What’s one thing you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet?

“I haven’t had the opportunity to travel to some places that I’ve wanted to for one reason or another. I sometimes didn’t travel because you’re always coming up with excuses – I don’t have enough money, it’s not the right time. With the last year the way that it was and so many things that happened to so many people, myself included, there is never always going to be a right time for the things you claim you want to do and need to get done. You just have to take the opportunities when they come because they don’t come all of the time. You don’t want things to pass you by just because you feel like it’s not the right time. Most of your life is not going to be the right time or the most defining moment. I’d like to go to some places in Europe, Japan, somewhere I’ve never been.” – Lesli Johnson of Hoover.

Johnson is a historical interpreter at American Village and finds her job very rewarding.

Lesli Johnson of Hoover loves seeing young people light up when they learn something new. (Tamika Moore / People of Alabama)

“While I was still in college, someone told me about an opportunity here in which they needed someone to portray a specific character. I came down and auditioned and I got that part and continued on afterwards. It’s a really wonderful opportunity in a lot of ways. What we do here as historical interpreters is teach children and adults about American history – how the country was founded and the principles that it was founded upon. Really what we are is storytellers. A lot of times when it comes to American history, or any history, you’re given a lot of facts and figure to remember for exams and tests. When the tests are over, there’s a 50% chance that you’re not going to remember everything that you learned about. What we try to do is integrate you into a story to understand where those facts and figure come into play. There may also be some stories you don’t know about or the story you think you know is not the entirety of the story. As a performer, this is a wonderful opportunity and you have an opportunity to be so many things. There’s a reward, especially when you have the opportunity to watch children light up and see something they have never seen in a way they haven’t seen before.”

These are the faces and stories of people from all walks of life who call Alabama home. People of Alabama is a Red Clay Media and Alabama NewsCenter partnership.