Tonika G. Johnson is a photographer and cofounder/lead teacher of Media-N-Motion, a south-side after-school writing program that explores media stereotypes and overcoming bias.
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It was fall of 1993, the eve of my first day as a freshman at Lane Tech high school, and the night was filled with serious stomach butterflies—and fashion preparations. As the television blared music from the now-defunct cable channel the Box, I prestyled my hair between the careful selection of my outfit, which I laid out on the bed to make sure it was properly coordinated. Afterward I packed my brand-spanking-new Eddie Bauer book bag with my yellow Sony Walkman, big headphones, and a couple self-created hip-hop mix tapes of songs I recorded over the summer from WHPK and WKKC. I also included the minimal amount of school supplies necessary for me to justify carrying my Eddie B bag on the first day.
Despite my nervousness, I successfully found most of my classes. I got lost twice, but no pennies rained on me. And though I did eat the nasty school lunch in the cafeteria, each day after the first got easier—and more interesting.
