DR. ELAINE JOHNSON, J.D.: COMMITTED TO SERVING COMMUNITIES IN NEED AND COAST-TO-COAST
This week UpRights News sat down with Dr. Elaine Johnson, a pillar of hope and a major community resource in Santa Cruz County, California.
This fine woman does so much good for so many different communities in need around Santa Cruz County that we had to meet her to find out more about all the communities she serves.
The first thing that Dr. Johnson made clear is the importance of treating everyone she meets as a person, and unlike some others, she delivers on her commitment to people.
Dr. Johnson "was born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, where she first learned the importance of community and being of service. She spent many years mentoring students to reach their highest potential regardless of barriers.
She understood early on the value of community and how important it is to support everyone, including those who were underrepresented with the same opportunities afforded to others, and that it didn’t matter if one was raised in a ‘housing project;’ that the possibilities were just as endless for her as they were for others. She is passionate about advocating for affordable housing, creating positive change in her community, and leveling the playing field so that everyone can have a safe, stable place to call home, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic background.
She believes that having a home is a human right for all.
Elaine holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Juris Doctorate from Monterey College of Law and is a certified mediator."[2]
"Elaine has trained and worked in the fields of juvenile dependency, community and divorce mediation, criminal law, and nonprofits, and she has extensive experience working in restorative justice, fundraising, community outreach and engagement, and community collaboration.
One of Elaine's recent achievements was co-founding the Santa Cruz County Neighborhood Courts Program, a diversion program that serves participants throughout the county. In a little over a year, more than 40 individuals were diverted from the criminal justice system."[3]
Though Dr. Johnson is no longer working on the program, it is thriving successfully.
Now about 60 individuals per month, involved with low-level misdemeanors are provided an opportunity to restore the harm they have done to their victims, directly with their victims, and with a panel of community members, instead of having their lives destroyed for the likes of stealing food in order to survive, but not limited to the same.
She did this while working for the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office, as proof that not all District Attorney's Offices are seeking to increase the number of convictions to increase the chance for their reelection, but rather, District Attorneys like those in Santa Cruz are committed to understanding that not all offenders want to harm their victims, nor incriminate themselves, and so a model for American justice, for others to follow.
"Without this program, participants would have had a criminal record, which would dim their chances of exploring many professional opportunities. Elaine had seen firsthand the impact that people experience once they are in the criminal justice system. She continues to encourage community leaders and partners, community members, elected officials, and nonprofits to continue this important work.
Elaine was the very first Executive Director of Housing Santa Cruz County, a nonprofit organization that advocates for affordable housing. She is passionate about advocating for affordable housing, creating positive change in this community, wanting the playing field to be leveled for everyone to have a seat at the table, and for there to be no limits regardless of race or background. Elaine believes there is nothing one cannot do if they are given the space, time, and support (financial and emotional) to do it."[3]
"Elaine currently serves on several local boards, including Community Action Board, Monarch Services/Servicios Monarca, Encompass Community Services, and serves as a Commissioner for the Juvenile Justice, Delinquency Prevention Commission", and "she was recently elected as the President of the NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch".[2][3]
She has formerly served as a Board Member for Your Future Is Our Business and Women Lawyers of Santa Cruz County.
As a Board Member for Community Action Board, Dr. Johnson provides advisory to, and makes connections between, the community, and leadership of Community Action Board.
The Community Action Board provides many different services to those in need in the Santa Cruz area, including the following programs.
1. "The mission of ALCANCE is to provide under-resourced, at promise, or re-entry youth and adults with economic opportunities and mentoring services. These services incorporate skills development, community engagement, job readiness preparation, linkages to community resources, and youth leadership development. "[4]
2. "The mission of the Day Worker Center is to assist day laborers in Santa Cruz County to secure safe employment, develop job skills, improve wages, and become more fully engaged members of our community. The Center facilitates the employment of day laborers in a safe hiring hall space and through an organized and dignified process."[5]
3. "Located ten miles north of Santa Cruz, the Davenport Resource Service Center (DRSC), provides services to support the culturally diverse and low-income population in the rural north coast. Emergency and prevention services we provide include food programs, youth services, senior services, immigration services, and much more."[6]
4. The Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Department provides all sorts of different services to prevent homelessness, found at https://cabinc.org/rap/.
5. "SCCIP’s mission is to promote the wellbeing of the immigrant community in Santa Cruz County and the Pájaro Valley. We accomplish this by helping immigrants acquire legal status, reuniting immigrant families, and making U.S. citizenship more accessible to eligible immigrants. We provide competent and professional legal services, advocacy, and community education and information."[7]
6. "CEPP provides emergency payments for services, information, and referrals to support the continuation of employment and educational
goals for participants referred by the county’s CalWORKs program. Please note: in order to participate in this program, you must already be enrolled in, or apply to CalWORKs."[8]
7. "The Thriving Immigrants Collaborative (TIC) is an alliance of organizations in Santa Cruz County that provide direct services to and advocate for a community where immigrants are truly welcomed and supported to thrive. TIC aims to improve life for immigrants in our region through collective work focused on:
• Advocacy & Systems Change
• Coordination & Alignment of Services
• Communications & Community Engagement
• Developing TIC’s Infrastructure"[9]
Furthermore, as the President of NAACP Santa Cruz, Dr. Johnson is the local champion for those whose civil rights have been violated.
As a Board Member for the Monarch Team, Dr. Johnson provides advisory and support to the leadership of Monarch Team, who support victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault.
Dr. Johnson is on the Commission for Juvenile Justice and the Delinquency Prevention Commission.
As a Board Member for Encompass Community Services, Dr. Johnson provides advisory and support to the leadership of Encompass Community Services, who are champions for mental health services.
Accordingly, Dr. Elaine Johnson has a full calendar, and that calendar is dedicated to helping as many others as she can, and so she definitely makes our heroes list this week, and is an inspiration to us all.
Thank you Dr. Johnson for your years of community service and for treating everyone you meet as a person.
The world needs more people like you.
SOURCES AND ATTRIBUTES
[1] https://www.monarchscc.org/staff-members/elaine-johnson/
[2] https://www.housingsantacruzcounty.com/elaine-staff-bio
[3] https://www.risetogetherscc.org/elaine-johnson
[4] https://cabinc.org/alcance/
[5] https://cabinc.org/dayworkercenterofscc/
[7] https://cabinc.org/santa-cruz-county-immigration-project/
[8] https://cabinc.org/calworks-emergency-payment-program/
[9] https://www.thrivingimmigrantscollaborative.org/