Community Highlights: Meet Jocelynn Poppy Johnson of Stationery Je.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelynn Poppy Johnson.

Hi Poppy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Jocelynn, but everyone calls me Poppy – it’s a middle name. I am 24 years old, but sometimes I confuse myself for being 21 (that pandemic messed up my calendar). I grew up like an only child, just me, my mom, and my dad. I have two older sisters; the closest one to me is 15 years older, and my eldest is almost 17 years older than me. As the youngest in my family, you can probably guess that I experienced many luxuries in life. I grew up in a tiny Texas town, but don’t let my small town fool you. My family allowed me to experience several things some children may not be privy to at a young age, such as international travel, Broadway, etiquette courses, and fine dining. I even auditioned to be on Disney Channel once because I vaguely mentioned that I wanted to be on tv one day. I grew up in a tight-knit unit between my family and me. I spent most of my days in school, extracurriculars, and church. I consider my church my second family; they literally watched me grow up. I remember that my parents served as Deacon and Deaconess of the church at one time. My mom still serves as the Children’s Church Ministry Teacher. My parent’s involvement through Christ had a tremendous impact on me. I gave my life to Christ early and dedicated myself to serving the Lord as best I could. All of my love goes to the Bethsaida Missionary Baptist Church.

Leaving my home and church was one of the most challenging transitions as I headed to college. I moved 6 hours away from my family and went to a university whose student population was 8x larger than my hometown. I rubbed elbows with humans who have changed the world, like Tyra Banks and Daymond John. Sat on the executive cabinet of the Student Government Association and competed for Miss Oklahoma State University – being the only black woman on a stage not even meant for me; and placed too. I walked into rooms and didn’t have to introduce myself. I lost the use of my dominant hand to recurring tumors and endured two surgeries in less than six months. I created a clothing brand, launched a YouTube Channel, and even helped my sorority’s chapter get recognized nationally. All while being a college student. To this day, I don’t know why I chose Oklahoma State University, but I know it’s where God wanted me to be.

I always knew going to college would change the trajectory of my life. But, I could’ve never imagined what my senior year had in store for me until we entered that fateful year, which we all know as 2020.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My senior year of college was utterly shattered by the global Covid-19 pandemic. But while most fun-loving college students were stuck at home finishing their degrees online. I was not only studying but happily falling in love. Did I meet my college sweetheart like in the movies? Right before the pandemic hit America, I met the most lovely man. Once we discovered that we were going into lockdown, we figured our long-distance relationship would diminish. Instead, we fell completely and madly in love. From our love story came that fateful day in almost every woman’s life, pregnancy test day. This day changed my life as I knew it… As my pregnancy progressed, my long-distance love did, in fact, deteriorate. About halfway through my pregnancy, I found myself pregnant, alone, broke, in school, and living with my parents. That break-up almost broke me. As a matter of fact, it did. But through it all, my family lifted me in prayer and pushed me daily to get up, continue my journey of growing my son, finish school, and lean even more on God. I turned that insurmountable pain into an even more incredible passion for my son, education, and ultimately my life.

Shoutout to the single mamas out there! I am now in that group of elite and strong women, but I would’ve never guessed it. My most challenging trial yet has produced the most beautiful part of me. Motherhood. There’s no one I love more in the world than my son—there’s nothing like seeing that big smile on his face to make everything, and I mean everything I have been and am still growing through, worth it.
I gracefully graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Economics Pre-Law at the end of 2020! #PandemicGrad. You’ll find me now balancing the everyday life of being a mom, digital media creator, and small business owner. Despite the ups and downs, I could not be more thankful for my life or God. I owe where I am today to Jesus Christ, my attentively supportive family, and my closest friends. I’m proud of the fact that I didn’t give up on myself. I choose to live the life of my wildest dreams every day, and I am so grateful to have this platform to share bits and pieces of my journey. Thank you for joining me on this magical ride.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Stationery Je.?
I own an online stationery store that was established in 2022. I’ve always been a business-minded person and knew that one day I would own one… or two of them myself. Having my son and becoming a mother definitely lit a fire under me to create a sustainable life for us. I want to give my child an even better life with similar experiences I was blessed to have. The world is yours; you just have to be daring enough to go out and take it. I’ve always been goal-setting, and I love to write in journals. I always had planners, then journals, planners, then more journals. It had gotten to the point where I had overflowed my shelves with so many notebooks. One day I sat down and thought, what if I had everything in one? A planner that gave me space to plan goals, journal, and reflect on my life. A planner that cultivates my growth mindset. I couldn’t find one, so I created one and figured there must be someone else out there that needs this too! Hence, a small business that I took the liberty of naming after my son. Stationery Je, a black woman-owned business, sells handcrafted motivational planners, notepads, and stationery goods with life’s goal getters in mind. We’re here for the big goals, small daily wins, lifestyle changes, and everything in between. Our motivational planner consists of inspirational quotes to get you going, monthly calendars, and weekly schedule pages. This planner includes monthly budget plans, goal-setting sheets, curated reflection questions, and personalized charts that help you focus on maintaining balance in life. When purchasing with Stationery Je, the proceeds go to a young baby boy and his beautifully blessed future. At this point, either you need a Stationery Je motivational planner, or you know someone who does.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
My absolute favorite podcast is the Girl, Lemme Tell You Podcast. If you haven’t heard of it yet, that’s because I just launched it in July! Being a Digital Media Creator is one of the best experiences ever. The Girl, Lemme Tell You Podcast has been a liberating journey. This podcast serves well as a creative outlet that gives black women a non-judgemental platform to be themselves freely. Growing up like an only child forced me to deal with the things happening around me alone. Yes, I had my parents, but I didn’t necessarily have someone my age that could relate to me or what I was going through. Only so many topics that a 26-year-old woman will connect on with her 15-year-old little sister. Sisterhood was an issue I searched for answers to all through college. I found my solution through the electrifying Eta Pi Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Still, after finishing school and moving to another city with a new job, I was back at square one. Where are my homegirls? Where are my “sisters” that get me? About two years ago, the Lord put it in my heart to build a podcast with like-minded Christian women co-hosts. Thanks to a pandemic, a pregnancy, motherhood, and school, I had to put this dream on hold. But, I finally got the time (thanks to my supportive family) and opportunity to create and produce this fantastic podcast.

The Girl, Lemme Tell You Podcast consists of three women with different experiences and perspectives coming together to create a safe space for other women. Are you in need of a girl chat? Tea time? Sound advice? A good laugh? Cry? Girl, Lemme Tell You… you’ve come to the right place! Join hosts Ciera, Joanna, and myself biweekly as we discuss faith, sisterhood, relationships, and everything in between. You can tune in wherever you listen to podcasts or watch us on YouTube at Girl, Lemme Tell You Podcast.

Pricing:

• $24.50: Travel Size Motivational Planner
• $29.50: Desk Size Motivational Planner
• $15.50: Journals
• $7.50: Erasable Pen & Mechanical Pencil Combo
• $11.50: Fine Point Markers 8-Pack

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thepoppyj.com/stationeryje
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepoppyj
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/stationeryje
• Youtube: youtube.com/c/PopTalk
• Other: https://linktr.ee/gltypodcast