Page 6 - CEEM Shopping Mag August 2020

Portrait of a Dream Girl - Dr. Essence Johnson

“For the younger generation, I am an example of what they can become and for the older generation,

I am an example of how far we have come."
Inland Empire native, Dr. Essence Johnson, is a residency trained, community and correctional health
optometrist. A 2010 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University,
Dr. Johnson completed a residency in Ocular Disease at Omni Eye Services Atlanta, is a Fellow in the
American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomat in the American Board of Optometry. Inside and
outside of the o ce, Dr. Johnson is committed to serving as a mentor, educator and speaker and
inspiring girls and women in every phase of education to visualize their goals and reach their potential.

For her, patient education isn’t limited to the ocular conditions a person may have, but also in sharing
the experiences that in uenced that once middle school girl who was introduced to S.T.E.M. by her 6th
grade math teacher to be inspired to become the professional career woman, wife and mother
practicing and preaching optometry while serving and impacting her community in English and Spanish.

Dr. Johnson’s life has forever been impacted by the phone call she received when she was a senior at
Valley View High School from Dr. George Brown, who was the head of the Biology Department at the
time. “I remember answering the phone and being told I was accepted to Prairie View A&M University
and awarded a 4 year presidential scholarship,” she recalls stating that she never applied or heard of
Prairie View before that day, “but I am so glad that I went to PVU, whose motto is Prairie View Produces
Productive People.” Dr. Johnson left for college the very next day after graduation to attend their Pre-
Medical Concepts Institute (PCI). “I’m a product of summer program after summer program after
summer program. Barely a second generation college student, if it wasn’t for the opportunities
a orded to me and the culture of my HBCU to introduce black students into health care I wouldn’t
be the doctor I am today.”

Dr. Johnson is paying it forward and paving the way as Chief Visionary O cer of Black EyeCare
Perspective, a group founded by Drs. Adam Ramsey and Darryl Glover, designed and created to
cultivate and foster lifelong relationships between African Americans and the eye care industry.
“We are rede ning the color or the eye care industry 1% at a time by creating a pipeline for black
students into optometry.” On Tuesday, October 6, 2020 they will host their signature recruitment
event, IMPACT HBCU- If you see it, you can be it. “Our IMPACT HBCU initiative is a targeted recruitment
event to increase the visibility of optometry within the Black community and increase the volume of
Black and African American applicants into optometry school,” Dr. Johnson said. She added, "HBCUs
produce approximately 40 percent of African American optometrists, myself included. We want to
increase the quantity, but also improve in the quality of the students applying to optometry programs
through the Black EyeCare Perspective Pre-Optometry Club (BEPPOC). The rst of its kind, BEPPOC aims
to provide resources and prepare a student for admittance into optometry school while providing
continuous support to sustain them throughout their optometric career.”

Portrait of a Dream Girl - Dr. Essence Johnson | Page 1 of 2