Every morning Ed Johnson wakes up early and meditates. The 61-year-old, who was wheelchair bound for 25 years, also takes yoga classes and is intentional about the food he feeds his body knowing that self-care is about more than just working out – it’s a mindset.
“Meditation helped me heal my body,” said Ed, a New Orleans-based reentry specialist for Parole Project. “It heals my body. It puts me in a place of calmness. I’ve learned that your health is your wealth. You can have anything you want but if your health is bad, you can depart from all of that.”
In 1991, Ed was sent to prison where he spent 25 years until his release in 2016. Shortly after entering prison he was assaulted, which left him with T-11 spinal cord damage and unable to walk.
Upon his release in 2016, Ed knew what he needed most – therapy that gave him back the use of his legs. He has been in physical therapy ever since.
“I’m supposed to be on a walker or cane, but I walk without them,” he said. “I’m always in pain and I don’t stand or walk for long periods of time. There are times where my legs will give out, so I keep my cane with me in case my legs get weak.”
Ed grew up on the Westbank of New Orleans with seven siblings in an Algiers neighborhood known as Cutoff (not to be confused with Cut Off, Louisiana, a city in Lafourche Parish). Summers were filled with road trips across the South, and his early years were shaped by Catholic school, football, boxing, and basketball. When they weren’t in school, he and his younger brother worked with his stepfather, saving their money. His mother was a beautician with a creative soul who sewed all her children’s clothing, quilted, knitted, and enjoyed pottery.
“She also taught us how to cook,” Ed said. “She was someone who always tried to help us be responsible for ourselves down the line. I had this great life, and I made it bad because I broke away from my family and started running with the wrong people doing the wrong things. I ran away when I was 15 years old and didn’t go back.”
Education was always important in Ed’s family so after his release he returned to school. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in addictive behavior from Southern University at New Orleans. He is currently studying Artificial Intelligence and software engineering through an online course at Columbia University.
In 2022, Ed joined the staff at Parole Project as a reentry specialist where he supports formerly incarcerated men and women as they rebuild their lives.
“I work with our clients who returned to the New Orleans area,” he said. “My job is to teach them how to be independent, to empower them.”
The most rewarding part of his work?
“Everything,” he said. “Because I’m learning about myself as I learn about them. When they stop calling me, that’s how I know they’re flying. They got their wings.”
When he’s not working, Ed reads, travels, and plays chess. But one of his biggest passions is a nonprofit he co-founded called Formerly Incarcerated Peer Support Group which helps people cope with post-incarceration syndrome, a type of PTSD. He is also in the process of writing two books, a memoir about his life and a curriculum-style book about post-incarceration syndrome.
“Ed’s journey hasn’t been easy but his resilience inspires everyone around him,” said Andrew Hundley, executive director of Parole Project. “He’s built a strong network over the years, and he uses those connections to create opportunities that benefit both our clients and our organization.”
While Ed has accomplished a lot since his release nearly 10 years ago, his mindset shift is what he is most proud of. He is working hard and manifesting the life he wants, including living in Puerto Rico one day.
“It’s beautiful there,” he said. “When I’m 70, I want to live there and be able to watch both the ocean and the forest from my balcony.”
Ed has found what most people strive for every day – inner peace. And that comes from helping others with their second chances, daily meditation and most importantly, patience.
“You’ve got to take your time in this life,” he says. “My biggest asset is patience. I know what I want. I know what I leave. And I know it’s going to be well deserved.”
