Biography

Brianna Rae Johns earned her Bachelor's degree in Education from Bloomsburg University. During her undergraduate years, she dedicated her time to volunteering in Bloomsburg University's S.H.A.R.E. (Students Helping Adolescents Reach Excellence) program, where she engaged with children in local elementary schools and daycares. Additionally, she spent a summer as a Summer Teaching Fellow with Uncommon Schools in Brooklyn, NY, an experience that laid the foundation for her teaching career and inspired her to write her first children's book.

Dr. Johns pursued her passion for education further by attaining a Master's degree in Writing Studies from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. During her graduate studies, her research concentrated on diverse children's and young adult literature. She made history as the first student to craft a children's book as a part of her master's thesis. Throughout this time, she continued to teach across various grade levels, spanning from 3rd grade to 12th grade, before making the decision to relocate to Washington, D.C., where she embarked on a journey to educate incarcerated youth.

Dr. Johns, now holding a Doctorate in English Pedagogy from Murray State University, has become a specialist in literacy, delving deep into the intersection of the legacy of slavery and mass incarceration. Her expertise particularly centers on the profound implications of slavery on the banning of books in American schools and prisons, as highlighted in her article titled "Book Banning in US Schools and Prisons as Modern Day Slave Codes," published in the English Journal.

Beyond her educational endeavors, Dr. Johns extends her commitment to the literary world as a mentor for incarcerated writers through PEN America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing free expression in the United States and worldwide.