A Network of support

Na’Imah Johnson grew up on the Southside of Chicago and graduated from Gwendolyn Brooks High School. Na’Imah is from a family of six and mentions they went to church every Sunday. She was always involved in extracurricular activities such as cheerleading, gymnastics, or anything that kept her active. 

Now, Na’Imah is attending Spelman College as an Economics major. “I chose to study economics as a major because it is unlike a subject like political science or pre-law track. I have a strong passion for the policy field. I feel like economics dive into the why of certain things and that’s what I’m interested in, [especially] the research part,” said Johnson. 

Na’Imah is currently interested in working with policy and the public sphere, but she is still trying to figure out her dream job. Although Na'Imah is figuring out her career passion she was motivated to pursue higher education because of her parents. “ [My parents] did not have a direct route to college, so they went back to school later in their life, and my dad went right into the Navy. So seeing them going back to school while I was growing up inspired me to make sure I pursue a higher education,” said Johnson.

Growing up in her family and her neighborhood has pushed Na’Imah to be determined to pursue her dreams despite any obstacles. “I think growing up and watching family members strive for their dreams and goals pushes me to keep going no matter what. Also knowing that I have a support system just in case I trip a little bit or fall a little bit, they are there to push me back up,” said Johnson.

Now that Na’Imah is pursuing her dreams at Spelman, she mentions how she made the right choice for school. “Growing up, HBCUs(Historically Black Colleges and Universities) weren't really pushed, so I did not find out about Spelman until my junior year of high school. I think it’s important to bring awareness to HBCUs because they are institutions that were built for Black people. There are institutions where we can excel, but there are no other institutions that are built for us. Upon researching Spelman and what it stands for, and some of the alumnae who spoke when we visited for the admitted students weekend, Spelbound, I couldn't see myself anywhere else. Now going to Spelman, it reaffirms that there’s no other institution that could give me the opportunities I have experienced here,” said Johnson. 

While at Spelman and gaining personal and professional experience, Na’Imah also mentions the social experience she gained from Pursue Scholars. “I feel like I gained a broader scope of social skills by being able to socialize with people from different backgrounds. Growing up, I went to schools with majority Black students with similar backgrounds. But joining Pursue Scholars, I was introduced to people who came from different backgrounds, raised from different sides of the city, or different racial backgrounds,” said Johnson. 

As Na’Imah continues her college journey, she has a goal to come back to her community to reinvest through mentorship. “At Spelman, I go to the Boys and Girls Club to help mentor the girls there. Mentorship was big in my life, I had a couple of mentors to push me to learn who I was and what I wanted to do, so I would love to go back and mentor,” said Johnson. 

Na’Imah encourages the next generation of scholars who are applying for college to figure out their purpose and to never let anyone influence them.

Stories like Na'Imah are the reason we are grateful for partners like you. Your gift to Pursue Scholars today will be actively investing in young Chicago leaders and help them embark on a journey that will truly lead to change.