Episode 14: Rising Up - A Goodwill Story

"Life is like a box of chocolates--you never know what you're gonna get..."  Rebecca's story is a story of redemption.  Her life went from having a promising career to hitting the rock bottom in a world of drugs, abusive relationships, homelessness and rejection by her family.  But God placed great people and organizations in her path who valued her and gave her a chance. Today Rebecca is thriving and giving back at Goodwill Houston.  In this episode we will hear her story and learn how we too can help the downcasts rise up.

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Transcript

Welcome to hello world where we can help you Re-discover the good that is all around us as famously quoted by Forest Gump life is like a box of chocolate you never know what you're going to get that is certainly the case for our guest Rebecca Johnson she went from feeling like she's on top of the world that she has arrived both professionally and personally to hitting rock bottom while staying at a a crack house but through determination and the Goodwill of kind people today Rebecca is thriving she is serving and she's

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smiling hi Rebecca hello thank you so much for joining us and and sharing your story it's a pleasure yes and today we're joined by Virginia Lee she's on our podcast team and she also has a special tie to this story and to Rebecca you want to share yeah so I'm a part of Goodwill I'm on the board of Goodwill Houston and I met Rebecca I think the first time I met you was maybe two years ago might even be three and even then I thought your story was so inspiring I was like we've got to get Rebecca on this podcast and so that's when we that's why you're here so we're glad you're here thank you so much for having me it's just an honor and a pleasure you know share with our audience a little bit about yourself where did you grow up from what are your hobbies just a little bit about so we can get to know you a little bit well I'm I'm Rebecca Johnson I go by the name of Becky I'm grew up here in Houston so I'm a native houstonian okay I'm single my mom's a single parent m I'm a product of a single parent household my mother worked um for Texas Instruments for 37 years so she was really good with making sure that she provided for me with doing that she was always at work I was kind of on my own at home I have one daughter Ashley she is 26 she'll be 27 she's in college attending UT online and um I work for goodwi Houston okay and I'm just just excited about life cuz it has truly been a journey and I know there's so much more to come I'm excited about it that's right it's awesome that's right Rebecca what are some if you were to describe yourself with three words what three words would you choose

tenacious determined and humble you had a a humble beginning as you mentioned your life seemed to be on track until it took a detour so prior to the detour can you describe a little bit more um about your life one thing that I can honestly say is that I've always been a heavy plus-sized kid but I never got picked on I never got teased I was actually a a bully Basher so if anyone was bullying someone they would come and get me don't do the bully thing wow so I was a confident kid but I wasn't cocky you know I just didn't don't mistreat people I don't like that I have a true issue with that you don't know what their situation is so yeah pretty much always joining a club so I wouldn't have to be at home alone so you you kept yourself very active and and also uh taking up for the The Underdogs should they get get bullied you said that you were uh um you were pregnant at the age your single mom at age of 24 so you were determined to provide for her so what where did you work and what did you do and how did you provide so I was working for prior to me working for Memorial Herman okay I was working for the YMCA and the boys and girls club M didn't plan on on getting pregnant but it happened and um at that point when I found out that I was pregnant I started looking for N9 to5 within a year's time of me having my daughter MH I did get hired on with Memorial Herman through a mutual friend of mine and started off as a data entry card okay so she had just turned one the year she was turning one is when I got hired because you mentioned that you feel like at some at a point you feel like you have arrived you had corner office what's what's the pathway to get there so I started off with emorial Herman right during the merger was Memorial then it was hermit so what year was this this was 1998 okay and it was right when that merger happened and you know I know God has perfect timing for everything I had no experience in the office setting I'd always worked with kids you know I thought I was a heavy set person and I was intelligent and smart bookwise but as far as getting a job in an office I just didn't think I could get one I interviewed with this s Lady M am McGee mhm and she asked me do you have D answer experience and I said no you know I'm an honest person I don't want to you know get in there and not be able to do the job she said ask me you ever worked on the cash register I did the 10 key test passed and that's how I got hired in I was in a relationship but it was an abusive relationship with my daughter's dad I was on my final written warning and my boss said you know what's going going on you're a great employee but why can't you be on time and my hair I used to wear a bang and when I pulled my hair back she could see she saw it she was livid and at that point she said I can help you but you got to want to help yourself MH and she started coaching