Jerrie Johnson Instagram – Whew, life moves fast. I’ve been trying to find a moment to process winning this year’s Living Legacy Award at my alma mater @pennstate — especially since right after accepting it, we got on a plane to be with my fiancée as her mother transitioned. I’ve been holding both grief and celebration at once, and I’m finally letting myself celebrate Out Loud on this little virtual diary.
Receiving this award after a beautiful conversation with @broadnaxsteve (The GOAT) and being presented by @a.kikora — now the FIRST Black woman to head the School of Theatre — was beyond an honor. I loved reconnecting with students, faculty, and showing my love @dria.brown my old stomping grounds.
Thank you to the School of Theatre for letting me teach Manifesting Liberation to a new generation of artists, and to @psuprcc for hosting a heartfelt conversation about my activism on campus. A special shoutout to the student who reminded me that sometimes you don’t see the fruits of your labor until the next generation is eating from the tree. One of my last gifts to the school was making required texts accessible in the library for students waiting on refund checks (iykyk). Seeing that legacy still serving folks is a blessing.
Thank you to Pearl Gluck for creating a magical film festival that uplifts stories we rarely see. (Please go watch @thefisherman.film — truly one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time.)
And lastly, thank you to my love @dria.brown for capturing everything — commentary and all 😂 — and for always being willing to fly to the middle of nowhere with me. I love you 💜 | Posted on 26/Nov/2025 23:30:52
