We recently connected with Johna Rivers and have shared our conversation below.
Johna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
I was placed in the system at nine years old, taken from a great home, and put into a broken system. But even then, my mother was always there. I was born on my Big Mama’s couch in the projects. My Big Mama was like my godmother; she had been in my life literally from the moment I came into this world. With that being said, a village raised me, and the best thing they ever did for me was say yes.
Whenever something came up at school and I asked if I could participate, they said yes and supported me. This included things like camping in Malibu, being part of the after-school leadership program, and being exposed to new experiences like movie sets and red carpet events. The most significant “yes” that changed my life was letting me go to Atlanta, Georgia, with Usher for two weeks to attend his performing arts camp. They were nervous because they had never really been outside of Watts, but they never placed their fears on me or blocked blessings for me just because they couldn’t understand it. They simply said yes!
When I say “my village,” I mean the collective support of my entire family when I was accepted into Usher’s Camp New Look. My parents said yes, my brother drove me to all my meetings and orientations, my mentor and godmother Syd Stewart prepared me for my interview questions, my Big Mama drove me to the airport, and my brother’s friend lent him his car to pick me up when I returned home. It took a village to make this happen, and that experience profoundly changed my life.
After attending Usher’s Camp New Look, I began to embrace my inner leader. My village’s unwavering support and willingness to say yes empowered me to take bold steps and seize opportunities as an adult. Today, I am the Co-Founder of a global youth film festival called Real To Reel Global, I serve on the board of directors for CASA Los Angeles, I’ve traveled the world, and accomplished much more—all thanks to the seed my village planted.
This support matters immensely because many people do not receive such encouragement. Often, they face pressure to live a life dictated by others or are told that their dreams are unattainable. When I say that my family’s constant “yes” was the best thing they ever did for me, I truly mean it. Their belief in me shaped how I showed up for myself and instilled in me the confidence to believe I could achieve anything.
Johna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Johna Rivers, and I’m a 30-year-old former foster youth who grew up in Watts. I co-founded a global youth film festival called Real To Reel Global Youth Film Festival with my mentor Syd, who owns Better Youth Inc., a nonprofit organization. I’m also a performing artist who has graced many stages in many places, in front of many faces. (See, the poet in me had to write that like that.) But my life wasn’t always like this. Let me take you back to where it all started.
It was fall 2008, and a lady named Syd was placed at my high school to offer services to the youth. At the time, she had an opportunity to go to Atlanta, Georgia, with Usher and was looking for kids who were interested in going. By the time I heard about it, the deadline had already passed, but she looked at me and said, “Even though you can’t go this year, I’m going to make sure you get a chance to apply next year.” Fast forward to 2009: I applied to go to the camp, and out of 10 people, I was one of two selected to go to Atlanta. I was stoked, but unfortunately, the same weekend I was set to fly out, I was also set to bury my grandmother, who had passed around the same time I found out I was accepted into the program. But I didn’t let that stop me from going. Besides, my granny always told me I was going to travel the world, so I did it to honor her.
I went to Atlanta for two weeks to learn video production. I was there with kids from all over America, meeting people outside of my neighborhood for the first time. It was an eye-opener. I got to work with Jasmine Sky on a project we shot for video production. While these were paradigm-shifting experiences, what truly changed my life was when we pledged to raise money to get bed nets for kids in Africa to help fight malaria. We were able to apply for a grant of $500 to help us plan our fundraiser. I’ve always been a selfless person, but in that moment, I was able to make a difference in a way I had never imagined. From there, you couldn’t tell me anything. I became a champion in the fight against malaria and even had a photo shoot with the United Nations Foundation. I started a dance class in my backyard in the projects, planned events at my school, made more films, created more music, and from there, I just kept saying yes.
While my village is a huge part of my success, Syd Stewart was the one who planted the seed that allowed me to become who I am today. Now I’m able to hire former foster youth to help me produce a film festival, and most of them have gone on to get hired and work jobs in the film industry. I can do all this because Syd planted the seed and my village nurtured it.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Well, I’ve been homeless twice on this journey. When I started the festival, I was homeless, sleeping on the floor of my Big Mama’s god-sister’s house. I was also sleeping on her floor when I traveled to Africa and Brazil for the first time. But I didn’t let this define who I would be. I got up every day, caught the bus to meetings, and sometimes walked blocks because the bus didn’t stop close by. Every opportunity that came my way, I was on it because I had already been at the bottom my entire life. I wanted to see what chasing my dreams was like and see how far I could go.
A lot of the time, we as humans allow what we are in the midst of to define us. We start to believe that there is no hope for a better life or a better future, but I’m proof that’s not true. When you see me, I don’t look like what I have been through, but I have walked through some tough storms and come out stronger and better. When you want better, you make it happen by any means. When I went to Africa, I didn’t have a job; I was homeless and broke. But instead of saying I couldn’t do it because I didn’t have money, I said yes and let God and the universe do the rest—and they showed out.
You have to believe in yourself and have blind faith when you’re following your dreams. People are going to fall off, stop believing in you, stop supporting you, and try to sabotage you. But because I have been at the bottom, I didn’t let that discourage me. It just motivated me to go even harder because I owe this come-up to myself, and I will make myself proud.
I lost my granny, my Big Mama, my uncle, my cousins, and more to death. I lost friends, colleagues, and partners because of disloyalty. I lost jobs and opportunities. I even almost lost myself. But through it all, I never gave up. I kept a pure heart and held space for all of them to be better. I know my family I lost to death walks with me every day, and not everyone is meant to go to the top with you. It’s painful, and it is okay.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creator is when people come up to me and tell me that my words or my works really hit them in the heart, that they can relate to me, or that I said exactly what they needed to hear. While I validate them through my art, they are also validating me as an artist.
As an artist and business owner, you’re always asking yourself: Am I doing the right thing? Does this represent me? Will they like this? Am I doing enough? When one person comes up to you and says, “You changed my life,” it validates all the questions I ask myself as a creator
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.betteryouth.org/real-to-reel-global
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnarivers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnarivers
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johna-rivers-8ab3a551/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/riversjohna
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMqC20NvQXPtMT1noh-ADKQ
- Other: My social media accounts were all deactivated at the moment for the mental health break I was taking. However, if you need access to them just send me a message and ill reactivate them.