me and training me and I promoted like immediately so you need to be here on time I don't care if you have to get up if if I have to pick you up you need to be on time wow so she saw something in you and she was willing to invest that time in you and not give up on you cuz some people would just say you know get another person yeah your trouble in you know life right that'swe that's wonderful I'll never forget that thees anet at that point she I promoted and she was just on meh and she helped me purchase my first home um she helped me just with my credit she just helped me she helped me and I know God has really placed some amazing people in my in your past that's amazing so so the first one that we can recognize together is Teresa so how long from that day when you arrived late and she was like you're late again to you're getting it your the home that she helped you I'll say within five five six years cuz I started promoting and that abusive relationship that I was in was with her dad M and he would never hit me in front of the kids the day that he hit me in front of my daughter was the day that I left and she was five at this time I hadn't purchased my home yet but I left him yes and that's when that process started I see like we said in the intro you know um you went from from the I half arriv to hitting a little bit of Rock Bottom what happened um what what brought you there um yeah I know it's a tough sub subject so I actually I'll say this I I truly take accountability for that and I had arrived and I was dating but not dating anyone seriously and then I ran into a guy from high school and that's when that started um I thought I could change him and I couldn't he started stealing things from me and little things came up missing and or I would come home from work early and there was a party going on at my house and I just said you know what I started indulging more and it just from that point it just kind of unraveled you know I just don't really know where that where it just happened but it happened and it seemed like overnight but it was over a period of time the appeal of drugs is so strong M and and then it's slippery slope too and I guess it's that kind of that innate character in you because as you even younger you said you know you you were the bully Basher you always wanted to help somebody and here you were trying to help him yeah but instead it backfired on you did it did and um it goes into the I had a weight reduction surgery so I'm I used to weigh 400 lb and I thought that once I lost the weight that my life would change so I had to the gastro bypass working for Memorial Herman whole another that's another BL you get a discount I did you do I did this is what this is the app I have gotten so many breaks in my life like I can't just take this is God he's been blessing me in the midst of all of my M he has always blessed me the best but you cannot continue to do the same things expecting different results cuz eventually it's a slippery slope you know I with the surgery I did get a discount M you know that was a $155,000 surgery and that's when the surgery it wasn't as popular you know a lot of people didn't know about it when you basically went on the slippery slope um what what's the Fallout that I actually I ended up losing employment with Memorial Herman I had taken a leave of absence I was using drugs but I'm I I never used in front of her I never took her to um a crack house or anything like that I never left her alone cuz that's my my love my daughter but I wasn't myself and she knew something was strange you know and this gentleman that I was dating at the time which leads to a whole another story was with him for about about 8 years and um that turn that pivotal point in my life he took my vehicle and committed a robbery and the FBI came to my job looking for me so you got you got caught up in caught up in his actions I can think about was my daughter like my daughter was a thing that did that kept you alive even now she's 26 about to be 27 she still our babies right like that's what kept me just kept me grounded and I'm that's how I I lost my job so when you hit rock bottom what does that look like Rock Bottom is when um you just don't care you just you don't care where you sleep what you eat if you eat how you look your hair your you just don't care you just give up I literally just would wake up every day and like I'm still alive if I went to sleep I would be up three and four days at times I'm I was embarrassed didn't want to go around my family cuz I came from a pretty stable background you know I mom she is um one kid of eight her parents were together for their whole life I mean they got married when they like 14 or 15 years old and they were together their entire life I came from a stable background these were things I chose to do and I was embarrassed I couldn't my rock bottom for me was my family telling people that I'm out of town or you know just like I didn't exist yeah they didn't want to yeah acknowledge yeah where were you living at this time just here and there and that's when I was stand in the crack house and I would just go sit there and I'm even in the midst of all that I still have like a little hustle about myself I I did credit repair so I have a credit restoration business you're like a jack of all traits I know what was it earlier you said a basket design business um credit reped restoration so I'm making money but then when you get so high it's just like it's not making sense anymore yeah all right so we we've covered enough of the Rock Bottom let's let's rise up to our Turning Point okay so when and how did you I guess emerge from the crack house it was right after my birthday MH my birthday is May 2nd can't pinpoint the year I want to say it was 201 16 or 20177 MH and I woke up that day well rewind I didn't wake up cuz I didn't go to sleep I was

