Derrick Johnson Jr is a school-youth motivational speaker, active community member, and expressive writing facilitator. Derrick values community involvement and leading a fulfilling purpose-driven life. As a former hip-hop recording artist turned transit police officer, he brings a unique perspective gained from harsh lessons in life Derrick’s broad range of experience, from adolescence to his professional career as a public servant, will saturate your school unleashing the untapped potential needed for students to improve their academic performance. By using personal real-life experiences, Derrick sheds light on the invaluable gift that each student brings to the world, and how their impact can lead to world change.

Derrick learned the value of discipline and hard work at an early age while growing up in a harsh region of Baltimore, with three siblings, living in a single-parent household. His level of determination, to avoid a life of poverty and crime, served as the inspiration required for him to become a successful business owner and award-winning “2018 Officer of the Year” for the Maryland Transit Department. Derrick’s career has been a model of service recognized by the community, and within his agency. He understands that striving for excellence is a journey, not simply a destination. Having this perspective has allowed him to effectively impact hundreds of historically underserved youth at the Sheppard Pratt Mental Healthcare Facility, serving as a residential counselor. Derrick applies the same passion and dedication, through professional development, nationwide for leaders in education, support staff, and teachers as they together empower students!