Today we’d like to introduce you to JohVonne Roberts
Hi JohVonne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in South Los Angeles. Growing up in my house, it was always my mother, big sister, and I. I have a very close-knit and musically inclined family. I also grew up in the church where my family had a lot of involvement in; ranging from church ministers and usher boards to the choir and music ministry.
Something interesting about me that many people don’t know is that my name is a combination of my grandparents’ names: John and Yvonne – which is why the V is capitalized. When I was younger, I used to get told that my name was a “boy name” but as I got older I remembered where it came from and the strength that comes with it.
For school, I attended Audubon Middle School in Leimert Park. For High School, I attended Hollywood High School. There, I became more confident in my dancing and singing abilities. It also really started my passion for the media and becoming a sports journalist. I visited the Spectrum News Station in El Segundo for a field trip and immediately felt like this was something for me. In high school, I ran Track & Field, was the Secretary of ASB, Secretary of Black Student Union, President of Key Club, and Captain of Hollywood’s Majorette Dance Guard. I was so involved that the School’s newspaper actually featured me as “The Girl Who Does It All.”
I recently graduated from San Diego State University with a Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. I was involved in the Weber Honors College and Afrikan Student Union. I was a Sports Anchor for the Daily Aztec. I held leadership positions like President of National Association of Black Journalists and Captain of the SDSU Diamonds Majorette Dance Team. During my junior year, I had the opportunity to study abroad in London for a little over a month. Without scholarships and the hard work from my church family, that experience would not have been possible at all.
Dance has been a huge part of me since I was little. It has been something that I have always loved and it remains an emotional outlet for me to do this day. After completing a recent summer program with the Impact Learning Institute and UCLA, I wasn’t really afraid of saying that I want to be a sports reporter and professional dancer. I know juggling the 2 sounds impossible to some, but I don’t think God would have given me that vision if it couldn’t be done.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I went through a lot of hardships throughout college like facing depression, anxiety, financial issues, and my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. My freshman year of college, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. At the time, I was staying on campus but not attending any in person classes due to COVID. In October of 2020, I moved back home and got a job to help around the house and pay off whatever I could for school. My daily life consisted of attending virtual classes, clocking in at Chick-fil-A, seeing my mom after her chemo treatments, attending my virtual dance practices with the Diamonds and then completing my homework. And by the grace of God, my mom became a breast cancer survivor 2 years later.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a recent grad, I am actively looking for more opportunities but enjoying this new stage of life. Currently, I am managing the Impact Learning Institute’s social media accounts. I’m very proud to be an IMPACT alum. That program truly opened my eyes to what’s out there for me. I met amazing people and made life long connections. I’m simply proud for even putting myself out there and not being scared of diving right into something that is starting my career.
What sets me apart from others is my mentality. I come from very humble beginnings and all I want to do is be happy, successful and create new generational blessings for my family. I want to be an example for my community that anything is possible. I feel like God has put me in plenty of situations that could have deterred me or made me into a completely different person, but I stayed true to myself and continued to remember that his plan is always greater than mine.
What are your plans for the future?
My future goals are to become a sports reporter and continue my passion for dance. I plan on attending dance classes and workshops. I would love to be an NBA Dancer or even do live performances and music videos. I’ve connected with a couple of reporters and hosts who used to be dancers and it really inspired me to continue doing what I’ve always loved to do.
As a sports reporter and journalist, I want to go beyond than just reciting the score. I want to capture stories that truly encompasses unity through sports. I want to talk about the issues that many people look over or don’t cover. Right now, I tell stories through my personal blog JohVonne’s Journal. I am also uploading my content on my new Instagram account, @thejohvonnejournal! I’m so excited to share my reporting clips and hold a space for authentic storytelling.
Besides that, I plan to travel more and experience things with friends and family that I couldn’t afford to do when I was younger. I was the first in my family to travel outside the country when I studied abroad in London, so I would love to take my family on different trips too. College was extremely busy for me so I’m taking a bit of a mental health break at the moment but still staying focused on what God has for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://johvonnerobertsmedia.weebly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjohvonnee/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@johvonne/featured
Image Credits
Brian Alvarenga (@ba._.photos)
