Kendra Johnson often is the lone person speaking out at Gary School Board meetings, providing a perspective missing from bureaucratic discussions about decisions that impact lives in the schools and the city.
She’s a familiar face at other gatherings, too, from city council to Gary Housing Authority meetings.
Johnson, 50, a single mother of six children, who lives in the Dorie Miller public housing complex, will receive the Citizen Advocate award Thursday at Indiana’s 25th Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration at the Indiana Statehouse.
The awards are given to Hoosiers who have worked to improve their communities in a manner that exemplifies the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hammond Morton Principal Greg Easton will receive the Freedom Award.
Winning the award shocked Johnson.
“The first thing was disbelief because this award is to recognize people who share Dr. King’s dream. My first thought was I don’t have a college degree. I’m not a CEO or an elected official. I don’t see myself as any kind of a trail blazer.
“I’m just a single mom with six kids in public housing, so this award is humbling and it’s an honor.”
Johnson has lived in the Dorie Miller development operated by the Gary Housing Authority for 18 years. She once had a car, but someone stole it from her street. So, it’s even tougher for Johnson to make all the meetings, but she still manages.
A Gary native and Andrean High graduate, Johnson first became involved when she got into a disagreement with her daughter’s principal. It led to Johnson joining the school’s parents group. She’s been a mainstay ever since.
“I can remember her as early as 2006 and I began my interest in politics and would see her at all the meetings,” said Gary School Board President Antuwan Clemons. “She deserves the honor. She’s an unsung hero. She really has a passion for the community.”
Clemons and other school officials were expected to attend Thursday’s ceremony in the atrium at the Statehouse.
Johnson’s 30-year-old son, who now lives in Minnesota, is driving down to watch his mom receive the award.
Jena’ Bellezzo, marketing director of the Indiana Parenting Institute and a member of Martin Luther King Holiday Commission, nominated Johnson.
“She has truly devoted her life to removing barriers to access and opportunity for all people,” Bellezzo said in her nomination. “She attends every council meeting, school board meeting, press conference, panel, forum, town hall meeting, committee meeting, etc. to make sure the voiceless get heard.”
Bellezzo described Johnson as someone who speaks for the disenfranchised and underserved families in the community.
“I’m sure many of the improvements and opportunities that have occurred in the community have Kendra’s passion, commitment and courage to thank,” Bellezzo said.
Thursday’s includes Gov. Mike Pence and more than 500 students, state employees, local and state government officials, human rights agencies and Indiana residents who come together to celebrate the life and work of King.
Johnson still pinches herself when she thinks about the honor.
“It shines a positive light on how one person can make a difference whether they’re from public housing or if they live in the suburbs. It doesn’t matter where they come from. It matters what they do with their life to better the community.”
Easton built peace on the arts
Drama and music kids might sometimes get a bad rap for being “different,” but encouraging those differences has made Hammond Morton Senior High School a better place to be.
Greg Easton, Morton’s principal and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission’s 2015 Freedom Award winner, took the very nature of his Hammond Performing Arts Academy program schoolwide when he assumed the head role in 2013. Since then, what used to be a tension-filled school has become a welcoming and accepting place for everyone.
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A graduate of Morton who taught at Gavit High School for 25 years before creating and implementing the HPAA program, Easton saw the answer was simple: It’s all because of love.
“It was a total culture overhaul. When I first started, you could feel the adversarial climate between the students and teachers,” Easton said. “But in the arts world, everybody loves everybody and everything, so we set out to weave the arts into the fabric of the school.”
Easton said the trick to changing the atmosphere for the positive is fostering respect and kindness to everyone, even if the student is clearly doing something wrong. That’s not the time for pushing buttons, even if it’s the easier path.
And if it meant letting go teachers and staff who couldn’t embrace the new trajectory of kindness, that’s what happened, Easton said.
“We had several teachers who left for other places, and I get it. You can go to a Crown Point or Munster and have a really good career,” Easton, who’s taught in the School City of Hammond for 31 years. “But as a teacher, if you really want to make a difference, (Morton) is the place you want to be. Every single day, you’re having an impact on these kids’ lives.
“Frankly, I’m jealous of new teachers, because they get to learn and experience everything new. If I could go back with the knowledge I have now, I would in a heartbeat.”
But the program has worked. Not only has the atmosphere changed, but the once-failing school now has a graduation rate of 84 percent, and if Morton isn’t designated an ‘A’ school, Easton will be surprised.
Easton’s approach caught the eye of a woman from the Indiana Parenting Institute of Gary, who had business in the school. She’d mentioned to Easton how much she loved the climate in the building; she just didn’t mention she was going to nominate Easton for the ICRC award.
A month ago, he was notified of the nomination.
“I was shocked and pleased, naturally,” Easton said. “I am very appreciative to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission for the honor, and to Dr. Watkins and the School City of Hammond for the opportunity to serve as principal.”
Twitter: @ccwriterPT
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.