like and I'm looking around at the activity was going on and I asked one of the ladies that was in the house you know to kind of help me get my hair and stuff together she said you're not coming back and I said no and I left and I just took off walking and for three days I still did I was getting high for about three days and I went and checked myself into the psych Harris County psych psychiatric hospital I would always go there intermittently to um eat take a bath and clean up and they will give you clothes and I could stay there like 3 weeks as long as I would tell them I was uh suicidal or homicidal but that was the point I said I can't do this it might just I can't remember how old I turned but that was in 2016 2017 that I did that and that's when I made a decision I can't I can't how did she know yeah that you're not coming back what what made her say that I have a very strong spirit I don't have to say a word and she just knew it but you kind of internalized that this was enough you needed I I I say that look on on my face that determined look something's about to happen so you got quiet and got your hair done and um and then just walked out I just walked out so when you come out of the psych hospital where do you go this last time that I checked myself in I actually went through the programs I actually took the information they were giving me and again it goes back to God because there was an opening they kept telling me there weren't any openings there was a little apartment you can go stay in for you could stay there for a month there were no openings and the lady who was the director over the house came in she said I just got one opening just came in you were able to have a place to stay so so I heard bus stop I stayed there so you left the psych hospital after the 3 weeks and then you stayed at the bus stop that was your home so this was the in between when I would go check myself into the hospital and come out I would either go to the crack house or I would go to the bus stop it was that one particular bus stop that I would go to cuz it was just a safe place for me I went to I attended Middle School cat Corners to that bus stop there was a store right here my church that I was going to at the time was down the street that was just that bus stop on that corner was my house it became your home because it's familiar it's in the epicenter of your life MH yeah so when you're doing drugs there's this thing called perimeter using drugs you can't go outside of that perimeter that bus stop was the cut off point for me you couldn't go past this street and that was that little that was my safe place like a safe Zone cuz if you go outside of it in your in your state you may not know what to do in that little area people knew you they and they knew you these are people that I may see that I went to high to high school with or to middle school with or Elementary they were not necessarily in an addiction but they knew me and they knew that wasn't me did you have a backpack of stuff or I mean how do you keep warm how do you wash up how do you do any of that you don't I mean you know every now and then I may get some wet wipes or something and and use that and clean it up as much as possible and then there may be some days where you just don't you just don't I made the best of it that I could yeah every now and then someone may pass by and give you something or do something for you the church wasn't too far from there so I could go to the church sometimes and the ladies there would feed me but then I would come back to that same spot what happened next so from there I I went and stayed in that little apartment like gosh I can't think of the name of it when you leave there you can only stay there for a limited amount of time it was another apartment complex you go to the classes all day the drug rehab classes they s send you somewhere else they kept sending me to different places but they were full they were full the guy Arthur I can't think of his name he was one of the counselors he said I'm going to tell you about this one place he said I don't tell anyone about this place but you got to have a job to go here and I had gotten a job during one of those little spells where I was in and out with Katherine vandero I said I have a job so if they can vouch for you having a job you can go here and that was Oxford House um tell me more about Catherine um as the intro um some Goodwill and of kind people yes um it sounded like she saw you at the bus stop she did Katherine I miss Katherine I called her I saw me at she would see me sitting at the bus stop I was looking for jobs and at the time the hair that the girl was fixing it was a red like raggedy ass bright is it bright bright red but underneath that you know the drugs had taken my hair out I looked a hot mess but I would put that wig on put a little grease on it and I would sit at that bus stop and go to Every Little establishment looking for employment M and I came in and asked what they hir and they were looking for an office manager there was another lady there and I won't say her name but she said said don't give her a chance because she's she lives down there at that place I was standing at um I think it was directions of recovery at that time I'm like a rehab center said she lives they asked me where I stayed I say in a trailer park but it was M yeah you know I was embarrassed sure you know I'm told her I stayed in the trailer park down the street she said don't give her a chance