpetuated within the walls of her own home.
Devoted to bridging the gap for her four children, Amber began uniquely merging what the Charlotte Mason philosophy terms “living books” with “lifegiving books,” as well as creating a culturally rich home environment to ensure that her children’s education honored their background, individuality, and sense of self-worth.
Convinced that other families, regardless of their school choices, might be missing out on their inherent freedom to educate the whole child, Amber began sharing her personal stories and the resources she used to infuse her schoolroom with her own and others’ culture in a celebratory way. Her honesty and fresh perspective as a Black mom took the largely white homeschooling world by storm, and in addition to private consulting and running a local non-profit homeschool support group, Amber is an influencer and the go-to voice on curating every aspect of a culturally rich and inclusive home. She’s also the author of A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds to raise kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think my reputation grew for many reasons (great timing combined with a long-standing body of work with a compelling message), but I think the most important thing has been my honesty. When I speak to parents and teachers about the beauty of a diverse education for all children, I speak from experience. I know why parents and educators struggle with spreading a varied literary feast because I was once in that place, not knowing what and how to do anything different than what I grew up with. When I share my expertise with humility, through my story of personal struggle, I think it disarms people who may otherwise feel judged for their choices.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a writer is my freedom for deep exploration in any direction. I’m always working on articles, blog posts, and books, so my opportunities for expression feel endless. The feeling of being bounded only by my personal boundaries or limitations is enthralling to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heritagemom.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/heritagemomblog
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/heritagemomblog
- Book: www.APlaceToBelongBook.com
Image Credits
Nicole Eliason