Rev. Dr. Adrienne Booth Johnson’s 25-year journey at Coca-Cola shows her resilience and determination. She defied multiple obstacles to rise to an executive position in one of the world’s most prominent companies. Dr. Johnson’s story is an inspiration for both her corporate achievements and her deep commitment to empowering others—especially women.

As a single mother in her teens, Dr. Johnson could have easily let circumstances define her future. Instead, she chose perseverance over defeat. “I never let go of my dreams. I knew that someday I was going to be somebody. I knew someday I was going to help somebody,” Dr. Johnson shared.

A Life of Multiple Roles

Throughout her journey, Dr. Johnson balanced the roles of wife, mother, corporate executive, and community champion. Despite a demanding career, she felt a calling to do more. She took a bold step by traveling to Africa, where her experiences would shape the next phase of her life’s work.

Upon arriving in Africa, Dr. Johnson quickly discovered that women in the villages she visited faced a shared challenge: a lack of access to sanitary products. “I find out where the village is and go meet with the chief of the village or queen mother and talk to people and just find out what they need,” she explained. “And that’s how I found out they need sanitary pads.”

Building WO YE BRA

Rather than simply providing sanitary pads, Dr. Johnson saw an opportunity for a long-term solution. She founded WO YE BRA, a non-profit organization focused on empowering women through skill development and business education. The organization teaches women essential skills like sewing, as well as universal business practices such as marketing, sales, and customer relations.

The first skill women learned through WO YE BRA was how to sew sanitary pads. “We give away sanitary pads, so you’ll have some, but we also give away sewing machines, fabric… but most importantly, we teach them and empower them,” Dr. Johnson said.

Connecting Communities Across the Globe 

Dr. Johnson’s efforts didn’t stop with her nonprofit. She worked with a girls club at Cass Technical High School in Detroit called Great Girls. The club cut fabric for the sanitary pads, and Dr. Johnson took the fabric to Ghana, where it would be sewn by the women there. She found a way to connect these two groups, eventually linking girls in Detroit with their peers in Ghana.

“I bought fabric, and the girls at Cass Tech cut out the fabric for the sanitary pad, and I took it to Ghana,” Dr. Johnson recalled. “So I thought about it and said, ‘Well, wait a minute… wouldn’t it be great if the girls at Cass Tech saw the girls they actually gave the pads to’… and so I did a Zoom!”

This virtual connection allowed the girls in Detroit to see the direct impact of their efforts. Some of the girls from Cass Tech shared how meaningful it was to witness the fruits of their labor. They also commented on how the experience made the world feel a little smaller. 

Inspiring Others Through Hard Work

Dr. Johnson is thrilled to witness the impact her work has had on both the girls in Detroit and the women in Ghana. She hopes her journey can serve as a powerful example for women worldwide: “No matter the circumstances you’re facing now, it doesn’t have to be the end of your story.”