with the other young young lady Christina said you know she she looks this way but I mean she was very intelligent and she was kind and you know I went in and I know how to speak to people it's just the way that I look you know you can never judge a book by its cover and miss Catherine said call her in and I had I connected with an again I can't remember there's a an an organization that is on Richmond they help you if you can get an interview they'll send you to dress for success yes if you can lock in an interview they'll um give you a a voucher to get hair and supplies and I went in to see that counselor and she said there's no way you can go an interview with that red wig so that's when the exit right yes the lady uh she said we normally don't give people cash and again I know God has favor over my life said we normally don't give cash out cuz again is I'm a recovering addict going to give me $30 he said I'm going to give you you this cash if you promis to bring a receipt and go to the beauty supply beauty supply in the neighborhood wouldn't accept a voucher you know they didn't sell wigs at Walmart tar right so she gave me cash and I brought three seip and got a little short B wig and went in and miss Catherine gave me a chance so I saw an interview with Miss Miss Katherine and I was so impressed the fact that she saw you at the bus stop mhm da and that you know if she was a judgmental person you wouldn't be getting a job just like the other person's is don't give her a chance but um it sound like not only does she give you a chance she also help you get a car she did she did U Miss you're you're like so highly favored did you know that so far I'm not even done with the story she's already got all I mean like there's a whole list of favors that you have already received despite yes the tough the tough situations it's what you you put out there what you give is what you get every seed you plant will be the Harvest that you reap I've planted enough Bad Seeds I'm not perfect and miss Catherine gave me a chance she helped me get a vehicle and she actually helped me get um a part-time job with Asa Automotive Service Association she was on Bo to give you more we more income more income I was trying to I was living in Oxford House by this time I had mooved transitioned from the recovery home to Oxford House which was a a self- sustaining recovery home but you had to have employment to stay there it's kind of like bring you back towards stability and and self self sustain Independence it it really helped me and I'm living in in Oxford House there weren't a lot of people that looked like me the young ladies that were in the house their parents were paying their their bills so I kind of turned into the house Mom in that house if you did use drugs you had to get out immediately so whenever someone was caught using I was a person able to come to to the bully

Basher I was and Miss Katherine and her husband sein had helped me get a vehicle and well I was in school so by this time I was back at HCC I had made the Deans List and you had the smarts the whole time and she said you know Rebecca I I think we're holding you back and oh wow yeah she said I believe you need to you need more time to start growing your business and I'm writing a book she started helping me develop that and she said you know I I think it would be best for you to seek opportunities somewhere else and we left on on good terms but she just felt like she was holding me back so she says okay your future looks bright go after it how did you go after I really didn't take that too well you uhhuh you're like wait what but um you know again it comes back to your faith is your faith in a job or is your faith in God so I I started going to church more and just believing and trusting his will in his way and that's what led me to Goodwill I went to a job fair at the Workforce Solutions on West timer and they were hiring and I went in thinking I was going to get an office job CU I have all this experience right smart and no one would give me a chance and I met Tony out with Goodwill she so you want to be a cashier I'm like does it pay and if it pays yes and that's how I ended up with Goodwill so you went to Goodwill you started out as a cashier which Goodwill was this at the River Oaks River Oaks okay so for those of us those of you who are not in Houston River Oaks is kind of like a affluent area so they probably had good stuff huh they had great things this entire ensemble came from that location oh that's you know thrifting is totally in right now so okay so then you are not a cashier right now no now I'm not now you're not so um tell us about your progression cuz um it seems like your story you get in there you progress so initially when I went in you know I heard about Goodwill but I just didn't really know about Goodwill I thought that Goodwill was only for um people that had disabilities and I felt bad at first I thought I was taking a job from somewhere one else and I I went in and as a cashier I said this is just too easy for me you know so I'm steady going to the manager saying okay I'm done cleaning my area can I do something else like you know okay so eventually they started signing me up and that's how I found out about Workforce Development with Goodwill that's how I found out about the other programs that were there and they thought I would be a good candidate for those programs so I would go on my off days I would go to the job connection behind um the River Oak Center a Goodwill store and attend those and get those certifications and they would give you incentives like a Walmart CT if you attended the class and you finished and met so many hours in the