Keith Johnson
Moving Youth, Families and Communities From Pain to Power

KEITH is a native of Los Angeles, California. Keith was born, raised, and educated in South Central Los Angeles. He graduated from Alaine Leroy Locke High School. Keith studied at the University of California at Los Angeles. During the time Keith was in college he began to work with young people in his church and with several community based programs, such as the Sheriff Youth Athletics League. Keith’s ability to relate to young people and identify with their issues has helped him reach many youth that others had given up on. Part of his ability to understand youth, especially those in the foster care system, is his personal background. Although Keith prefers to tell his own story, Keith spent six years in the foster care system.

Keith’s desire to make more of an impact in the lives of youth led him to work with National Family Life and Education Center, “Rites of Passage Program”. Keith has worked as a Peer Counselor, Unit Leader, Case Manager for the JTPA African American Male Project, and was appointed to the position of Program Director for National Family Life and Education Center by Ron Johnson, Founder and Executive Director.

In July 2001, Keith begun working with the community the goal is to assist young people in the process of becoming positive productive members of our society. Many young people need to free themselves from the power of past pain and disappointment in life. The program helps young people discover the tools to reshape and redirect anti-social behavior. Young people are taught the importance of support system and how to network and fully utilize supportive services to improve the status of their lives. Keith serves as a consultant for a number of community based organizations in Los Angeles. His informative and inspirational Keynotes and Workshops have placed him in great demand from many community-based agencies, Social Welfare departments, and Probation departments throughout the United States.

In June of 2005 Keith is the founded the Southern California Falcons a Youth Football and Cheer Organization located in the City of Los Angeles. The Falcons motto is “Teaching New School Kids, Old School Values” or goal is to work with the children in our community and teach them the necessary lessons they need to become positive productive members of society. The Falcons consist of 165 football players and 35 cheerleaders.

Robert G. Morris, Superintendent for Dunsmuir Joint Union High School District tells this story after Keith spoke to his student body. “I have an anecdotal story to tell: On Tuesday of this week I received a phone call from the mother of a 15-year-old boy. She said she wanted me to know about her experience last Friday. When her son came home from school she asked if there was anything new. He said “No.” A few minutes later he said, “Oh, we had an assembly… Mr. Morris had a guy come in to talk to us.” She asked “What about?” he said “Stuff.” And left the room. He came back a few minutes later and said, “The guy at school was talking about decisions, and about how life is tough and we have to be responsible for ourselves.” He left again, and returned ten minutes later to add some more about “the guy who talked at school.” Once the conversation really got going with her son, it lasted for three hours; his father came home from work and got involved. What more could I ask for.

Mr. Morris continues. “There is an ad that is running in the media. It is an ad for Master Card and how you can use Master Card for anything. I would like to redo the ad as follows.

  • 1. Air fare from L.A. to Sacramento ……………………………………………... $200.00
  • 2. Rental Car …………………………………………………………………..... $230.00
  • 3. Hotel and dinner ……………………………………………………….…..…. $280.00
  • 4. Getting a 15 year old to talk to his parents about life ……….. .............Absolutely Priceless

The common response on his workshop evaluations is, “Bring him back again!” Keith is married and the father of two children. His motto with the kids he works with is, “I will not accept anything less from you than I do from my children”.