There Is Some of Us in All of Us

About the Book

These stories were motivated and inspired from personal experiences interwoven with fictional characters to highlight specific themes that we all experience, observe, or hear about via anecdotal reports, the media, our peers, etc. “A Man Called Shane” was inspired by experiences in a Eurocentric institution. “The Hillsdale Kids” was inspired by employment in a social agency for children. “The Belle Isle Affair” was inspired by tenure in Ecorse/Detroit, Michigan. “The Grosse Isle Murders” was based on a clinical case report. “The Transplant from Family Therapy Encounters” and “When the Door Came Open” were also from clinical experiences. “The Last Hippie” was from the proliferation of technology and baby boomer transitions. Finally, “Growing Up with Momma” and “The Bird Sings” were inspired by a mother’s sacrifice, love, and guidance.

About the Author

Jimmie L. Johnson attended the University of Minnesota, earning a BS in pharmacy, a BA in sociology and Afro studies. The author also earned his master’s degree in guidance and counselor education from the University of Toledo. The author has resided in several states, interfacing in multicultural settings. The author’s hometowns (Ecorse and Detroit, Michigan) provided the insight and backdrop for some of the current stories. Other impacting locations were Atlanta, Georgia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Toledo, Ohio; Windsor, Ontario; and several others. The author was extremely impacted by the sociopolitical climate in the US, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia during the sixties to the present times. Mr. Johnson has two children (Jimmie Johnson Jr. and Pauline J. Johnson) and three grand children (Sammie Johnson, Isaac, and Simon Johnson). The author views family as the most important institution, a viewpoint instilled by a single mother who raised six children, who only matriculated to the third grade but possessed a deep love, dedication, and vision for her children and family. Mr. Johnson has logged over twenty years of clinical experience in pharmacy, counseling, and related fields (substance abuse and mental health).