grand funded programs would provide you with incentives and um again I just kept meeting people say you know you're you're different something different about you and believe in that mission you know Goodwill I've never encountered anyone since I've been there that did want to help you no matter if they were a donation attendant or the president yeah it's everyone's treated the same and that just did something even now I'm getting it's real the atmosphere that it's just it's contagious so to be a part of that for me that's crisis yeah I mean again this is not the first time I've heard your story I think I've heard it like four times already and it doesn't get old but your story is the Goodwill Mission right they their mission is helping those with barriers to employment and changing lives through the power of work and that is exactly your story and not only that but even your boss is story yeah and I mean so many people that work at Goodwill have their own story it doesn't get old hearing your story because it is just so inspiring to see how far you've come even though you've had so much that you've gone through but yet look how look how positive you're just you know you're you're soing and you're just shining and you know a lot of it is people who have come alongside you and Goodwill is one of those that has come alongside you and you also have have that desire to help others all this time I thought Goodwill was just this thrift shop where you donate your stuff and then you go buy stuff cheap I had no idea of all this behind the scenes the this Workforce Development and I actually went to that store and that Workforce Development taking a a refugee there for the job fair and everybody's so helpful and they want to help them to get a job so who I not know so this is I mean again uh we try to inform our audience right with with not only um personal stories but any good news and good good ideas out there um to know um that there's Workforce Development yes but the thing is you have to have that you know want to work and want to thve tenacity you said you're tenacious yes the tenacity it's it's been in you ever since you were little and still your story is not done so you went to that you went through those program the work force work development program and then now you have a job at corporate yes so now I'm in the corporate office um I wanted to get position myself where I could help someone like me to be that voice to understand and be able to translate yes what they're going through you know being an advocate yes translate for them MH and be the voice for them that was my mission yeah in getting incorporate so this person calls in and says hey you ain't got my check what they're really saying is you know I didn't get my check I really need my check what do you need from me in order to expedite this request and they'll say yeah that's what I was trying to be in that voice understanding them without judging them because they just didn't have that the schooling or they did they had to take care of their kids or their sisters it's not that they don't have desire they just didn't have the resources or the tools yeah to present themselves in the way that other people expect exactly so you can help them yes so I know you did such a good job at G you were u a recipient of a is it more citizen of the Year award in 2022 yes what is that award about it's like the highest award yeah tell us talk about that that really really shocked me because I did it was unexpected I'm just being me so to be rewarded for working I mean I feel honored like even now like I still can't believe that that they of all the people you know that just and that was a lifechanging for me that was one of those pivotal moments in my life to say okay people see you now MH they see you yeah not the physical but you the person yes and they know your story yeah the good and the bad good and the bad and still accept me yes yes so this this award it makes you feel validated people often say that they don't need validation but everyone needs yeah to be noticed of course in some shape form or fashion just to know that you see me during that time when I was using or like my mom sometimes refers to as oh she's on vacation there were times when no one was looking for me I was gone 3 or 4 years and no one not saying that it missed me but no one came looking for me so now if I'm not at work or I'm not in the meeting hey yes just knowing that someone is thinking about you everybody needs to be checked on have a community yeah so I see that um you recently have new reasons to smile look at that look at that zoom in yes um you have a beautiful smile and I've seen other videos where you weren't smiling as big so what happened um through a beautiful couple wanted for my look to match my spirit and they said they had to do something they felt compelled to do something and they didn't have to do that for me like you you don't have to you care enough about me yeah I needed to smile yeah you know I had been happy things weren't weren't as bad as they were but I couldn't smile yeah because your teeth weren't as presentable they weren't presentable at all well and so I remember I remember the moment because um so the first time I met you and heard your story was at the [ __ ] lunch award yes and that's when I saw your story I think that was in August and then of 22 and then in October we have our annual board retreat and you were one of the so each of these Retreats for our dinner we have somebody from Goodwill come and share their story and you came and there were two people because they won the [ __ ] Awards and you were one of them and you came and spoke to the group The