Meet LaShonda Johnson
Poise and Elegance. A blue dress, purple nails, and pearls. A smile that brightens the room. And, a heart that radiates kindness and strength. Lashonda’s parents are from small country towns in Texas. She’s an only child but grew up with cousins that felt like siblings. LaShonda always got the best of experiences growing up around adults. From an early age, she learned to communicate and connect well with others, leading her to choose her major in Psychology. She now dedicates her life to hearing people’s stories and experiences, and helping them find fulfilling career paths and bring out what success looks for them. She believes life is about experiences and “not a dress rehearsal,” so she feels passionate about helping others turn their careers into passion.
Like many native Houstonians, she grew up in the suburbs, went to the University of Houston, and has lived through one too many disasters in this City. Living through Houston disasters, like hurricanes and flood, were present for every major holiday – she explains that it teaches you to be resilient in a time of struggle and to always have a plan for living and helping.
But aside from that, she likes to travel and go to live music concerts. She unapologetically admits dogs are too much to take care of. And while the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on her life, she remains positive, even more so with her involvement in the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. Her commitment to the organization has lived on well beyond college, which has given her a strong network of women to support and continue to empower her while building up the future generations. LaShonda went from a local chapter president to regional director for Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. She mentions that even though she doesn’t know how much time she has on this planet, while she is here she wants to do as much as she can, as quickly as she can, and be as effective as she can be. That is her mantra on how she will “ride her days”. Stay calm, but live passionately is what it can be best summarized as.
When asked what her favorite aspect of Houston was, LaShonda said “EVERYTHING! Houston is extremely diverse and even if you’re a native Houstonian suburbanite like me, there is always something new to learn about the City and from each community. We have a rich culture. It is a place that is always welcoming. It has a heart for people. And we are made stronger by tragedy. That is what I love about this town.”
