Chords Enrichment Youth Program

 Chords Founder Edwin Johnson was born in Los Angeles, CA. At a young age, he and his siblings lived in and out of shelters and motels in Los Angeles and San Bernardino for an extended period of time because his mother was on the run from Edwin’s father, who was extremely abusive towards her, Edwin and his siblings. Being that his father was blood affiliated, he would force Edwin to dress up in all red and fight rival gangs at the age of nine. On Edwin’s tenth birthday, his father forced him and his brother Ricky to get a tattoo of each of their mother’s name.Edwin’s mother was deeply affected by this and continued to date men who were abusive and/or on drugs. Edwin and his family continued to struggle during his middle school and high school years. At age 12, he decided to get a job selling candy to help his mother with some of the bills and buy food for his younger siblings. More than often that money was taken by his mother and was used for other things.While living in San Bernardino at age 14, Edwin’s mother forced him and his siblings to volunteer at an afterschool program daily because Edwin started to affiliate with the local gang and most importantly, she wanted them to be able eat every day because the food was scarce at home.One tragic night at age 16, Edwin heard arguing between his mother and her boyfriend. The argument later turned violent. At this point, Edwin was fed up with the abuse his mother endured from terrible men and decided to intervene. After the commotion was over, Edwin’s mother was upset at him because he had gotten involved in her situation with her boyfriend and wanted Edwin to apologize to him or get out her house. Edwin refused to apologize and was kicked out her house. He had to live with friends and often slept on steps of an abandoned building downtown San Bernardino across from the Feldheym Library. He was homeless for a few months and later dropped out of high school and continued to eat at the after school program where he became a stipend employee.At age 19, Edwin became the Communication Director in the same afterschool program he had been involved in since he was 14 years old. As the Communication Director, he designed the after school program’s news paper called Reality Check as well as a few books that was put out by the after school program. That same year, Edwin received his G.E.D and stayed at the church for two more years before he moved on at age 21.Edwin started to work in different fields while going to school at the University of Phoenix. He worked as a counselor at Norco State Prisons (CRC) and for Riverside Parole. Edwin worked in level 14 locked down facilities and youth crises facilities. He did not find anything good about any of these jobs that mainly consist of locking people up. He believed that if these people had the right individuals in their lives, they would see life differently and behave. He believes that if you invest time in the youth, they could grow up to be world changers instead of inmates.In the summer of 2012, Edwin was in an accident that left him out of work for a few months. During his time off, he felt that God had an assignment for him to start a music program in San Bernardino. He then started to write up the proposal about this program and ran it by the director of the afterschool program he once served to see what he thought about it. His long time mentor/father figure Rev. David Kalke loved the vision and encouraged Edwin to start this program which he later developed the name Chords Enrichment Youth Program. With no money and no budget to start this program, Edwin prayed and asked God for strength, direction and his blessing. With the grace of God and strong faith, Edwin was able to make it to where he is now.In conclusion, Edwin Johnson is passionate about helping the youth because of what he has been through. He knows what it’s like to come from a broken family and be poverty stricken with no way out. Many of the youth we deal with feel like nothing is positive because they are not exposed to anything positive nor educated on other options that’ll help better them. Many of our youth come from families who are economically deprived and cannot afford these after school programs. For this reason, Edwin designed Chords Enrichment Youth Program so families can participate and NEVER be turned away due to not being able to pay. Chords deal with youth of all walks of life and believe in embracing their negative behaviors instead of turning them away. We believe in mentoring, NOT punishing.. Edwin’s program “Chords” has yet to receive any donations or grants. Edwin works 7 days a week to buy supplies and to make sure youth continue to have a place to become successful.