Dinner M and I do remember because we were I think sitting at the the same table yes and I remember talking to you and you were happy but you were always a little bit kind of like yeah didn't want to you're you were a little shy with your smile yeah I remember then um after that dinner maybe a few one of our board meetings after that it was one of the board members shared with the group what he noticed which is really incredible yeah and not only did he notice it but he took action yes and because he knew has a friend who's a dentist basically did a pro bono uh Dental Dentistry work fast forward a year later so this is now October 2023 we had our board meeting again uh the annual board meeting and at the dinner Rebecca was invited to come and you're like a you're like a returned guest aren't you yes and and and so you think about the contrast both are celebratory dinners but one your smile was a little bit you were a little bit you know kind of covering it and this last dinner I had some pictures with you you were beaming like now you were just beaming and glow reasons to smile all so your smile makes me smile it makes others smile because you have they're exactly right you have this just spirit in you that is just so contagious and um so yes what a beautiful story that somebody noticed it and took action and I think they've now inspired that dentist to each year want to do the same B another person to um give this gift of a smile to what a gift this what is about yeah I love that I love that they they saw something didn't match yes and did something about it yes okay so what's your outlook now so I for me right now is my goal is to continue to be the evidence of faith and to help people get through the steps so many times in our lives we have this plan I'm 51 now I'll be 52 so by now in my head when I was in my 20s I was supposed to be retired mhm helping people get through each day yes just get through today tomorrow is not promised and tomorrow we'll take care of itself so but helping people get through today so that's my goal where I am now I see on your Facebook posts every day multiple inspirational posts and they're and they just um reflects your feelings your outlook planting those seeds we may not see them grow but just keep planning yeah yes Becky I I you know as I Was preparing to do this interview I was just sitting back and thinking about you know oh we're going to go into some tough stuff but what came back through and through for me was your determination well I also noticed that along your path great people who did not have to do what they did um see that you were hurt as a as a um abused individual and try to show you a way to uh Catherine right and also the person at the at the psych hospital I think in life determination sometimes will get you halfway there but if you didn't get the opportunity yeah so he really takes a two and I'm just fully reminded that we all have an opportunity to be the Catherine the the people that that give people opportunities and you're trying to do that yourself I mean I I hear that in you like the reason you Goodwill is a great place to work but you're the reason you're there is not only to earn a paycheck but you have a purpose there yeah a purpose of helping others because you knew you know what it was like to be in that position when we started this Lily asked you three words that best describe yourself yeah may I share my three words about you that I've learned um just from knowing you a little bit more um tenacity is for sure one of them um Advocate because all I hear even when you were Middle School and High School you always it was about taking care of others if it's not about taking care of your daughter um it's about taking care of other people who walked your path now and being there for them so you're an advocate and Radiance you just exude Radiance that's a perfect word you just you shine and I mean your texts I was tell Lily I was like her texts are just so positive and encouraging and so bright and you just exude this radiant Spirit um yeah it's beautiful to hear your story for someone who's been through all that you've been through to be where you are today and yet still have that Radiance right yeah thank you God thank you God Becky there's probably other young ladies sitting in some crack house somewhere yeah what would you want to say to them right now protect your peace keep pressing

forward and get through today let tomorrow take care of itself there's a future still yeah you have to know that know that you're worthy you're worthy and that God sees you people change but his love it doesn't change yeah it's consistent and it's steadfast it doesn't change keep letting him shine through you amen Amen to that but any final words you wanted to share before we wrap up you know I I tell people this all the time to be kind to people it doesn't cost anything to be kind and to bless their hearts you don't know what that person may be dealing with they may have something going on and just be kind and speak to people acknowledge people yes there's only one perfect God that's it so treat everyone one with kindness dignity and respect thank you for being so vulnerable and open pleasure thank you for sharing and helping us to see that determination help us to see that we can be a um a minister oh and that faith in God yes above all um just thank you for for for being here we all been

blessed

I hope you like this episode I don't know if you realize behind each episode there's a lot of things happening the pre-production planning the post-production editing and the interview itself it will really encourage us if you like video and hit the Subscribe thank [Music] you