W. Ray Johnson

The W. Ray Johnson Foundation was established in 2017 and is a 501©(3) charity that specializes in providing financial means and assistance for students by creating scholarships, internships and special community-based projects at colleges and universities. The foundation is built upon the principle that no matter race, creed, sex, color, or circumstance, we are here to help students and the community achieve their education goals and have access to resources necessary to succeed.

W. Ray Johnson was a community activist and an advocate for social justice and equality. He worked for the city of Los Angeles, CA and the city of Fresno, CA as Deputy City Manager. He was also the Executive Director for the African American Historical & Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley. Mr. Johnson believed that no one should make a decision based upon fear and that anyone can achieve greatness if given the opportunity. His wife Erma and three children (Rodney, Stacee and Justin) created the foundation to continue his legacy of service to the community through education.

Our vision is to create opportunities and resources to empower students to succeed in college, career and life. Since inception, the foundation has supported students through college prep, internships, scholarships, endowments, and a university library digitization project. Our goal is “Opening Doors Through Education”!