Feb 16, 2022

ParentEd.: Excelling in the Midst of Adversity with Inky Johnson

MPCS will host an exclusive ParentEd. session with special guest Inky Johnson, corporate inspirational speaker and former University of Tennessee football player, on Tuesday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m., in the Black Box Theater, Murray Arts Center. The event is free and open to all parents in the local community.

For University of Tennessee cornerback Inky Johnson, September 9, 2006, started like any other game in Neyland Stadium. But, for Inky, it was a game that changed everything. During his upcoming ParentEd. session, “Excelling in the Midst of Adversity,” Inky will share how a routine tackle turned into a life-threatening injury. In an instant, Inky’s dream to play professional football in the NFL was shattered, but his injury did not destroy his motivation or crush his spirit. Join us as Inky shares how, through faith and divine intervention, he overcame an underprivileged past, poverty, violence, and defeat to learn that God has purposes and plans far beyond our own. Attendees will leave this session inspired by a message of relentless determination and will find themselves asking, “Am I really failing, or is God prevailing?”

About Inky Johnson

Inky Johnson headshot.jpg Inky Johnson earned his Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology from The University of Tennessee, where he played cornerback and was a three-year letterman and two-year captain of the football team. During his junior year, Mr. Johnson was projected as a top-thirty draft pick, until circumstances changed on September 9, 2006, when he sustained a life-threatening, career-ending injury that paralyzed his right arm and hand. From then until now, he has found a calling to use his situation to add value to people’s lives. He says, “The one thing we all have in common is that we will encounter adversity, but we have to decide how we respond to it. My arm and my hand are paralyzed, but my heart isn’t, my mind isn’t, my dedication isn’t, my work ethic isn’t, my commitment isn’t.”

On a mission to serve, Mr. Johnson now speaks to companies and organizations across the country, sharing his message of hope and faith through adversity. His corporate clients include Chick-fil-A, Dell Technologies, Aflac Insurance, State Farm, AT&T, Comcast, Coca Cola, and Bank of America. He has also shared his message with collegiate and professional sports teams, including the University of Tennessee, the University of Alabama, the University of Texas, the University of Oregon, UCLA, Clemson University, the Orlando Magic, the New York Knicks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New England Patriots, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Los Angeles Rams, the Baltimore Ravens, the Chicago Cubs, and the Atlanta Braves.

Husband, father, collegiate athlete, entrepreneur, and author, Mr. Johnson is one of the most sought-after speakers in the world. Whether the topic is leadership, teamwork, excelling in the midst of adversity, embracing change, mental agility, or perseverance, his message is effective and profound. Mr. Johnson is the host of Serendipity with Inky Johnson Podcast. He devotes time to mentoring athletes and underprivileged youth and is one of the founders of The Inky and Allison Johnson Foundation.

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